78R14138 WMS-D

By:  Casteel                                                      H.R. No. 1076



R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, The year 2003 marks the 125th anniversary of the 
town of Gruene, and among those residents celebrating this 
milestone will be Pat Molak and Mary Jane Nalley, who have played a 
central role over the past quarter-century in making Gruene a 
popular tourist attraction; and
	WHEREAS, Gruene is a historic district located on the 
Guadalupe River in New Braunfels and was settled in the 1850s by 
German farmers; in 1878 Henry D. Gruene built a mercantile store, 
and by the turn of the century Gruene was a banking, ginning, and 
shipping center, but the boll weevil blight and Great Depression 
took a significant toll on the community, leaving it a veritable 
ghost town; and
	WHEREAS, Through it all, the centerpiece of this charming 
locale has been Gruene Hall, which holds the distinction of being 
the oldest continually operating dance hall in Texas; and
	WHEREAS, A 6,000-square-foot structure topped with a 
high-pitched tin roof, Gruene Hall has played host to a variety of 
nationally known musical acts since its revitalization in the 
mid-1970s, including George Strait, Garth Brooks, Willie Nelson, Bo 
Diddley, Lyle Lovett, Jerry Jeff Walker, Asleep at the Wheel, Jerry 
Lee Lewis, and others too numerous to mention; and
	WHEREAS, The major architects of Gruene's transformation 
from a sleepy town to a renowned music venue are Pat Molak and Mary 
Jane Nalley; recognizing the building's possibilities for 
renovation, Mr. Molak purchased Gruene Hall and was joined in 1977 
by Ms. Nalley, who shared his vision of a revitalized Gruene; and
	WHEREAS, Together they have not only made Gruene Hall a 
nationally known point of interest, but are also the owners and 
operators of such thriving ventures as the Gristmill River 
Restaurant & Bar, Gruene Antique Company, Lone Star Country Goods, 
Cotton-Eyed Joe's, and The Grapevine; and
	WHEREAS, Pat Molak and Mary Jane Nalley have turned Gruene 
into one of the most enjoyable tourist destinations in the Lone Star 
State, and the city's 125th anniversary is an ideal opportunity to 
honor them and the entire Gruene community; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 78th Texas 
Legislature hereby recognize the 125th anniversary of Gruene, 
Texas, and its centerpiece, Gruene Hall, and commend Pat Molak and 
Mary Jane Nalley on their remarkable civic contributions; and, be 
it further
	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 
prepared for Mr. Molak and Ms. Nalley as an expression of high 
regard by the Texas House of Representatives.