R E S O L U T I O N

 1-1           WHEREAS, On February 26, 1997, many proud residents of Fort

 1-2     Bend County will be in Austin to celebrate Fort Bend County Day at

 1-3     the Capitol; and

 1-4           WHEREAS, Located along the Gulf Coast, the area now known as

 1-5     Fort Bend County was settled by members of Stephen F. Austin's

 1-6     original colony, known as the Old Three Hundred; the fertile

 1-7     coastal plains produced abundant crops of cotton, corn, rice, and

 1-8     soybeans, and farmers and ranchers flocked to the area; and

 1-9           WHEREAS, Created out of Austin County in 1837, Fort Bend

1-10     County soon became home to a diverse mix of citizens that included

1-11     Southern plantation owners, Confederate veterans, carpetbaggers,

1-12     Czech immigrants, African Americans, Mexican Americans, railroad

1-13     workers, and oilmen; many significant characters in Texas and

1-14     American history have passed through the county over the years,

1-15     including Texas pioneer Jane Long and famed temperance leader Carry

1-16     Nation, who began her crusade against "demon rum" in the city of

1-17     Richmond; and

1-18           WHEREAS, Today, Fort Bend County's colorful past lives on in

1-19     its many historic sites, memorials, and museums, and the Fort Bend

1-20     County Historical Museum has earned recognition as one of the

1-21     state's best small museums; in addition, the George Ranch

1-22     Historical Park offers visitors the unique opportunity to step back

1-23     in time and experience life in three different periods of Texas

1-24     history, as the park is home to an 1820s farmstead, an 1890s

 2-1     Victorian mansion, and a 1930s cattle ranch; and

 2-2           WHEREAS, Other recreational and tourist opportunities abound,

 2-3     including Decker Park, McFarlane House, the Long-Smith Cottage, and

 2-4     the beautiful Fort Bend County Courthouse, which has merited

 2-5     inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places; Brazos Bend

 2-6     State Park offers an unparalleled opportunity to observe the rugged

 2-7     natural beauty and diverse wildlife of this region, and watchful

 2-8     visitors may catch glimpses of deer, coyotes, Russian boar,

 2-9     American alligators, and a host of migratory birds that inhabit

2-10     the park's woodlands and marshes; and

2-11           WHEREAS, Blessed with a wide array of natural resources and

2-12     an energetic and forward-looking population, Fort Bend County is

2-13     undoubtedly one of Texas' finest communities, and the members of

2-14     this chamber are pleased to recognize the significant role the

2-15     county has played in the development of the Lone Star State; now,

2-16     therefore, be it

2-17           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 75th Texas

2-18     Legislature hereby recognize February 26, 1997, as Fort Bend County

2-19     Day at the Capitol and extend a warm welcome to the county's

2-20     visiting delegation; and, be it further

2-21           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be

2-22     prepared for the residents of Fort Bend County as a commemoration

2-23     of this grand occasion and as an expression of high regard by the

2-24     Texas House of Representatives.

                                                                      Howard

                                             _______________________________

                                                   Speaker of the House

               I certify that H.R. No. 10 was adopted by the House on

         February 26, 1997, by a non-record vote.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Chief Clerk of the House