By King of Parker                                    H.C.R. No. 145
         77R6849 MMS-D                           
                             HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
 1-1           WHEREAS, Many proud citizens of Parker County are visiting
 1-2     the State Capitol on February 26, 2001, to celebrate the prominent
 1-3     role this North Central Texas county has played in the annals of
 1-4     our state; and
 1-5           WHEREAS, Created by the Texas Legislature in 1855, the county
 1-6     was named for pioneer and state representative Isaac Parker;
 1-7     Mr. Parker was the uncle of Cynthia Ann Parker, who was kidnapped
 1-8     by Indians during the Texas Revolution; raised among the Comanches,
 1-9     she eventually became the mother of the great chief Quanah Parker;
1-10     and
1-11           WHEREAS, When settlers began moving into Parker County in the
1-12     1840s, the area was the domain of the Comanches and Kiowas; the
1-13     county retained its frontier character for a number of years, with
1-14     Indian raids continuing into the 1870s; during these raids farming
1-15     and ranching families would take refuge in Weatherford, the county
1-16     seat; and
1-17           WHEREAS, Evidence of the past is readily evident in
1-18     Weatherford, whose town square is dominated by the imposing 1886
1-19     Parker County Courthouse; designated a Texas Main Street City by
1-20     the Texas Historical Commission, Weatherford has undertaken an
1-21     intensive program of historic preservation in its downtown
1-22     district; and
1-23           WHEREAS, Parker County citizen Oliver Loving, the famed
1-24     cattleman who gave his name to the Goodnight-Loving Trail and who
 2-1     was the inspiration for the book Lonesome Dove, is buried in
 2-2     Weatherford's Greenwood Cemetery; the cemetery is also the resting
 2-3     place of Mary Martin, renowned star of musical theater and a
 2-4     Weatherford native; and
 2-5           WHEREAS, Recognized as the "Cutting Horse Capital of the
 2-6     World,"  Weatherford is famed among "cutters" across the country,
 2-7     who send their horses there to be trained and bred; home not only
 2-8     to numerous trainers but also to many hall-of-fame horses, the city
 2-9     boasts a breathtaking, life-sized bronze statue of a cutting horse
2-10     outside the restored Santa Fe depot; and
2-11           WHEREAS, Today the Parker County economy is powered by
2-12     agribusiness, manufacturing, and tourism; agricultural products
2-13     include beef cattle, dairy cows, horses, peanuts, watermelons,
2-14     pecans, and peaches; Parker County watermelons took the world prize
2-15     for weight at the 1904 World's Fair, and by 1925 Weatherford
2-16     shipped more watermelons than any other place in the country; the
2-17     largest pecan tree in the United States, some 900 to 1,100 years
2-18     old, stands in Weatherford; and
2-19           WHEREAS, Tourist attractions in Parker County include
2-20     Frontier Days in June, the Peach Festival in July, and First Monday
2-21     Trade Days throughout the year; Lake Mineral Wells State Park is a
2-22     popular destination for outdoors enthusiasts; and
2-23           WHEREAS, Parker County holds a notable place in Texas
2-24     frontier history and in the development of the Lone Star State, and
2-25     its citizens are proudly preserving and building on this
2-26     outstanding legacy; it is thus a great pleasure to welcome the
2-27     delegation with us today and to commend their public spirit and
 3-1     their eminent contributions; now, therefore, be it
 3-2           RESOLVED, That the 77th Legislature of the State of Texas
 3-3     hereby designate February 26, 2001, as Parker County Day at the
 3-4     State Capitol and extend to this delegation sincere best wishes for
 3-5     an enjoyable and memorable visit.