By Sadler H.C.R. No. 184 75R5626 JHS-D HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-1 WHEREAS, Many proud residents of the city of Marshall will be 1-2 in Austin on April 1-2, 1997, to celebrate Marshall Days at the 1-3 Capitol; and 1-4 WHEREAS, Settled in 1839, Marshall was one of Texas' 1-5 wealthiest cities by the mid-1800s; today, the city is a perfect 1-6 blend of new and old, featuring a thriving economy against a 1-7 backdrop of historic landmarks and rich Texas heritage; and 1-8 WHEREAS, The Lale Trail offers visitors the opportunity to 1-9 view the city's incredible collection of 19th- and 20th-century 1-10 homes and to get a glimpse of a bygone era; these 65 historic 1-11 abodes can be viewed year-round, and the trail encompasses a total 1-12 of 94 historical sites; and 1-13 WHEREAS, Marshall's internationally acclaimed Wonderland of 1-14 Lights celebrated its 10th anniversary last year; the annual event 1-15 features more than seven million lights brightening the downtown 1-16 area from Thanksgiving until the end of December, and this display 1-17 attracts nearly 700,000 visitors to this East Texas community; and 1-18 WHEREAS, The FireAnt Festival is held on the second weekend 1-19 of October and features such crowd pleasers as the FireAnt Diaper 1-20 Derby, the Rubber Chicken Chunking Contest, and the Tour de FireAnt 1-21 Bike Race; this distinctive event draws 50,000 people over the 1-22 course of two days and offers the FireAnt Calling Contest and the 1-23 FireAnt Roundup for hard-core ant enthusiasts; and 1-24 WHEREAS, Marshall is one of America's largest manufacturers 2-1 of terra-cotta pots, and the amazing quantity and variety of these 2-2 earthenware vessels leaves visitors agog; handicrafts abound in 2-3 this 25,000-strong town, and the energetic and industrious citizens 2-4 welcome collectors from miles around; and 2-5 WHEREAS, The people of Marshall are justifiably proud of 2-6 their city, for this unique community and its exceptional citizens 2-7 have played a significant role in Texas' development, and their 2-8 many contributions to the Lone Star State are truly worthy of 2-9 special legislative recognition; now, therefore, be it 2-10 RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas 2-11 hereby designate April 1-2, 1997, as Marshall Days at the Capitol 2-12 and extend a warm welcome to the fine citizens who have traveled to 2-13 Austin to celebrate this significant event.