By Price                                         H.R. No. 209

      75R7102 SAJ-D                           

                                 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.