By Alexander                                           H.R. No. 208
         76R5290 GMW-D                           
                                 R E S O L U T I O N
 1-1           WHEREAS, On February 17, 1999, many proud residents of
 1-2     Henderson County will gather in Austin to celebrate Henderson
 1-3     County Day at the State Capitol; and
 1-4           WHEREAS, Henderson County, named for the first governor of
 1-5     Texas, James Pinckney Henderson, was created on April 27, 1846,
 1-6     from parts of Nacogdoches and Houston counties, and it is bordered
 1-7     by the Trinity River on the west and the Neches River and Lake
 1-8     Palestine on the east; and
 1-9           WHEREAS, The county seat is Athens, which is  renowned as the
1-10     official birthplace of the hamburger and the Black-Eyed Pea Capital
1-11     of the World, as well as the site of the Texas Freshwater Fisheries
1-12     Center, a world-class aquarium and hatchery complex with over
1-13     300,000 gallons of aquaria; and
1-14           WHEREAS, Other thriving towns in Henderson County include Gun
1-15     Barrel City, a recreation, retirement, and retail center; Malakoff,
1-16     the gateway to Cedar Creek Lake and the home of the 1998
1-17     bi-district champion Malakoff High School Tigers; and Chandler,
1-18     which is located on the north shore of Lake Palestine and is the
1-19     site of the Chandler Pow Wow; and
1-20           WHEREAS, The fertile terrain and temperate climate of
1-21     Henderson County have made the area a major production center for
1-22     agricultural commodities such as grain, nursery crops, vegetables,
1-23     melons, hardwood timber, cattle, horses, and swine; in addition,
1-24     this region is rich in oil, gas, clays, lignite, sulphur, sand, and
 2-1     gravel, and is also a sportsman's paradise, providing outdoorsmen
 2-2     with some of Texas' best fishing and hunting; and
 2-3           WHEREAS, This unique county features many exciting annual
 2-4     events, including the Texas Fiddlers' Contest and Reunion, the
 2-5     Black-Eyed Pea Jamboree, the Henderson County PRCA Stampede Rodeo,
 2-6     the Athens Triathlon, the Henderson County Livestock Show, the
 2-7     Fletcher Davis Hamburger Cook-off, the Cornbread Festival, and the
 2-8     Christmas Extravaganza; and
 2-9           WHEREAS, While visiting the State Capitol, the Henderson
2-10     County contingent will participate in a luncheon with their
2-11     legislative representatives as well as meet with various committees
2-12     and state agencies with whom they will discuss issues of interest
2-13     to Henderson County residents; and
2-14           WHEREAS, Henderson County continues to be one of the Lone
2-15     Star State's greatest assets and an outstanding place in which to
2-16     live, work, and raise a family; it is indeed appropriate that the
2-17     citizenry of this county be given special recognition at this time;
2-18     now, therefore, be it
2-19           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 76th Texas
2-20     Legislature hereby recognize February 17, 1999, as Henderson County
2-21     Day at the State Capitol and join the citizens of that county in
2-22     paying tribute to one of Texas' finest communities; and, be it
2-23     further
2-24           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
2-25     prepared for prominent display in Henderson County as a
2-26     commemoration of this grand occasion and as an expression of high
2-27     regard by the Texas House of Representatives.