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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1034-E1035]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
IN RECOGNITION OF DIXON'S FAMOUS CHILI
______
HON. EMANUEL CLEAVER
of missouri
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, August 6, 2019
Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate Dixon's
Famous Chili
[[Page E1035]]
and their one hundredth year serving the greater Kansas City
metropolitan area. Since their opening, Dixon's has served as a beloved
pillar of the Kansas City and Independence communities, and it brings
me pride to have such an institution serving the Fifth Congressional
District of Missouri.
As one of the oldest family owned businesses in the city, Dixon's
Famous Chili originally began as a street vendor in downtown Kansas
City, Missouri. Due to the success of the street cart, the Dixon family
opened their first parlor at 15th and Olive in 1919. In the early days,
the founder, Vergne Dixon, used his entrepreneurial power to provide
jobs for the community. He hired only men who were down on their luck
to work at his parlor, giving many a much-needed opportunity to better
themselves and support their families. Dixon aspired to give back to
his city and embodied a spirit of public service that should inspire us
all.
In the 1940s, Dixon's Chili Parlor acquired a new and special meaning
for the community as it became a frequent stop for President Harry
Truman and became what he called one of his favorite restaurants in
America. President Truman said he loved to eat there as the food
reminded him of the days when he had been serving in World War I. When
President Truman visited Dixon's for his favorite dish of chili on
tamales, usually accompanied by several Secret Service agents, the
notoriety of the event landed Dixon's Chili Parlor in LIFE magazine.
Thus, Dixon's came to be known as Dixon's Famous Chili.
Dixon's Famous Chili continues today, as the legacy has been kept
alive by Vergne Dixon's nephew Leonard Totta, his daughter Terri Totta
Smith, and will continue with his grandson Stephan Steffes. As the
restaurant's business expanded, it grew to house numerous locations
across the Kansas City metro area and beyond. However, the main
restaurant in Independence, which President Truman frequented, remains
a cherished landmark in the area. Long time guests share stories of
gravitating back to Dixon's for a warm, familial atmosphere. Today,
visitors to Missouri are drawn to the authentic ambience at Dixon's, as
well as the special ``Kansas City style chili'' served the same way it
was one hundred years ago, as a distinct way to experience our local
history.
Madam Speaker, please join me and all of Missouri's Fifth
Congressional District in honoring this legacy as Vergne Dixon's family
celebrates one hundred years of remarkable and noteworthy service in
the Kansas City metropolitan area. I welcome my colleagues to join me
and the constituents of Missouri's Fifth Congressional District in
congratulations and recognition of such an inspiration. Together, we
look to better serve those around us in the same spirit as Mr. Dixon
originally did and in the same way his family continues to serve us
today.
____________________
