H.R. No. 226 R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, The city of Corsicana is the home of many 1-2 outstanding Texans who take justifiable pride in their city's rich 1-3 contributions to the culture, history, and economy of our state and 1-4 who look toward the future with a spirit of optimism and progress; 1-5 and 1-6 WHEREAS, Founded in the mid-1800s by early settlers, the city 1-7 was named for the Mediterranean island of Corsica, the ancestral 1-8 home of Jose Antonio Navarro, a hero of the Texas Revolution for 1-9 whom Navarro County is named; the town sprang up around the 1-10 McKinney Inn, which was established in 1849 by Hampton McKinney of 1-11 Illinois, who operated the area's first post office from the 1-12 structure; and 1-13 WHEREAS, In 1894 while drilling for water, city workmen 1-14 accidently struck Texas crude, touching off the oil boom that would 1-15 launch a century of progress and prosperity in our state and become 1-16 an essential chapter in the legendary saga of the Lone Star State; 1-17 and 1-18 WHEREAS, This important discovery led to the establishment of 1-19 one of the state's first oil refineries in Corsicana in 1897, and 1-20 in keeping with its reputation as a bold and innovative community, 1-21 the city later pioneered the use of natural gas as an energy source 1-22 for fuel and lighting and the use of crude oil for locomotive fuel; 1-23 and 1-24 WHEREAS, Though the city is still a leading energy producer, 2-1 the community's more than 23,000 industrious residents have created 2-2 a diverse economy for themselves by developing the county seat into 2-3 a major hub for the retail and wholesale trade of agricultural 2-4 products grown throughout the fertile Blacklands region; the city 2-5 also offers area residents outstanding educational opportunities as 2-6 the site of Navarro College and serves as an important commercial 2-7 center for industry and health care services; and 2-8 WHEREAS, Despite the abundant resources the community has to 2-9 offer, perhaps no other product has garnered as much acclaim as has 2-10 the famous Corsicana fruitcake, a popular Christmas delicacy that 2-11 is shipped each year in its festive red tin to countless households 2-12 throughout America as well as 190 foreign nations; baked by the 2-13 local Collin Street Bakery since 1896, this yuletide favorite is 2-14 the only fruitcake ever to have been granted the prestigious 2-15 Culinary Merit Award by the Gourmet Society of New York; and 2-16 WHEREAS, Corsicana's citizens take pride in their city's 2-17 unique historical and cultural identity and have endeavored to 2-18 preserve the community's rich heritage in the impressive Gaston C. 2-19 Gooch Library, which contains among its extensive holdings a 2-20 collection of some 44,000 pieces of Native American art that is 2-21 widely considered to be one of the finest exhibits of its kind in 2-22 the entire Southwest; and 2-23 WHEREAS, Visitors to Corsicana also can gain a greater 2-24 awareness of the city's colorful past with a visit to Pioneer 2-25 Village, where they can experience a 19th century blacksmith shop, 2-26 doctor's office, covered wagon, and stagecoach as well as other 2-27 historic buildings that have been lovingly restored by the Navarro 3-1 County Historical Society; and 3-2 WHEREAS, Corsicana serves as a fisherman's paradise as well, 3-3 offering a wealth of superb angling experiences to residents and 3-4 tourists alike, along with ample opportunities to engage in other 3-5 water sports in light of its proximity to the scenic shores of 3-6 Richland-Chambers Lake and Navarro Mills Lake; and 3-7 WHEREAS, The citizens of Corsicana have molded their 3-8 community into an ideal place in which to work and raise a family, 3-9 while contributing greatly to the economic and cultural development 3-10 of our state, and it is indeed a great pleasure to join with our 3-11 fellow Texans in saluting this fine community at this time; now, 3-12 therefore, be it 3-13 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 74th Texas 3-14 Legislature hereby designate February 21, 1995, as Corsicana Day in 3-15 Texas and extend an official welcome to officials and citizens of 3-16 Corsicana visiting the Capitol on this day.