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HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, Lee County welcomes visitors year-round to a |
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multitude of festive events that reflect the area's rich heritage |
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and hospitable spirit; and |
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WHEREAS, Giddings, the largest town in the county, was |
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founded in 1871 along the line of the Houston and Texas Central |
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Railway, and the city became the county seat when Lee County was |
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created in 1874; as an administrative and judicial center, the town |
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echoed with the voices of a highly diverse population, for the |
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county's early residents included a large number of immigrants, |
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especially Wends, Germans, Czechs, Moravians, and Danes; by 1890, |
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nearly one out of every eight citizens in Lee County was foreign |
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born; and |
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WHEREAS, Although cotton was the primary crop, agriculture in |
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Lee County was relatively varied during the last quarter of the 19th |
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century; the coming of the railroad in the 1870s provided a |
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tremendous boost to cattle raising and hog production, and today |
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livestock and livestock products account for the greatest part of |
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the county's agricultural income; by virtue of its location on the |
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H&TC, Giddings developed into a major shipping point for the area's |
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farms, ranches, and businesses; and |
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WHEREAS, In order to promote a better understanding of forces |
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that have shaped life in Lee County and the lives of many Texans |
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across the state, the Giddings Economic Development Corporation has |
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led in establishing the Rural Texas Tourism Center and |
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Transportation Museum; this fine resource is to be located downtown |
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in the former railroad depot buildings, which the corporation is |
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currently restoring; and |
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WHEREAS, Lee County's colorful past, its cultural |
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inheritance, and its strong communal bonds are particularly evident |
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during a number of special events that take place throughout the |
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year; among the most prominent of these is the Lee County Fair and |
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Rodeo, whose program includes the Charcoal Challenge, for barbecue |
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aficionados, and the State of Texas Noodle Cook-Off; the rodeo is |
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held in Giddings, which is also the site of the Lee County Junior |
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Livestock Show and Sale, the National Old Timer's Rodeo, the Pro |
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Bull Riders Fourth of July Bull Riding contest, the Bull Ball in the |
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Fall, and the Rope and Smoke Tournament, sponsored by the Brazos |
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Valley Chapter of the American Petroleum Institute; and |
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WHEREAS, In addition to events that bespeak the county's |
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ranching heritage, other highlights of the year serve to mark major |
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historical events, support civic organizations and worthy causes, |
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and celebrate ethnic folkways and contributions; the scene of many |
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such occasions, Giddings is home to the Lee County Juneteenth |
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Celebration, Fireman's Fourth of July Celebration, American Legion |
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Veterans' Day Breakfast, 911 Firefighters Appreciation, "Friends |
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of the Depot" Wine and Jazz Festival, St. Margaret's Catholic |
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Church and Immanuel Lutheran Church Fall Festivals, Rotary Club |
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Country Music Monday, Rotary/Sheriff Posse Fun Night, Lions Club |
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Chili Bowl Cook-off, "Word Wrangler" Festival, and Lee County |
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Heritage Valentine's Day Gala; and |
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WHEREAS, A short distance from Giddings, the community of |
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Serbin, established in 1855, hosts a festival to celebrate the |
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culture and achievements of the area's Wendish settlers, as well as |
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an annual picnic and an Advent Candlelight Dinner; and |
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WHEREAS, The Lee County calendar is also dotted with such |
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events as the Dime Box Homecoming and Mini Marathon, the Fedor Fish |
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Fry, and the Lincoln Community Club Picnic and Crawfish Boil; |
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attractions in Lexington range from the Homecoming reunion and |
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Fourth of July celebration to the Christmas Tree Lighting Festival |
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and Chocolate Lover's Festival; and |
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WHEREAS, Altogether, Lee County features more than 200 events |
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a year, offering a wide variety of entertainment for Texas |
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families, and it is fitting that this outstanding corner of the Lone |
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Star State be appropriately recognized; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 80th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby designate Lee County as the official Festival Capital of |
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Texas. |