By Sadler                                             H.C.R. No. 52
         76R4698 MDM-F                           
                             HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
 1-1           WHEREAS, Many proud residents of Rusk County will be in
 1-2     Austin February 9-10, 1999, to celebrate Rusk County Days at the
 1-3     State Capitol, and this festive event offers an ideal opportunity
 1-4     to recognize the county's many remarkable attributes; and
 1-5           WHEREAS, Situated in East Texas near the Louisiana border,
 1-6     Rusk County's dense timberland and red clay hills are the point of
 1-7     origin for the Sabine and Angelina rivers, and the area's
 1-8     picturesque beauty is rivaled only by the richness of its natural
 1-9     resources; and
1-10           WHEREAS, For many years, the county's primary economic
1-11     activity was agriculture; fruit and sugar cane were grown in
1-12     abundance, and cotton's importance to the community was such that
1-13     for years it was considered legal tender; and
1-14           WHEREAS, The reign of King Cotton abruptly ended in 1930,
1-15     when Columbus Marion "Dad" Joiner drilled into what was then the
1-16     largest oil field in the world, and since that time the petroleum
1-17     industry has been a mainstay of the local economy; in more recent
1-18     years manufacturing firms and correctional institutions have also
1-19     contributed to the region's prosperity; and
1-20           WHEREAS, Residents of Rusk County take justifiable pride in
1-21     its colorful past, and this trait is reflected in the area's many
1-22     historical exhibits and attractions, including the Depot Museum,
1-23     the Howard Dickinson House Museum, and the legendary Arnold
1-24     Outhouse; and
 2-1           WHEREAS, Each year, the second weekend in November brings the
 2-2     county's Heritage Syrup Festival, and the talented artisans and
 2-3     craftspeople who gather in the Depot Museum complex to show their
 2-4     wares represent the living legacy of the area's vital and varied
 2-5     cultural traditions; and
 2-6           WHEREAS, Rusk County continues to be one of the Lone Star
 2-7     State's greatest assets, and even as its dynamic citizens look back
 2-8     with satisfaction on their proud history, they can also look
 2-9     forward with anticipation to the new challenges and opportunities
2-10     that lie ahead; now, therefore, be it
2-11           RESOLVED, That the 76th Legislature of the State of Texas
2-12     hereby welcome the Rusk County delegation on the occasion of Rusk
2-13     County Days at the Capitol and extend to them sincere best wishes
2-14     for continued success and happiness in the future; and, be it
2-15     further
2-16           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
2-17     prepared for the delegation as an expression of high regard by the
2-18     Texas House of Representatives and Senate.