88R16709 CJM-D
 
  By: Sparks S.R. No. 296
 
 
 
R E S O L U T I O N
         WHEREAS, Proud residents of Ward County are gathering in
  Austin on March 9, 2023, to celebrate Ward County Day at the State
  Capitol; and
         WHEREAS, The territory of Ward County was originally home to
  the Apache and Comanche Indians, and in 1881, the Texas and Pacific
  Railway built a line through the region, with stations at Barstow
  and Monahans; the county was created out of part of Tom Green County
  in 1887 and named for Thomas "Peg Leg" Ward, a soldier in the Texas
  Revolution who lost his leg to a cannonball; a center for ranching
  and farming in its early years, the area was transformed by the
  discovery of oil and gas in the 1920s; during World War II, it was
  the site of Pyote Army Air Field, and in 1957, the Monahans
  Sandhills State Historic Park was created in the county's northeast
  corner; and
         WHEREAS, Monahans, the Ward County seat, was founded in 1880
  by John Thomas Monahan, an employee of the Texas and Pacific who
  found water at the site, and it was incorporated in 1928; situated
  at the hub of the Permian Basin, the town boasts a welcoming
  business environment facilitated by easy access to two railroads
  and two interstate highways; and
         WHEREAS, Even as they celebrate their rich heritage, the
  hardworking people of Ward County are looking ahead to the
  opportunities of the future, and they may reflect with pride on
  their contributions to the story of the Lone Star State; now,
  therefore, be it
         RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 88th Texas Legislature
  hereby recognize March 9, 2023, as Ward County Day at the State
  Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation sincere best wishes
  for an informative and enjoyable stay in Austin.