R E S O L U T I O N
 1-1           WHEREAS, Gray County, situated in the central Panhandle on
 1-2     the eastern edge of the High Plains, celebrates its 100th
 1-3     anniversary in 2002, and the citizens of this productive county are
 1-4     to be commended for the many contributions they have made to the
 1-5     Lone Star State; and
 1-6           WHEREAS, Created in 1876, Gray County was organized in 1902
 1-7     and Pampa, a railroad town founded in 1887, was named its county
 1-8     seat in 1928; the grasslands that had supported the buffalo
 1-9     attracted ranchers as early as 1877, and ranching has continued to
1-10     be a mainstay of the economy; and
1-11           WHEREAS, Farming became securely established in the early
1-12     20th century, aided by irrigation and dryland farming techniques;
1-13     crops today include wheat, sorghum, hay, corn, and soybeans; and
1-14           WHEREAS, Gray County also derives income from another
1-15     immensely important resource, the Panhandle oil field; petroleum,
1-16     first discovered in the county in the 1920s, and petrochemical
1-17     industries have added another major dimension to the local economy;
1-18     and
1-19           WHEREAS, Museums in the county feature U.S. military and
1-20     local history, and Pampa can claim the Panhandle's only National
1-21     Register of Historic Places District; for the outdoors and sports
1-22     enthusiast, the county offers the McClellan Creek National
1-23     Grassland, Lake McClellan, a rodeo, golf, and facilities for other
1-24     sports; on Labor Day each year, the city of Pampa plays host to a
 2-1     highly popular Chautauqua in Central Park; and
 2-2           WHEREAS, Gray County has been home to such noted individuals
 2-3     as folk singer Woody Guthrie, shot-put Olympic champion Randy
 2-4     Matson, opera singer Mary Jane Rose Johnson, and Miami Dolphin
 2-5     football star Zach Thomas; and
 2-6           WHEREAS, The hardworking, generous, and creative citizens of
 2-7     Gray County are proud of their heritage and relish the freedom of
 2-8     their wide open spaces, and they are looking forward to meeting the
 2-9     challenges of the new century; now, therefore, be it
2-10           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 77th Texas
2-11     Legislature hereby honor Gray County on its 100th anniversary and
2-12     extend to all its citizens sincere best wishes as they begin a new
2-13     chapter in their outstanding history.
                                                                      Chisum
                                             _______________________________
                                                   Speaker of the House
               I certify that H.R. No. 566 was adopted by the House on May
         5, 2001, by a non-record vote.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Chief Clerk of the House