79R11028 MAM-D

By:  Callegari                                                    H.R. No. 895



R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, Residents of Katy are visiting the Capitol on March 
29, 2005, to celebrate the contributions of their fair city to the 
Lone Star State; and
	WHEREAS, Located in Harris, Waller, and Fort Bend Counties, 
Katy was settled in 1872 and incorporated in 1945; originally known 
as Cane Island, the city is thought to have taken its present-day 
name from the Missouri, Kansas, and Texas Railroad, which was 
established in the area in the 1890s; and
	WHEREAS, The town's early economy depended on the production 
of cotton, peanuts, and corn, but those crops were outpaced by the 
introduction of rice farming in 1901; the discovery of natural gas 
in 1934 changed the fortunes of the town's residents, who profited 
from the size of the field's reserves and its proximity to 
Houston-area refineries; today, Katy remains an important rail and 
agricultural center and continues to reap the rewards of one of the 
largest gas fields in the state; and
	WHEREAS, Residents and visitors alike enjoy the town's many 
cultural assets, including Heritage Park, which is home to a number 
of historic buildings, the Katy Veterans Memorial Museum, which 
features military exhibits of every foreign conflict involving the 
United States, and the Katy Heritage Museum, which houses vintage 
farming equipment and artifacts from Katy's agricultural and 
pioneer history; and
	WHEREAS, The Katy Rice Harvest Festival attracts more than 
50,000 people to the festivities each year and gives area residents 
the opportunity to commemorate this staple of the community's 
economy; in addition, numerous parks offer a wide range of 
possibilities to outdoor enthusiasts; and
	WHEREAS, The award-winning Katy Independent School District 
also figures prominently in the high quality of life enjoyed by 
those who choose to make Katy their home; and
	WHEREAS, With its profitable economy, small-town charm, and 
first-rate schools, Katy is a vibrant city whose citizens are 
preserving the past and embracing the future, and it is a pleasure 
to pay tribute to the community and its residents at this time; now, 
therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 79th Texas 
Legislature hereby recognize March 29, 2005, as Katy Day at the 
State Capitol and extend to all those present on this day sincere 
best wishes for an informative and enjoyable visit to Austin.