R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, The city of Port Arthur enjoys a well-deserved 1-2 reputation as the center of one of the most dynamic regions in the 1-3 State of Texas; and 1-4 WHEREAS, Located on the northwest shore of Sabine Lake in 1-5 Jefferson County, nine miles from the Gulf of Mexico, the modern 1-6 city of Port Arthur has fulfilled the dream of its founder, Arthur 1-7 E. Stilwell, who envisioned a thriving hub for land and sea 1-8 transportation in one of the state's richest areas; and 1-9 WHEREAS, Long identified with the oil and petrochemical 1-10 industries that formed one of the bases of the state's economy, 1-11 Port Arthur is currently reaping the benefits of diversified and 1-12 broadened economic development; and 1-13 WHEREAS, Thanks to its strategic location, Greater Port 1-14 Arthur has emerged as one of Texas' leading transportation centers 1-15 for national and international commerce, providing superb 1-16 facilities for water, rail, truck, and air commercial traffic; and 1-17 WHEREAS, Its international ocean port uniquely located on the 1-18 Gulf Intracoastal Waterway connects the city of Port Arthur with 1-19 shipping commerce throughout the South and abroad, while the 1-20 Jefferson County Airport, the Kansas City Southern Railway, and the 1-21 Southern Pacific railroad provide vital links to national and 1-22 international markets via air and land; and 1-23 WHEREAS, Blessed with many natural resources, a moderate 1-24 climate, superb recreational opportunities, and outstanding 2-1 educational and medical institutions, the city of Port Arthur is 2-2 also attracting new industries to Southeast Texas by providing an 2-3 increasingly attractive quality of life for its residents; and 2-4 WHEREAS, Port Arthur is proud of its longstanding commitment 2-5 to excellence in education; it was the first city in Texas to adopt 2-6 the 12-grade public school system, and the Greater Port Arthur area 2-7 today boasts some of the state's highest-ranking school districts 2-8 in the Port Arthur, Port Neches, Nederland, and Sabine Pass 2-9 communities; and 2-10 WHEREAS, Port Arthur is also a respected center for higher 2-11 education; Lamar University at Port Arthur has served the higher 2-12 education needs of Southeast Texas since 1909, when it was founded 2-13 as Port Arthur College; and 2-14 WHEREAS, At the heart of the city's cultural life is the Port 2-15 Arthur Civic Center, which hosts popular musical entertainers, 2-16 ballet troupes, art exhibits, and other events for many of 2-17 Jefferson County's 273,300 residents; and 2-18 WHEREAS, Festivals, tournaments, parades, concerts, and other 2-19 gala celebrations of the community's colorful history and cultural 2-20 heritage abound throughout the area year-round, and the city has 2-21 become especially well known for its popular annual Mardi Gras 2-22 festivities; and 2-23 WHEREAS, For others, Port Arthur is a sportsman's paradise, 2-24 beckoning Texans from across the state with its wide-open spaces 2-25 and plentiful opportunities for water sports, hunting, and fishing; 2-26 and 2-27 WHEREAS, To celebrate the community's international flavor, 3-1 the Port Arthur Day delegates are sponsoring an evening that will 3-2 highlight the sights, sounds, and tastes of the community's melting 3-3 pot of nationalities; and 3-4 WHEREAS, The members of this chamber share with Port Arthur 3-5 residents an appreciation of the special magic in their city and 3-6 wish to acknowledge this proud community for its significant 3-7 contributions in the continuing development of this state; now, 3-8 therefore, be it 3-9 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 75th Texas 3-10 Legislature hereby recognize February 24, 1997, as Port Arthur Day 3-11 at the State Capitol and take the opportunity to commend all of its 3-12 citizens for their efforts in making this city one of the most 3-13 vibrant and progressive communities in the state. Price _______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 209 was adopted by the House on February 24, 1997, by a non-record vote. _______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House