1-1 1 1-2 SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 311 1-3 WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas takes great 1-4 pleasure in joining the citizens of Ellis County in the celebration 1-5 of Ellis County Day at the State Capitol on March 2, 1999; and 1-6 WHEREAS, Ellis County is known for its fertile blackland 1-7 belt of black loam and black waxy soil which makes it one of the 1-8 leading agricultural centers in the state, and for a time the 1-9 county led the state in cotton production; and 1-10 WHEREAS, Tonkawa Indians were the first people to dwell in 1-11 the county, with the Kickapoo, Bidai, Anadarko, and Waco tribes 1-12 also coming to the area to hunt buffalo; in 1843 one of the first 1-13 settlers, W. R. Howe, established a home near Forreston; and 1-14 WHEREAS, Ellis County was created from 953 square miles 1-15 taken from Robertson and Navarro counties on December 20, 1849, 1-16 and was named after an early senator of the Republic of Texas, 1-17 Richard Ellis; and 1-18 WHEREAS, An election in August of 1850 designated Waxahachie 1-19 as the county seat for Ellis County, with the first cedar log 1-20 courthouse built at a cost of $59; in 1894 the present courthouse 1-21 and most famous landmark of Ellis County was built for $165,000, 1-22 and the structure, which is famed for its impressive size and 1-23 beauty, was built with Burnet County red granite and carved by 1-24 Italian artisans who were imported for the daunting task; and 2-1 WHEREAS, With almost 20,000 residents, Waxahachie is the 2-2 largest city in the county and is known for its Gingerbread 2-3 Trail of historic Victorian homes, as the site of one of the 2-4 few remaining Chautauqua Auditoriums, for the Scarborough Faire 2-5 Renaissance Festival, and for the Ellis County Museum; and 2-6 WHEREAS, The second largest city in Ellis County, Ennis 2-7 received its name in honor of Cornelius Ennis, the director of 2-8 the Southern Pacific Railroad at the time it connected with the 2-9 site of the town in 1871, and lies east of Waxahachie; the town 2-10 prospered and grew when the Houston and Texas Railroad reached 2-11 the site of the town, and by 1891, the Southern Pacific Railroad 2-12 had also connected with Ennis, and railroad shops were added to 2-13 the growing town; and 2-14 WHEREAS, Ennis hosts tourists who come to its Texas 2-15 Motorplex, the Bluebonnet Festival, and the National Polka 2-16 Festival, and antique lovers make the Waxahachie-Ennis area 2-17 the destination to add items to their collections that were 2-18 loved by past generations of Central Texas families; and 2-19 WHEREAS, Restoration of the many fine old Victorian homes 2-20 and buildings in Ellis County reflects the love the citizens have 2-21 for their past and their wish to preserve the heritage of the area 2-22 for future generations of Central Texans; now, therefore, be it 2-23 RESOLVED, That the Senate of Texas, 76th Legislature, 2-24 hereby recognize March 2, 1999, as Ellis County Day and extend 2-25 best wishes to its residents for a most enjoyable and rewarding 2-26 event; and, be it further 3-1 RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for 3-2 Ellis County as a memento of this special day and as an expression 3-3 of gratitude by the Texas Senate for its contributions to the 3-4 State of Texas. 3-5 Nelson, Cain 3-6 ______________________________________ 3-7 President of the Senate 3-8 I hereby certify that the above 3-9 Resolution was adopted by the Senate 3-10 on March 1, 1999. 3-11 ______________________________________ 3-12 Secretary of the Senate 3-13 ______________________________________ 3-14 Member, Texas Senate 3-15 ______________________________________ 3-16 Member, Texas Senate