2026 SPECIAL SESSION I

INTRODUCED

26200120D

HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 2087

Offered June 12, 2026

Commending Madison County.

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Patron—Hamilton

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WHEREAS, 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, providing an opportunity to reflect upon the nation's history and celebrate the communities that have contributed to its development; and

WHEREAS, Madison County traces its roots to the early 18th century, when German immigrants of the second Germanna Colony arrived in the region and established enduring agricultural, cultural, and religious traditions; and

WHEREAS, the Germanna Colony settlers laid the foundation for one of the earliest Lutheran congregations in Virginia, Hebron Lutheran Church, which was organized around 1717; and

WHEREAS, Hebron Lutheran Church's current building was completed in 1740, and the church continues to serve as a lasting symbol of faith, community continuity, and the contributions of early European settlers to the growth of the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, Madison County was officially established in 1792 by an act of the Virginia General Assembly from a portion of Culpeper County and named in honor of President James Madison, a testament to its direct connections to the founding generation of the United States; and

WHEREAS, Madison County is home to Rapidan Camp, established in 1929 by President Herbert Hoover as Hoover Camp, which is now recognized as the first presidential retreat in the United States and a precursor to modern presidential retreats; and

WHEREAS, lands within Madison County were acquired for the establishment and expansion of Shenandoah National Park in the 1930s, reflecting the county's role in preserving the Commonwealth's natural beauty and providing public access to the Blue Ridge Mountains, including Old Rag, the number one trailhead of the park; and

WHEREAS, Madison County is also associated with the Honorable James Lawson Kemper, a former speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates and Virginia governor, whose residence, the Kemper Mansion, is located in Madison, further reflecting Madison County's connections to significant periods in the Commonwealth's history; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That Madison County hereby be commended for its role in the development of the Commonwealth and the United States on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the nation; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to representatives of Madison County as an expression of the House of Delegates' admiration for the community's long and storied history and unique contributions to the early history of the United States.