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.