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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Proud residents of Lampasas are gathering in Austin |
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on May 1, 2023, to celebrate Lampasas Day at the State Capitol and |
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to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the community's founding; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, In 1760, a mission and presidio were built just west |
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of the site of modern-day Lampasas at a time when the area was under |
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Spanish rule; during the Revolutionary War, Lampasas would figure |
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into a pivotal chapter of American history when Isaac Cox, a |
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Pennsylvanian and Spanish army veteran, and seven of his nephews |
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delivered over 700 horses from the area to Major General Charles |
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Lee, a high-ranking officer in the Continental Army under General |
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George Washington; Lampasas County would go on to supply horses for |
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the U.S. military's use in the Spanish-American War, World War I, |
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and World War II as well; and |
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WHEREAS, In the early 1850s, Moses Hughes and his family were |
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among the first Anglo settlers to arrive in the area; Mr. Hughes and |
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his ailing wife, Hannah, came in search of mineral springs due to |
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their rumored healing properties; news of Mrs. Hughes's reported |
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cure drew others to the community, and the town's growth in |
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population led the Texas Legislature to declare Lampasas, formerly |
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called Burleson, as the seat of the newly created Lampasas County on |
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February 1, 1856; and |
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WHEREAS, The City of Lampasas was officially incorporated by |
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the 12th Texas Legislature on April 13, 1873; several years later, a |
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group of farmers gathered to discuss the economic issues that were |
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impacting their livelihoods, which provided the impetus for the |
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creation of the National Farmers' Alliance and Industrial Union, |
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also known as the Farmers' Alliance; the organization would become |
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a powerful nationwide political movement that, at its height, had a |
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membership of nearly three million; and |
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WHEREAS, Beginning in 1882, the arrival of the railroad |
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brought visitors from all over the country to the mineral baths and |
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grand hotels of Lampasas, which acquired the moniker "the Saratoga |
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of the South"; Lampasas went on to become the birthplace of the |
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Texas Bankers Association, the oldest state banking association in |
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the nation; it was organized in 1885 by two local bankers, Frank |
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Malone and E. M. Longcope, and had its first meeting at the |
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luxurious 200-room Lampasas Park Hotel; the rapidly growing town |
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was also selected as the location for the 1892 Texas Democratic |
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Convention, which took place at the spacious Hannah Springs |
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Auditorium; and |
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WHEREAS, Lampasas has been home to a number of famous |
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figures, including Olympic gold medalist and professional football |
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player Johnny "Lam" Jones, Keith Null of the St. Louis Rams, and |
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1970 Super Bowl veteran Jim Hargrove of the Minnesota Vikings and |
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St. Louis Cardinals; the list of notable natives also includes |
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Stanley Walker, author, journalist, and editor of the New York |
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Herald Tribune during the 1920s and 1930s, whose 1956 book Home to |
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Texas describes his return to Lampasas after 40 years in New York; |
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among other Lampasas icons are Grammy Award-winning fiddle player |
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Jason Roberts and country music artists Dale and Terry McBride and |
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Donnie Price, as well as prominent individuals such as Joy Mahana |
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Bishop, the first woman appointed to the Senior Executive Service, |
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and William Thomas Campbell, co-founder and treasurer of Texaco |
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Oil; and |
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WHEREAS, Today, Lampasas boasts an array of historic |
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buildings that showcase the community's past, including the Old |
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Huling Mansion, the Moses Hughes Home, the Keystone Star Hotel, the |
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Major Martin White House, and the Adelphia; residents and visitors |
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enjoy such amenities as the town's four local wineries, as well as |
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popular eateries like Eve's Café, one of the top customer-rated |
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German restaurants in the U.S., and Storm's Drive-In, a favorite of |
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Elvis Presley when the legendary rock and roll singer was stationed |
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at Fort Hood; area citizens keep up with local news and events by |
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reading the Lampasas Dispatch Record newspaper, which dates back to |
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1906, and flock to annual gatherings such as the week-long Spring Ho |
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Festival in July and the Riata Roundup Rodeo in April; and |
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WHEREAS, The people of Lampasas are heirs to a rich and |
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fascinating history, and they may indeed take pride in the vibrant |
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community they have built as they come together to mark this |
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important milestone; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize May 1, 2023, as Lampasas Day at the |
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State Capitol and extend to its residents sincere best wishes for a |
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meaningful and memorable celebration of the city's |
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sesquicentennial; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the City of Lampasas as an expression of high regard by |
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the Texas House of Representatives. |