By Chisum H.R. No. 566 77R8933 MMS-D 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.