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                                                                  H.R. No. 246



R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, The Texas House of Representatives is pleased to 
join with a group of citizens from Edinburg in celebrating Edinburg 
Day at the State Capitol on this day, February 10, 2005; and
	WHEREAS, Located at the western gateway to the Lower Rio 
Grande Valley, the town originally known as Chapin became the 
Hidalgo County seat nearly 100 years ago; although the relocation 
from the town of Hidalgo proved controversial when opponents 
threatened an injunction, county records were successfully 
transported by oxcart to their new home, and since their arrival on 
October 14, 1908, the city of Edinburg has remained the official 
county seat of Hidalgo County; and
	WHEREAS, Edinburg was a ranching community in its early 
years, but the arrival of the railroad and the introduction of 
irrigation in the early 1900s resulted in an influx of farmers from 
the Midwest and a shift from ranching to farming; the town was 
officially incorporated in 1919; and
	WHEREAS, The period of significant growth and prosperity that 
followed its incorporation may be partly attributed to the forward 
thinking of city leaders John Closner and W. F. Sprague;  also 
instrumental were the development of the town as a center for buying 
and processing cotton, grain, and citrus produce and the burgeoning 
vegetable, sorghum, corn, sugarcane, and poultry industries; and
	WHEREAS, In the decades that followed, Edinburg experienced 
an unprecedented building boom that included the construction of 
the Ebony Hills Country Club, Grandview Hospital, and the Sam 
Houston and Stephen F. Austin Elementary Schools, all of which 
still stand today; during these important years in the town's 
history, Edinburg set itself apart as a leader in education; in 
1927, Edinburg Junior College was built, and today The University 
of Texas--Pan American remains one of the Rio Grande Valley's 
premier institutions of higher learning; moreover, the Edinburg 
Consolidated School District encompasses 945 square miles, making 
it one of the largest in the nation, and offers 27 elementary 
schools, four middle schools, three high schools, and an 
alternative campus; and
	WHEREAS, In addition to its outstanding educational 
institutions, Edinburg offers its citizens first-rate health care 
facilities as well as an array of recreational and entertainment 
opportunities and cultural centers, such as the South Texas 
Historical Museum, which features a variety of exhibitions that 
showcase the area's rich and vibrant heritage; home to the 2004 
Edinburg Roadrunners CBL champion baseball team, the city also 
boasts a number of attractive municipal parks with scenic wetland 
trails, a newly constructed world birding center, and an annual 
All-American 10K Run/Walk, a family-oriented event that promotes 
wellness and fitness and attracts participants from all over Texas 
and the world; and
	WHEREAS, Edinburg has been recognized as an All-America City 
three times by the National Civic League, placing it among a handful 
of outstanding communities in the nation; under the able leadership 
of Mayor Richard Garcia, Mayor Pro Tem Ricardo P. Rodriguez, Jr., 
and city commissioners Gene Espinoza, Noe Garza, and Eddie Johnson, 
the city remains a close-knit community while experiencing one of 
the fastest growth rates in the state; and
	WHEREAS, Proud of their rich history, the people of Edinburg 
are determined to preserve the best of the city's past while they 
join together to build a future that is filled with hope and 
opportunity; and
	WHEREAS, Representative Aaron Pena has justly recognized the 
city of Edinburg by authoring this honorary resolution in its 
behalf during the Regular Session of the 79th Texas Legislature; 
now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 79th Texas 
Legislature hereby recognize February 10, 2005, as Edinburg Day and 
extend a warm welcome to those visitors from the city who are with 
us today.

                                                                            Pena
                                                                        Gonzales
                                                                         Escobar

                                                  ______________________________
                                                       Speaker of the House     

	I certify that H.R. No. 246 was adopted by the House on 
February 10, 2005, by a non-record vote.

                                                  ______________________________
                                                     Chief Clerk of the House