R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, Since the founding of the first permanent settlement 1-2 in Kaufman County more than 150 years ago, the citizens of the area 1-3 have exemplified the independent and industrious spirit of Texas; 1-4 and 1-5 WHEREAS, The history of this Northeast Texas community dates 1-6 back to the days of the Republic of Texas when Dr. William P. King 1-7 established the first permanent settlement on the upper Blackland 1-8 Prairie; overlooking a broad fertile valley, this settlement, known 1-9 as King's Fort and later Kingsborough, became the nucleus of the 1-10 thriving agricultural community we know today as Kaufman County; 1-11 and 1-12 WHEREAS, By 1843, the area around King's Fort had begun to 1-13 attract other settlers in sufficient numbers that the old garrison, 1-14 renamed Kingsborough, became the hub of activity for the rapidly 1-15 growing territory; and 1-16 WHEREAS, Within a decade, growth in the territory had 1-17 warranted its political organization, and in 1848 a rising young 1-18 political figure named John H. Reagan introduced a bill in the 1-19 Texas Legislature creating this new county, which was named in 1-20 honor of another prominent Texas statesman, David S. Kaufman; and 1-21 WHEREAS, In an election held in March 1851, the residents of 1-22 Kaufman County selected the town of Kingsborough, which occupied 1-23 the county's approximate geographic center, as the new county seat; 1-24 in November of that year, the activities of county government were 2-1 moved to the county seat, which by then had been renamed Kaufman; 2-2 and 2-3 WHEREAS, In December 1885, the county commissioners voted to 2-4 build a new county courthouse that would adequately reflect the 2-5 community's confidence in its continued growth and prosperity; 2-6 standing for over 70 years, this venerable stone courthouse not 2-7 only served Kaufman County but came to symbolize the community's 2-8 stability and enduring social values; and 2-9 WHEREAS, In 1955, a modern courthouse was erected in Kaufman, 2-10 ushering in a new era of growth for the community as the local 2-11 economy began to diversify from its traditional agricultural base; 2-12 and 2-13 WHEREAS, While still retaining its agricultural economy, 2-14 Kaufman County currently is reaping the benefits of broadened 2-15 economic development, including an influx of manufacturing and 2-16 trade industries; and 2-17 WHEREAS, Part of the Dallas Standard Metropolitan Statistical 2-18 Area, Kaufman County offers its residents the best of the two 2-19 worlds; its residents enjoy many of the amenities afforded by one 2-20 of the nation's major cities while they retain their identity as a 2-21 close-knit, family-oriented community in the finest traditions of 2-22 Texas' rural past; and 2-23 WHEREAS, Rich in history and tradition, Kaufman County is a 2-24 prosperous, forward-looking community fully participating in the 2-25 state's dynamic growth, and it gives the members of this 2-26 legislative body great pleasure to join our fellow citizens in 2-27 saluting this fine Texas community; now, therefore, be it 3-1 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 75th Texas 3-2 Legislature hereby recognize March 17, 1997, as Kaufman County Day 3-3 at the Capitol and extend best wishes to all of its citizens on 3-4 this noteworthy occasion. Oakley Laney Gutierrez Oliveira Alexander Haggerty Olivo Allen Hamric Palmer Alvarado Hartnett Patterson Averitt Hawley Pickett Bailey Heflin Pitts Berlanga Hernandez Place Bonnen Hightower Price Bosse Hilbert Puente Brimer Hilderbran Rabuck Burnam Hill Ramsay Carter Hinojosa Rangel Chavez Hirschi Raymond Chisum Hochberg Reyna of Bexar Christian Hodge Reyna of Dallas Clark Holzheauser Rhodes Coleman Horn Rodriguez Cook Howard Roman Corte Hunter Sadler Counts Hupp Seaman Crabb Isett Serna Craddick Jackson Shields Cuellar Janek Siebert Culberson Jones of Lubbock Smith Danburg Jones of Dallas Smithee Davila Junell Solis Davis Kamel Solomons Delisi Keel Staples Denny Keffer Stiles Driver King Swinford Dukes Krusee Talton Dunnam Kubiak Telford Dutton Kuempel Thompson Edwards Lewis of Tarrant Tillery Ehrhardt Lewis of Orange Torres Eiland Longoria Turner of Coleman Elkins Luna Turner of Harris Farrar McCall Uher Finnell McClendon Van de Putte Flores McReynolds Walker Gallego Madden West Galloway Marchant Williams Garcia Maxey Williamson Giddings Merritt Wilson Glaze Moffat Wise Goodman Moreno Wohlgemuth Goolsby Mowery Wolens Gray Naishtat Woolley Greenberg Nixon Yarbrough Grusendorf Oakley Zbranek _______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 334 was adopted by the House on March 17, 1997, by a non-record vote. _______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House