H.R. No. 775



R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, Many citizens of Grayson County have come to Austin 
today, April 16, 2003, to participate in the celebration of Grayson 
County Day at the State Capitol; and
	WHEREAS, Named for Peter W. Grayson, attorney general of the 
Republic of Texas, Grayson County was formed on March 17, 1846, by 
the 1st Texas Legislature, which also designated the county seat 
and named it for Sidney Sherman, a leader at the Battle of San 
Jacinto; Sherman holds the distinction of being one of the few Texas 
towns named by an act of the legislature in what was apparently a 
compromise between supporters of Sam Houston, including Mr. 
Grayson, and Sam Houston opponents, including General Sherman; and
	WHEREAS, In 1872, after the arrival of the Houston and Texas 
Central Railroad in Sherman as well as the Missouri-Kansas-Texas 
Railroad in Denison, Grayson County experienced a period of rapid 
growth and development; the population expanded and new towns 
emerged, including Van Alstyne, Howe, Whitewright, Pottsboro, and 
Tom Bean; an increase in the number of farms and the availability of 
convenient transportation offered by the railroads combined to 
transform the county, which erected the world's largest cottonseed 
oil mill in 1891, into a milling and market center for surrounding 
areas; and
	WHEREAS, In more recent times, the Grayson County economy has 
diversified into numerous industries, including such commercial 
giants as Johnson & Johnson, Texas Instruments, Raytheon, Fisher 
Controls, Procter & Gamble, Globitech, and Progress Rail; the 
county also maintains a healthy agribusiness, with  peanuts, 
cotton, and wheat as major crops; and
	WHEREAS, Sherman, once called the Athens of Texas, is home to 
Austin College, and the county also offers other first-rate 
educational facilities and resources through its public school 
system and Grayson County Community College; and
	WHEREAS, Outdoor sports enthusiasts come to Grayson County to 
participate in the many activities offered around Lake Texoma, one 
of the world's largest reservoirs; in Denison, the birthplace of 
Dwight D. Eisenhower, visitors and residents alike enjoy the 
amenities of the Eisenhower Birthplace State Historical Park; and
	WHEREAS, Rich in heritage and bountiful in resources, Grayson 
County is a major contributor to the greatness of this state and a 
source of tremendous pride for its residents; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 78th Texas 
Legislature hereby recognize April 16, 2003, as Grayson County Day 
at the State Capitol and extend best wishes to all its citizens on 
this noteworthy occasion.

                                                                        Phillips

                                                  ______________________________
                                                       Speaker of the House     

	I certify that H.R. No. 775 was adopted by the House on April 
16, 2003, by a non-record vote.

                                                  ______________________________
                                                     Chief Clerk of the House