By Allen                                               H.R. No. 299
         76R7888 WMS-D                           
                                 R E S O L U T I O N
 1-1           WHEREAS, On March 1, 1999, proud residents of Grand Prairie
 1-2     will gather in Austin to celebrate Grand Prairie Day at the State
 1-3     Capitol, and this auspicious occasion offers an outstanding
 1-4     opportunity to extol the city's many virtues; and
 1-5           WHEREAS, First settled under the name Dechman during the
 1-6     Civil War, the community was rechristened Grand Prairie with the
 1-7     arrival of the railroads and continued to grow steadily through the
 1-8     1920s; and
 1-9           WHEREAS, The arrival of Hensley Field in 1928 marked the
1-10     beginning of a new era in the town's history, and the military base
1-11     of operations and training ground brought with it new residents and
1-12     visitors to the area; by World War II, the field was also the site
1-13     of the Naval Reserve Aviation Base, and with the opening of a
1-14     nearby defense plant, Grand Prairie became a hub of wartime
1-15     activity, increasing in population from 1,600 to more than 18,000
1-16     between 1940 and the war's end; and
1-17           WHEREAS, Since that time, Grand Prairie has established
1-18     itself as a center of industry and commerce, and manufacturing
1-19     firms producing furniture, boats, chemicals, aircraft, plastics,
1-20     and machine parts have all been integral elements of the local
1-21     economy; and
1-22           WHEREAS, Tourism, too, is a vital component of Grand
1-23     Prairie's prosperity, and visitors from across the nation flock to
1-24     such attractions as Lone Star Park, one of the world's finest
 2-1     racetracks, which brought in more than 1.3 million fans in 1998;
 2-2     Six Flags Over Texas; the Traders Village market; the Prairie Dog
 2-3     Chili Cookoff; Oktoberfest; the Western Days Rodeo; and the
 2-4     National Championship Indian Pow-wow; and
 2-5           WHEREAS, Combining the warmth and friendliness of a small
 2-6     town with the dynamic appeal of the Metroplex, Grand Prairie is
 2-7     truly one of the Lone Star State's most valuable assets, and it is
 2-8     indeed fitting at this time to recognize this town's many
 2-9     noteworthy attributes; now, therefore, be it
2-10           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 76th Texas
2-11     Legislature hereby recognize March 1, 1999, as Grand Prairie Day at
2-12     the State Capitol and extend a warm welcome to members of the
2-13     city's delegation who are visiting the Capitol on this day; and, be
2-14     it further
2-15           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
2-16     prepared for prominent display in the city of Grand Prairie as an
2-17     expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives.