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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, A delegation of citizens from Wise County is |
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visiting the State Capitol to celebrate Wise County Day on February |
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13, 2007; and |
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WHEREAS, The original inhabitants of the rolling, fertile |
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prairie that is now Wise County were the Wichita tribe, who were |
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supplanted by Caddo Indians in the 1830s; the first European |
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settlement began in Deep Creek in 1854; and |
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WHEREAS, Established in 1856, Wise County was named for Henry |
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A. Wise, a United States Congressman and governor of Virginia who |
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supported the annexation of Texas into the United States; the |
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county seat, originally named Taylorsville after United States |
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president Zachary Taylor, was renamed Decatur after naval hero |
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Stephen Decatur; and |
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WHEREAS, While cotton, cattle, and coal were the mainstays of |
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the county's economy in the 19th and early 20th centuries, today the |
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county prospers from agribusiness, manufacturing, and petroleum; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Many visitors are drawn to Decatur by such historic |
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attractions as the Wise County Heritage Museum, the Old Stone |
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Prison, Waggoner Mansion, and the striking Wise County Courthouse, |
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constructed of pink granite and completed in 1896; and |
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WHEREAS, Wise County is a fine destination for outdoor |
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recreation; at Lake Bridgeport visitors can enjoy swimming, |
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boating, fishing, and other water sports, and the Lyndon Baines |
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Johnson National Grasslands is a premier location for hiking, |
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camping, and bird-watching; and |
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WHEREAS, The residents of Wise County celebrate their |
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heritage annually with several festivals, including the Chisolm |
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Trail Days in Decatur every June and the Butterfield Stage Days in |
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Bridgeport in May; and |
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WHEREAS, Each named after Henry Wise and established in 1856, |
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both Wise County, Texas, and Wise County, Virginia, celebrated |
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their sesquicentennials in 2006, and Wise County, Texas, has |
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gratefully accepted Wise County, Virginia's, gracious gift of their |
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county flag, thus celebrating their ties across distance and |
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history; and |
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WHEREAS, Wise County is home to industrious and innovative |
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citizens who are preserving their history while working for a |
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prosperous future, and their contributions to the culture, |
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recreation, and economy of this state are truly worthy of |
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recognition; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize February 13, 2007, as Wise County Day |
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and extend to the delegation from Wise County sincere best wishes |
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for an enjoyable and informative stay in Austin. |