H.R. No. 454
                                  R E S O L U T I O N
    1-1        WHEREAS, Brazoria County is the home of many outstanding
    1-2  Texans who take pride in their county's rich contributions to the
    1-3  culture, history, and economy of our state and who look to the
    1-4  future with a spirit of hope and optimism; and
    1-5        WHEREAS, Early Texans flocked to this fertile region on the
    1-6  upper Gulf Coast lured by the rich alluvial soils found along the
    1-7  banks of the San Bernard River, Oyster Creek, Chocolate Bayou, and
    1-8  the Brazos River, for which the county was named; and
    1-9        WHEREAS, Recognizing the area's vast potential, Stephen F.
   1-10  Austin and his colonists chose the site for settlement in 1821; the
   1-11  colony figured prominently in the Texas Revolution as the site of
   1-12  the Battle of Velasco and served briefly as the location of the
   1-13  capitol of the Republic of Texas before the county's official
   1-14  organization in 1836; and
   1-15        WHEREAS, Brazoria County quickly became the wealthiest county
   1-16  in Texas, producing bountiful crops of rice, sugar, and cotton;
   1-17  agriculture, particularly rice cultivation, remains a vital part of
   1-18  the county's diverse economy today, which also prospers from
   1-19  ranching, mining, and commercial fishing and from the promising new
   1-20  aquaculture industry; and
   1-21        WHEREAS, When oil production began in 1902, the county
   1-22  ushered in an exciting new avenue for economic prosperity that
   1-23  placed it among the top oil and gas producers in the state and gave
   1-24  rise to a flourishing petroleum and chemical industry that has
    2-1  since become a major employer in the region; population in the
    2-2  county has expanded with the economy, growing steadily through the
    2-3  years to reach its current level of nearly 200,000 residents; and
    2-4        WHEREAS, Citizens of Brazoria County are justifiably proud of
    2-5  the outstanding educational opportunities available to area
    2-6  residents at Brazosport College and Alvin Community College and
    2-7  have endeavored to preserve their local heritage with large county
    2-8  fairs in Angleton, the county seat, and in Alvin, the home of
    2-9  baseball pitcher Nolan Ryan and the site of such lively events as
   2-10  Crawfest; and
   2-11        WHEREAS, Largely as a result of these efforts, the county
   2-12  enjoys a booming tourist economy and attracts visitors from across
   2-13  the state and nation who come to the area to experience the
   2-14  unspoiled wilderness preserved within the Brazoria and San Bernard
   2-15  national wildlife refuges, which boast some of the best
   2-16  birdwatching in the nation, as well as to enjoy the natural
   2-17  splendor of the miles of undeveloped beach and extensive marsh and
   2-18  prairie land; and
   2-19        WHEREAS, Visitors and residents alike can pay a visit to the
   2-20  county's colorful past with a trip through the plantation home of
   2-21  Texas Governor James Stephen Hogg at the Varner-Hogg Plantation
   2-22  State Historical Park and also can tour a replica of the first
   2-23  capitol of the Republic of Texas in the historic town of West
   2-24  Columbia, where the popular San Jacinto Festival is held; and
   2-25        WHEREAS, The citizens of Brazoria County have played a major
   2-26  role in the development of the Lone Star State and have created an
   2-27  ideal environment in which to live, work, and play; it is indeed a
    3-1  great pleasure to join with our fellow Texans in saluting this
    3-2  extraordinary county at this time; now, therefore, be it
    3-3        RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 74th Texas
    3-4  Legislature hereby recognize March 28, 1995, as Brazoria County Day
    3-5  at the State Capitol and commend the county's citizens for their
    3-6  many significant contributions to our state.