By Sadler                                       H.C.R. No. 69

      75R5499 JTR-D                           

                             HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 1-1           WHEREAS, Many proud residents of Rusk County will be in

 1-2     Austin February 11-12, 1997, to celebrate Rusk County Days at the

 1-3     State Capitol, and this festive event offers an ideal opportunity

 1-4     to recognize the county's many remarkable attributes; and

 1-5           WHEREAS, Situated in East Texas near the Louisiana border,

 1-6     Rusk County's dense timberland and red clay hills are the point of

 1-7     origin for the Sabine and Angelina rivers, and the area's

 1-8     picturesque beauty is rivaled only by the richness of its natural

 1-9     resources; and

1-10           WHEREAS, For many years, the county's primary economic

1-11     activity was agriculture; fruit and sugar cane were grown in

1-12     abundance, and cotton's importance to the community was such that

1-13     for years it was considered legal tender; and

1-14           WHEREAS, The reign of King Cotton abruptly ended in 1930,

1-15     when Columbus Marion "Dad" Joiner drilled into what was then the

1-16     largest oil field in the world, and since that time the petroleum

1-17     industry has been a mainstay of the local economy; in more recent

1-18     years manufacturing firms and correctional institutions have also

1-19     contributed to the region's prosperity; and

1-20           WHEREAS, Residents of Rusk County take justifiable pride in

1-21     its colorful past, and this trait is reflected in the area's many

1-22     historical exhibits and attractions, including the Depot Museum,

1-23     the Howard Dickinson House Museum, and the legendary Arnold

1-24     Outhouse; and

 2-1           WHEREAS, Each year, the second weekend in November brings the

 2-2     county's Heritage Syrup Festival, and the talented artisans and

 2-3     craftspeople who gather in the Depot Museum complex to show their

 2-4     wares represent the living legacy of the area's vital and varied

 2-5     cultural traditions; and

 2-6           WHEREAS, Rusk County continues to be one of the Lone Star

 2-7     State's greatest assets, and even as its dynamic citizens look back

 2-8     with satisfaction on their proud history, they can also look

 2-9     forward with anticipation to the new challenges and opportunities

2-10     that lie ahead; now, therefore, be it

2-11           RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas

2-12     hereby welcome the Rusk County delegation on the occasion of Rusk

2-13     County Days at the Capitol and extend to them sincere best wishes

2-14     for continued success and happiness in the future; and, be it

2-15     further

2-16           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be

2-17     prepared for the delegation as an expression of high regard by the

2-18     Texas House of Representatives and Senate.