R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, Many proud citizens of Bastrop are visiting the 1-2 State Capitol on March 7, 2001, to celebrate the vitality and rich 1-3 heritage of this historic Texas community, and photographs 1-4 illustrating the town's many facets are on exhibit today in the 1-5 Capitol rotunda; and 1-6 WHEREAS, In colonial days, Bastrop was the site of a Colorado 1-7 River crossing on the Old San Antonio Road, for several hundred 1-8 years an important route between Mexico and East Texas; a fort 1-9 stood here for a time in the early 1800s, and in 1827 Stephen F. 1-10 Austin secured permission to settle 100 families in the area, a 1-11 project that became known as Austin's Little Colony; and 1-12 WHEREAS, Bastrop was laid out in accordance with the 1-13 traditional plan for Mexican towns in 1832; although settlement was 1-14 slowed by the threat from Comanche Indians, who hunted here in the 1-15 fall, the community had grown to about 400 by the time of the Texas 1-16 Revolution; and 1-17 WHEREAS, At the beginning of the revolution, Bastrop became 1-18 the first settlement in the province to organize a committee of 1-19 public safety; 11 men from Bastrop died at the Battle of the Alamo, 1-20 and in the days that followed, as settlers fled eastward, the 1-21 Mexican army and Indians completely leveled the town; and 1-22 WHEREAS, Following independence, Bastrop became the county 1-23 seat of Bastrop County; the town enjoyed a prominence that extended 1-24 far beyond the county's borders, serving as a commercial and 2-1 political center, a place for organizing military forays against 2-2 the Indians, and a haven for settlers during times of frontier 2-3 unrest; and 2-4 WHEREAS, The early economy of the community rested on 2-5 agriculture and on timber from the adjacent pine forest; Bastrop 2-6 lumber was carted to Austin, San Antonio, the Texas frontier, and 2-7 Mexico; in time, cotton cultivation came to the fore and the 2-8 importance of the timber industry receded; and 2-9 WHEREAS, Still a center for agribusiness, Bastrop also draws 2-10 economic strength from such present-day industries as oil-well 2-11 supply and manufacturing; together with new commercial development, 2-12 the town also boasts a new medical center and a University of Texas 2-13 cancer research center; and 2-14 WHEREAS, This vibrant community has retained much of its 2-15 19th-century ambience, with more than 125 buildings in the downtown 2-16 district and surrounding neighborhoods listed in the National 2-17 Register of Historic Places; immensely attractive to individuals 2-18 looking for a small town in which to live and raise their families, 2-19 Bastrop is also popular with tourists; and 2-20 WHEREAS, Local attractions include the Bastrop Museum, the 2-21 Central Texas Museum of Automotive History, the 1890 iron bridge 2-22 over the Colorado, which has been converted to a park, and the 1889 2-23 opera house, which offers a year-round schedule of comedy, drama, 2-24 and musical theater; and 2-25 WHEREAS, Opportunities for outdoor recreation abound at the 2-26 Bastrop State Park, home of the Lost Pines, at the McKinney Roughs 2-27 Natural Science Preserve, at Lake Bastrop and along the Colorado 3-1 River, and at three 18-hole golf courses; and 3-2 WHEREAS, Citizens of Bastrop are justifiably proud of their 3-3 notable heritage and of the splendid community that they share 3-4 today, and it is a great pleasure to recognize the many 3-5 contributions they and their forebears have made to the building of 3-6 the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it 3-7 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 77th Texas 3-8 Legislature hereby recognize March 7, 2001, as Bastrop . . . 3-9 Something for Everyone Day at the State Capitol and extend to this 3-10 delegation sincere best wishes for an enjoyable and memorable 3-11 visit. Cook _______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 412 was adopted by the House on March 7, 2001, by a non-record vote. _______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House