78R3487 JH-D

By:  Berman                                                     H.C.R. No. 25 



CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
	WHEREAS, On February 24-26, 2003, many proud residents of 
Tyler will be in Austin to celebrate Tyler Days at the State 
Capitol, and this festive occasion offers an ideal opportunity to 
extol the city's many virtues; and
	WHEREAS, Nestled among the Piney Woods of East Texas, Tyler's 
great natural beauty goes hand in hand with the energy and amenities 
of a bustling modern city, and its residents take justifiable pride 
in their remarkable hometown; and
	WHEREAS, Tyler has through the years benefited greatly from 
the region's abundant natural resources, and agriculture has long 
provided a strong foundation for the local economy; cotton was 
originally the predominant cash crop, but by the turn of the century 
the area was shipping 100 railroad cars of peaches a day and more 
strawberries than the rest of the state combined; and
	WHEREAS, A devastating peach blight in 1902 soon revealed 
itself a blessing in disguise, as farmers turned to growing roses 
that are now Tyler's most famous export; by the 1940s, more than 
half the nation's rosebushes came from Tyler, and today the city is 
renowned as the home of the Texas Rose Festival and the Municipal 
Rose Garden and Museum; and
	WHEREAS, In 1930, the area's sandy loam yielded up a 
different kind of bounty when the East Texas oil field was 
discovered, and the petroleum industry quickly became a mainstay of 
the local economy, joined more recently by manufacturing and the 
timber industry; and
	WHEREAS, Tyler is also acknowledged to be the area's 
preeminent medical and educational center, and the presence of 
numerous state-of-the-art health care facilities contributes 
greatly to the well-being of local citizens, while the city's 
top-flight colleges and university open new vistas of learning and 
opportunity to thousands of students each year; and
	WHEREAS, The city's recreational options are many and varied, 
and visitors may choose between such diverse and appealing 
destinations as the Caldwell Zoo, the Carnegie History Center, 
Hudnall Planetarium, and the Tyler Museum of Art, while fishing and 
boating enthusiasts can pursue their pleasures at Lakes Palestine, 
Tyler, and Tyler East; and
	WHEREAS, Tyler's greatest asset continues to be its dynamic 
and friendly citizens, and even as they look back with pride and 
affection on the city's notable past, they eagerly embrace the 
challenges and opportunities that lie ahead; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the 78th Legislature of the State of Texas 
hereby recognize February 24-26, 2003, as Tyler Days at the State 
Capitol and extend a warm welcome to the Tyler delegation; and, be 
it further
	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 
prepared for the delegation as an expression of high regard by the 
Texas House of Representatives and Senate.