H.R. No. 283
R E S O L U T I O N
1-1 WHEREAS, Like Texans everywhere, the residents of Pharr are
1-2 justifiably proud of their local community, its history and
1-3 traditions, and the many natural assets that make the city a
1-4 wonderful place in which to work and play; and
1-5 WHEREAS, Founded in 1909 and named for Henry N. Pharr, a
1-6 sugar plantation owner from Louisiana, this pleasant South Texas
1-7 community was ideally situated to become a shipping point for the
1-8 area's agricultural economy when the St. Louis, Brownsville, and
1-9 Mexico Railway Company began serving the town two years later; and
1-10 WHEREAS, Located in Hidalgo County, Pharr also benefited both
1-11 from its proximity to the Texas-Mexico border and from the Lower
1-12 Rio Grande Valley's rich alluvial soils and semitropical climate to
1-13 become a center for trade, trucking, and tourism; and
1-14 WHEREAS, Although a hotel, bank, and several businesses were
1-15 already thriving by the time the first post office opened in March
1-16 1911, the city ushered in a new era of civic pride and achievement
1-17 when it was incorporated in 1916; the town's population more than
1-18 doubled in the aftermath of its incorporation, growing from 600 to
1-19 1,560 inhabitants in the five-year period between 1915 and 1920;
1-20 and
1-21 WHEREAS, The city's population growth spurred further
1-22 development as civic leaders worked tirelessly to enhance the
1-23 quality of life for local residents, organizing a fire department
1-24 in 1925 and founding a public library in 1930; the Pharr Civic Club
2-1 also was formed in 1930 and in 1936 became the Pharr Garden Club,
2-2 which today is one of the oldest organizations in the city and
2-3 continues to be active in many important civic projects; and
2-4 WHEREAS, Other community service organizations also became
2-5 active early in Pharr's history, beginning with the founding of the
2-6 local Kiwanis Club in 1927; a Lions Club was organized in 1946, and
2-7 local Rotarians became active with the formation of their Rotary
2-8 Club 10 years later; and
2-9 WHEREAS, Many leading members of the community also have
2-10 given generously of their time and energy to the betterment of the
2-11 community through their membership in the Pharr Chamber of
2-12 Commerce, one of the most influential entities in the city since
2-13 its inception in 1944; and
2-14 WHEREAS, Much of the community's civic energy over the years
2-15 has gone into the establishment and maintenance of a system of
2-16 public schools to educate Hidalgo County's youth; the citizens of
2-17 Pharr joined with two neighboring communities to form the Pharr-San
2-18 Juan-Alamo Independent School District, which currently serves
2-19 approximately 15,000 students in the area; and
2-20 WHEREAS, Although it has long played an important role in the
2-21 development of the South Texas economy as a shipping point for the
2-22 Rio Grande Valley's renowned citrus and vegetable crops, perhaps
2-23 the community's chief claim to fame lies in its distinction as the
2-24 RV Capital of Texas; and
2-25 WHEREAS, Home to some of the finest recreational vehicle
2-26 parks in the state, including two of the 14 RV parks in the entire
2-27 nation to earn a five-star rating, Pharr is a popular destination
3-1 for a large contingent of winter Texans who come south each year to
3-2 escape the bitter cold of northern winters and who contribute to
3-3 the state's overall economic picture; and
3-4 WHEREAS, With mild winters, a pleasant year-round climate,
3-5 abundant fruits and vegetables from a flourishing agricultural
3-6 sector, easy access to nearby Mexico, and a friendly,
3-7 family-oriented atmosphere, it is no wonder that permanent
3-8 residents and winter visitors alike are proud to call Pharr home;
3-9 now, therefore, be it
3-10 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 73rd Texas
3-11 Legislature hereby honor the city of Pharr and its hardworking and
3-12 dedicated citizenry on their many achievements and their
3-13 contributions to the people of this state; and, be it further
3-14 RESOLVED, That official copies of this resolution be prepared
3-15 for Mayor Rubio O. Salinas, Jr., and for city commissioners Rudy
3-16 Martinez, Romeo Garza, Diana Serna, Jose "Pepe" Salinas, Ricardo
3-17 Medina, and Victor Garcia as an expression of high esteem by the
3-18 Texas House of Representatives.
3-19 Medina, and Victor Garcia as an expression of high esteem by the
3-20 Texas House of Representatives.
3-21 Cuellar of Hidalgo
3-22 H.R. No. 283
3-23 Laney Giddings Naishtat
3-24 Alexander Glaze Nieto
3-25 Allen Goodman Oakley
3-26 Alonzo Goolsby Ogden
3-27 Alvarado Granoff Oliveira
4-1 Averitt Gray Park
4-2 Bailey Greenberg Parra
4-3 Berlanga Grusendorf Patterson
4-4 Black Gutierrez Pitts
4-5 Blackwood Haggerty Place
4-6 Bomer Hamric Price
4-7 Bosse Harris Puente
4-8 Brady Hartnett Rabuck
4-9 Brimer Heflin Ramsay
4-10 Cain Hernandez Rangel
4-11 Campbell Hightower Raymond
4-12 Carona Hilbert Rodriguez
4-13 Carter Hilderbran Romo
4-14 Chisum Hill Rudd
4-15 Clemons Hirschi Sadler
4-16 Coleman Hochberg Saunders
4-17 Combs Holzheauser Schechter
4-18 Conley Horn Seidlits
4-19 Cook Hudson Shields
4-20 Corte Hunter of Taylor Siebert
4-21 Counts Hunter of Nueces A. Smith of Harris
4-22 Crabb Jackson D. Smith of Harris
4-23 Craddick James Smithee
4-24 Cuellar of Webb Johnson Solis
4-25 Cuellar of Hidalgo Jones of Lubbock Stiles
4-26 Culberson Jones of Dallas Swinford
4-27 Danburg Junell Tallas
5-1 Davila Kamel Talton
5-2 Davis Krusee Telford
5-3 De La Garza Kubiak Thompson of Tarrant
5-4 Dear Kuempel Thompson of Harris
5-5 Delco Lewis Turner of Coleman
5-6 Delisi Linebarger Turner of Harris
5-7 Denton Longoria Uher
5-8 Driver McCall Van de Putte
5-9 Duncan McCoulskey Vowell
5-10 Dutton McDonald West
5-11 Earley Madden Williamson
5-12 Eckels Marchant Willis
5-13 Edwards Martin Wilson
5-14 Erickson Maxey Wolens
5-15 Finnell Moffat Yarbrough
5-16 Flores Moreno Yost
5-17 Gallego Mowery Zbranek
5-18 Gallegos Munoz
5-19 H.R. No. 283
5-20 _______________________________
5-21 Speaker of the House
5-22 I certify that H.R. No. 283 was adopted by the House on March
5-23 4, 1993, by a non-record vote.
5-24 _______________________________
5-25 Chief Clerk of the House