By Clark H.R. No. 452 76R9027 BE-D R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, On March 24, 1999, a delegation of Gainesville 1-2 residents will travel to Austin to celebrate their city's many 1-3 valuable contributions to the history of the Lone Star State; and 1-4 WHEREAS, Gainesville is the county seat of Cooke County and 1-5 one of the oldest cities in North Central Texas; the area's first 1-6 Anglo settlers were affiliated with the Peters colony, which 1-7 promised 640 acres of land to the head of each new family and 320 1-8 acres to each single man; and 1-9 WHEREAS, Founded in 1850, the town is named for General 1-10 Edmund Pendleton Gaines, an early supporter of the Texas 1-11 Revolution, and is situated on a 40-acre tract donated by Mary E. 1-12 Clark; and 1-13 WHEREAS, The early years of Gainesville's history were 1-14 rough-and-tumble; Indian attacks and outlaws reflected the many 1-15 tensions of America's westward expansion, but the great cattle 1-16 drives of the postwar years earned the town much money and fame and 1-17 a permanent place in Texas history; and 1-18 WHEREAS, Eventually, cotton would replace the longhorn as the 1-19 area's chief asset, and oil, too, helped to support the local 1-20 economy, particularly during the Depression years of the 1930s; in 1-21 addition to petroleum, the nationally renowned Gainesville 1-22 Community Circus and the Camp Howze infantry-training facility 1-23 brought jobs and growth to the community; and 1-24 WHEREAS, Since World War II, Gainesville has continued to 2-1 prosper; the city's agriculture and oil industries are complemented 2-2 by aircraft and steel fabrication plants and light manufacturing 2-3 facilities that contribute greatly to the city and its residents; 2-4 and 2-5 WHEREAS, With a population of nearly 15,000 people, 2-6 Gainesville supports a strong city structure, including eight 2-7 schools, Cooke County College, more than 50 churches, and the 2-8 Gainesville Municipal Airport; and 2-9 WHEREAS, While the city's growth and forward-looking 2-10 citizenry have admirably prepared Gainesville for the 21st century, 2-11 local residents have also been remarkably successful in preserving 2-12 the past; the downtown area's brick-paved streets, many historic 2-13 homes, and the Morton Museum of Cooke County are excellent 2-14 examples of how Gainesville citizens have cherished their city's 2-15 role in the history of Texas, and will continue to do so in the 2-16 future; now, therefore, be it 2-17 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 76th Texas 2-18 Legislature hereby welcome the traveling delegation from 2-19 Gainesville and extend to them best wishes for an educational and 2-20 memorable trip to the State Capitol; and, be it further 2-21 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 2-22 prepared for the Gainesville delegation as an expression of high 2-23 regard by the Texas House of Representatives.