By Merritt                                           H.C.R. No. 171
         76R10832 JBR-F                           
                             HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
 1-1           WHEREAS, Many proud residents of Kilgore will travel to
 1-2     Austin on April 13, 1999, to celebrate Kilgore Day at the State
 1-3     Capitol, and this noteworthy event furnishes an ideal opportunity
 1-4     to extol the virtues of this outstanding city; and
 1-5           WHEREAS, Widely known for its role in the development of
 1-6     Texas, Kilgore is located near the center of the East Texas Oil
 1-7     Field, which was the largest oil field in the world at the time of
 1-8     its discovery; and
 1-9           WHEREAS, Although the area was settled by plantation owners
1-10     before the Civil War, the town was not established until 1872, when
1-11     the International and Great Northern Railroad was built on land
1-12     owned by C. B. "Buck" Kilgore; and
1-13           WHEREAS, The huge East Texas Oil Field was discovered on
1-14     October 5, 1930, when the Daisy Bradford #3 gushed in south of
1-15     Kilgore; at one time, more than 1,100 oil wells were operating
1-16     simultaneously within the city limits; and
1-17           WHEREAS, The East Texas Oil Museum re-creates every aspect of
1-18     the oil boom days of the 1930s and the daily lives of the people
1-19     affected by it through dioramas, films, sound, and mementos of the
1-20     oil field, and at 9:42 a.m. on Wednesday, June 10, 1998, the East
1-21     Texas Oil Museum was visited by its one-millionth guest; and
1-22           WHEREAS, Today Kilgore is blessed with a strong and
1-23     diversified economy and farsighted and determined citizens; the
1-24     city boasts over 35 industries that produce such diverse goods as
 2-1     bass boats, plastic bags, communication satellite antennae, plastic
 2-2     containers and lids, aircraft parts, industrial ovens, chocolate
 2-3     candy, and bathroom fixtures; and
 2-4           WHEREAS, For nearly 90 years, Kilgore has enhanced the
 2-5     economy of the state, and its citizens continue these efforts by
 2-6     actively participating in the regional development of the area
 2-7     through such programs as the Lone Star City, the Northeast Texas
 2-8     Economic Developers Roundtable, and the Northeast Texas Tourism
 2-9     Council; and
2-10           WHEREAS, The city is the home of Kilgore College, a two-year
2-11     liberal arts and industrial training institution, and the
2-12     world-famous precision drill and dance team, the Kilgore College
2-13     Rangerettes; and
2-14           WHEREAS, One of the city's chief assets is its warm and
2-15     hospitable citizenry, and their many important contributions to the
2-16     State of Texas are truly worthy of special legislative recognition;
2-17     now, therefore, be it
2-18           RESOLVED, That the 76th Legislature of the State of Texas
2-19     hereby recognize April 13, 1999, as Kilgore Day at the State
2-20     Capitol and join the citizens of that city in paying tribute to a
2-21     fine Texas city; and, be it further
2-22           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
2-23     prepared for the city of Kilgore as a commemoration of this grand
2-24     occasion and as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of
2-25     Representatives and Senate.