R E S O L U T I O N
 1-1           WHEREAS, Many proud citizens of Hamilton County are visiting
 1-2     the Capitol on March 22, 2001, to celebrate the rich history and
 1-3     numerous advantages of this Central Texas county; and
 1-4           WHEREAS, Organized in 1858 with the town of Hamilton as the
 1-5     county seat, Hamilton County was named for South Carolina governor
 1-6     James Hamilton, who helped finance the Texas Revolution; settlers
 1-7     of European descent began trickling into the area in the mid-1850s,
 1-8     and their numbers swelled to the thousands soon after the threat of
 1-9     Indian raids subsided around 1870; and
1-10           WHEREAS, Notable early residents included Ann Whitney, a
1-11     teacher killed while protecting schoolchildren during an Indian
1-12     attack, Haskell Harelik, a Jewish immigrant who became a leading
1-13     entrepreneur, and Ollie L. "Brushy Bill" Roberts, a former lawman
1-14     who claimed to be Billy the Kid; and
1-15           WHEREAS, While agriculture remains a mainstay of the local
1-16     economy, it is supplemented today by manufacturing, hunting
1-17     licenses, and tourism; the forward-looking towns of Hamilton and
1-18     Hico have formed an economic development corporation to promote the
1-19     region; and
1-20           WHEREAS, Attractions in the county seat include the Hamilton
1-21     County Historical Society Museum, live performances in the restored
1-22     Texan Theatre, the annual Dove Festival, and the highly popular
1-23     research center of the county's genealogical society; Hico is home
1-24     to the Billy the Kid Museum, the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, and the
 2-1     Old Settlers Reunion, first held in 1882; and
 2-2           WHEREAS, Hamilton County has been recognized by the Public
 2-3     Utilities Commission for private business initiatives that have put
 2-4     this part of Central Texas on the cutting edge of technology; with
 2-5     accessible Internet service, residents and businesses have embraced
 2-6     the myriad opportunities available to those online; and
 2-7           WHEREAS, The changing face of rural Texas is reflected in
 2-8     this resilient, productive county, where the pioneering spirit
 2-9     still burns bright, and its citizens can be proud of the role it
2-10     has played in the annals of the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be
2-11     it
2-12           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 77th Texas
2-13     Legislature hereby recognize March 22, 2001, as Hamilton County Day
2-14     at the State Capitol and extend a warm welcome to the delegation of
2-15     residents who are visiting on this day.
                                                                      Miller
                                             _______________________________
                                                   Speaker of the House
               I certify that H.R. No. 589 was adopted by the House on March
         22, 2001, by a non-record vote.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Chief Clerk of the House