H.R. No. 869
                                  R E S O L U T I O N
    1-1        WHEREAS, On April 2, 1917, the small Texas town of Marble
    1-2  Falls made history by electing Ophelia "Birdie" Harwood mayor,
    1-3  thereby making her the first female to hold this office within the
    1-4  state; and
    1-5        WHEREAS, Coming more than three years before the 19th
    1-6  Amendment to the United States Constitution guaranteed women the
    1-7  right to vote, Mrs. Harwood's election was truly an amazing
    1-8  accomplishment, as neither she nor any other women of the community
    1-9  could cast a vote in her favor, and the men who did so were
   1-10  choosing not to vote for a male candidate who also was on the
   1-11  ballot; and
   1-12        WHEREAS, Following the mayor's election, the weekly Marble
   1-13  Falls Messenger remarked in its April 5 issue that "Marble Falls is
   1-14  probably the only town in Texas with a lady mayor," an observation
   1-15  that has never been refuted; and
   1-16        WHEREAS, Mrs. Harwood continued to break barriers throughout
   1-17  her lifetime, earning an appointment to the post of judge of the
   1-18  municipal court of Marble Falls by an all-male city commission in
   1-19  1936 and distinguishing herself as an outstanding public servant
   1-20  for more than two decades; and
   1-21        WHEREAS, This remarkable woman was the wife of George
   1-22  Harwood, who was himself a highly respected local civic leader who
   1-23  served as the area's country physician; and
   1-24        WHEREAS, Though several states allowed women to vote before
    2-1  ratification of the 19th Amendment, and several towns in those
    2-2  states elected female mayors before Mrs. Harwood was elected, she
    2-3  clearly remains the first and only woman in the nation to have been
    2-4  elected mayor by an all-male electorate; and
    2-5        WHEREAS, The Chamber of Commerce of Marble Falls/Lake LBJ has
    2-6  set aside July 24, 1993, as a day of celebration to pay tribute to
    2-7  Mrs. Harwood for her unprecedented achievement in being the first
    2-8  female to be elected mayor of a Texas town, as well as the first
    2-9  female in all states to be elected mayor solely by men; the event
   2-10  will also acknowledge George Harwood for his contributions and the
   2-11  township of Marble Falls for having taken this significant
   2-12  progressive step; now, therefore, be it
   2-13        RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 73rd Texas
   2-14  Legislature hereby commemorate this historic occasion and honor the
   2-15  memory of Ophelia "Birdie" and George Harwood for their exceptional
   2-16  achievements; and, be it further
   2-17        RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
   2-18  prepared for the descendants of these fine Texans and the people of
   2-19  Marble Falls as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of
   2-20  Representatives.