By Merritt H.C.R. No. 230 76R12219 JBR-D 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 1-21 WHEREAS, Today Kilgore is blessed with a strong and 1-22 diversified economy and farsighted and determined citizens; the 1-23 city boasts over 35 industries that produce such diverse goods as 1-24 bass boats, plastic bags, communication satellite antennae, plastic 2-1 containers and lids, aircraft parts, industrial ovens, chocolate 2-2 candy, and bathroom fixtures; and 2-3 WHEREAS, For nearly 90 years, Kilgore has enhanced the 2-4 economy of the state, and its citizens continue these efforts by 2-5 actively participating in the regional development of the area 2-6 through such programs as the Lone Star City, the Northeast Texas 2-7 Economic Developers Roundtable, and the Northeast Texas Tourism 2-8 Council; and 2-9 WHEREAS, The city is the home of Kilgore College, a two-year 2-10 liberal arts and industrial training institution that was founded 2-11 in 1935 and currently enrolls 4,155 students, and is the proud 2-12 sponsor of the world-famous precision drill and dance team, the 2-13 Kilgore College Rangerettes; and 2-14 WHEREAS, Kilgore is the boyhood home of world renowned 2-15 pianist Van Cliburn, who brought enormous prestige and fame to 2-16 Kilgore and the State of Texas by winning the 1958 Tchaikovsky 2-17 International Piano Competition in Moscow; in addition, this 2-18 talented gentlemen recorded Tchaikovsky's Concerto in B-Flat, which 2-19 sold one million copies by 1962 and was the first classical album 2-20 to have achieved such a level of prominence; and 2-21 WHEREAS, Technical Sergeant James Marion Logan is also a 2-22 distinguished Kilgore resident who is known as the "Hero of 2-23 Salerno" for his conspicuous gallantry and bravery during World War 2-24 II; he is the recipient of the United States' highest military 2-25 honor, the Congressional Medal of Honor, and the first recipient of 2-26 the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor, and has received the 2-27 Distinguished Service Cross, the Bronze Star, and the Purple Heart; 3-1 this extraordinary man is still active in community affairs and 3-2 with his local Texas National Guard unit, exemplifying the best 3-3 that Kilgore has to offer Texas and our nation; and 3-4 WHEREAS, One of the city's chief assets is its warm and 3-5 hospitable citizenry, and their many important contributions to the 3-6 State of Texas are truly worthy of special legislative recognition; 3-7 now, therefore, be it 3-8 RESOLVED, That the 76th Legislature of the State of Texas 3-9 hereby recognize April 13, 1999, as Kilgore Day at the State 3-10 Capitol and join the citizens of that city in paying tribute to a 3-11 fine Texas city; and, be it further 3-12 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 3-13 prepared for the city of Kilgore as a commemoration of this grand 3-14 occasion and as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of 3-15 Representatives and Senate.