1-1                                     1                                  
 1-2                          SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 135
 1-3           WHEREAS, On February 27, 2001, Fayette County citizens are
 1-4     celebrating the many contributions this fine county has made to the
 1-5     State of Texas; and
 1-6           WHEREAS, Fayette County, which includes the charming
 1-7     towns of La Grange, Schulenburg, Flatonia, Ledbetter, Fayetteville,
 1-8     Round Top, Carmine, Ellinger, Engle, High Hill, Dubina,
 1-9     Ammannsville, Hostyn, Praha, Swiss Alps, Freyburg, Cistern, Holman,
1-10     Kirtley, Nechanitz, Plum, Muldoon, Oldenburg, O'Quinn, Rek Hill,
1-11     Rutersville, St. John, Waldeck, Walhalla, Warda, Warrenton,
1-12     West Point, Willow Springs, Winchester, and Winedale, is situated
1-13     in the heart of South Central Texas and has been blessed with some
1-14     of the state's most picturesque landscapes:  gently rolling hills,
1-15     steep bluffs, vivid wildflowers, rich farmland, and dense forests
1-16     threaded by the Colorado River; and
1-17           WHEREAS, Tonkawas, Comanches, and more than 13 other
1-18     Indian tribes traded and pursued buffalo here; German and Czech
1-19     communities were established in the 1840s and 1850s, and their
1-20     influence is still felt throughout the area; and
1-21           WHEREAS, Organized on December 14, 1837, Fayette County
1-22     was named for the Marquis de Lafayette, who aided the American
1-23     colonists in their struggle for independence; in 1838 the
 2-1     Texas Congress approved a site near La Grange as the location
 2-2     for the new capital, but the choice was rejected by
 2-3     President Sam Houston; and
 2-4           WHEREAS, A legion of notable individuals have lived or
 2-5     left their footprints in Fayette County, and today's residents are
 2-6     proud to claim an association with such figures as John W. Dancy,
 2-7     Samuel Walker, Byrd Lockhart, Stephen F. Austin, Big Foot Wallace,
 2-8     William G. Webb, Mary Maverick, Thomas Green, Temple Houston,
 2-9     David Crockett, Mirabeau B. Lamar, La Salle, Alonso de Leon,
2-10     R. E. B. Baylor, Robert S. Neighbors, and John H. Moore; and
2-11           WHEREAS, The settlement of Fayette County has been the
2-12     work of people from many different backgrounds, all of whom aspired
2-13     to a brighter future; among them were Spaniards, Mexicans, and
2-14     African Americans, as well as those of Irish, Scottish, French,
2-15     German, and Czech descent; and
2-16           WHEREAS, Fayette County is an integral part of the
2-17     Texas Independence Trail, a project of the Texas Historical
2-18     Commission; winding through 28 counties, this route traverses
2-19     land that witnessed the Texas Revolution and formative events of
2-20     the Texas Republic; prominent Fayette County sites within the trail
2-21     region include the restored home of Nathaniel W. Faison, a
2-22     volunteer soldier captured during the 1842 Mexican invasion of
2-23     Texas and a survivor of Mexico's Perote prison, and Monument Hill,
2-24     tomb of Faison's compatriots who fell at the battle of Salado Creek
2-25     and also the grave of executed members of the Mier expedition; and
2-26           WHEREAS, Tradition is strong in Fayette County, where
 3-1     citizens share the patriotism of early residents and have also
 3-2     kept alive their deep faith; the congregations of many historic
 3-3     churches are active yet today, and the beauty of their buildings
 3-4     lends a graceful serenity to the countryside; especially renowned
 3-5     are the Painted Churches of Ammannsville, Dubina, High Hill, and
 3-6     Praha; the tiny Catholic church in Warrenton, the venerable
 3-7     Methodist church in Freyburg, the Lutheran church in Swiss Alps,
 3-8     and Saint James Episcopal Church in La Grange; and
 3-9           WHEREAS, Residents and visitors of all ages delight in the
3-10     many parish feasts and in such celebrations as the Fayette County
3-11     Country Fair, Czhilispiel, Lickskillet, the Antiques Festival, the
3-12     Schulenburg Festival, and the Round Top Fourth of July Parade, said
3-13     to be the oldest such parade west of the Mississippi; and
3-14           WHEREAS, Fayette Lake, the Colorado River, and a variety
3-15     of recreational facilities offer ample opportunity for fishing,
3-16     boating, hiking, golfing, and many other sports; for bicycle riders
3-17     who participate in the MS-150, a ride from Houston to Austin to
3-18     raise funds for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the route
3-19     through Fayette County offers some of the most rewarding scenery of
3-20     the event; and
3-21           WHEREAS, In addition to tourism and recreation, other
3-22     important sectors of the Fayette County economy include oil,
3-23     light industry, the production of electricity, and the mining of
3-24     construction gravel, clays, and fuller's earth; long a leader in
3-25     the state's agricultural production, the county ships the bounty
3-26     of its farms and ranches throughout the world; and
 4-1           WHEREAS, The dynamic economy supports an outstanding
 4-2     educational system, one that provides a solid foundation for those
 4-3     going on to further education or into the skilled workforce; county
 4-4     residents also benefit from an incomparable medical support team
 4-5     and are looking forward to the construction of a new hospital; and
 4-6           WHEREAS, Today's Fayette County citizens are enriched by
 4-7     the cultures bequeathed them by successive waves of settlers and
 4-8     stand proud in the knowledge that they are honoring and passing on
 4-9     to future generations the best of this inheritance; it is a great
4-10     pleasure, therefore, to join with these worthy Texans in
4-11     celebrating the rich and vital heritage of Fayette County and
4-12     the myriad roles its people have played in building the
4-13     Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it
4-14           RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
4-15     77th Legislature, hereby welcome the distinguished delegation
4-16     of Fayette County residents visiting on this day and recognize
4-17     February 27, 2001, as Fayette County Day at the State Capitol.
4-18                                                              Armbrister
4-19                                  ______________________________________
4-20                                          President of the Senate
4-21                                       I hereby certify that the above
4-22                                  Resolution was adopted by the Senate
4-23                                  on January 30, 2001.
4-24                                  ______________________________________
4-25                                          Secretary of the Senate
4-26                                  ______________________________________
4-27                                           Member, Texas Senate