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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Citizens of Hidalgo County are gathering at the |
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State Capitol to celebrate Hidalgo County Day on February 14, 2007; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Inhabited by humans for 11,000 years, this region of |
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the Rio Grande delta has been the home of the Coahuiltecans, the |
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Karankawa, the Lipan Apaches, and the Comanche; and |
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WHEREAS, The first Spanish visitors arrived in the 17th |
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century; in 1749 Jose de Escandon established four towns along the |
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Rio Grande; 19 land grants were issued in the area by the |
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governments of Spain and Mexico, leading to the creation of many |
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successful cattle and sheep ranches; and |
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WHEREAS, After the end of the Mexican-American War in 1848, |
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the region became part of the United States and a popular way |
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station for prospectors traveling to the California Gold Rush; |
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established in 1852, Hidalgo County was named for Miguel Hidalgo y |
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Costilla, an advocate for Mexican independence; in the early 20th |
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century, the town of Chapin was renamed Edinburg and made county |
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seat; and |
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WHEREAS, The arrival of the railway in 1904 helped introduce |
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large-scale farming in the county, particularly of citrus, cotton, |
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corn, and sugarcane; with the establishment in 1924 of a regional |
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Texas Agricultural Experiment Station in Weslaco, the towns along |
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Highway 83 began to thrive and came to be described as "the longest |
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main street in the world"; and |
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WHEREAS, While farming and ranching remain important to the |
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county, the discovery of oil in 1934 increased the region's |
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prosperity; today the county is a major port of entry into the |
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United States, and the shipment of goods from Mexico is an essential |
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part of the county's economy; and |
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WHEREAS, The educational needs of the county's citizens are |
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well served by The University of Texas-Pan American in Edinburg and |
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South Texas College in McAllen; the county also boasts the Museum |
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for South Texas History, which explores the history and blended |
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cultural heritage of South Texas, and the International Museum of |
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Art and Science, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution; the |
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Valley Symphony Orchestra and Chorale performs a six-concert |
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subscription season every year, as well as eight educational |
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concerts; and |
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WHEREAS, Residents and visitors alike enjoy the many |
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attractions of Hidalgo County; the Texas Citrus Fiesta in Mission |
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every winter features a carnival and the Parade of Oranges; in |
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Weslaco the Rio Grande Valley Onion Festival in April includes food |
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booths, entertainment, and onion recipe contests; the Rio Grande |
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Valley Livestock Show in Mercedes draws an average attendance of |
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160,000 every March; with nearly 400 species of birds, the Santa Ana |
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National Wildlife Refuge near Alamo is an international destination |
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for birders; and |
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WHEREAS, Led by County Judge J. D. Salinas and County |
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Commissioners Sylvia S. Handy, Hector "Tito" Palacios, Joe M. |
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Flores, and Oscar L. Garza, Jr., the residents of this dynamic |
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region of the Lone Star State have much to be proud of, as they |
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celebrate the past and work to build a bright and prosperous future; |
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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 14, 2007, as Hidalgo County |
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Day at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation |
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sincere best wishes for an informative and enjoyable visit to |
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Austin. |
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Flores |
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Pena |
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Gonzales |
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Martinez |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 386 was adopted by the House on |
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February 14, 2007, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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