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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Residents from Collin County are gathering at the |
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State Capitol on February 20, 2007, to celebrate Collin County Day, |
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and this event provides an opportunity to pay tribute to this |
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prosperous area in North Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, Once inhabited by the Caddo Indians, the county is |
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located almost entirely within the state's Blackland Prairie, and |
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this prime farming land began attracting settlers in the early |
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1840s; both the county and its seat, McKinney, were named in honor |
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of pioneer resident Collin McKinney, a signer of the Texas |
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Declaration of Independence; and |
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WHEREAS, Today, Collin County encompasses a portion of the |
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dynamic Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex; it has experienced one of the |
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fastest growth rates in Texas in recent years, and much of its 886 |
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square miles has been transformed into a bustling urban area; more |
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than 700,000 people call the county home, with an average of 100 new |
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residents arriving each day; and |
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WHEREAS, The county seat, McKinney, is one of the county's |
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many booming municipalities, boasting a population of 103,000; it |
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offers a host of interesting attractions, including the Collin |
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County Youth Park and Farm Museum, the Collin County History |
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Museum, Bolin Wildlife Exhibit, Chestnut Square Historical Park, |
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and the Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary; |
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adjacent to Lake Lavon, McKinney is also home to a number of |
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beautiful outdoor recreation areas, including Wilson Creek Park; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, With a population of more than 253,000, Plano is the |
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largest city in the county and a thriving business center; visitors |
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to this community can enjoy shops and malls with pleasant amenities |
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and a restored downtown square, which features brick sidewalks, |
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turn-of-the-century lampposts, and numerous specialty stores, |
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galleries, and restaurants; and |
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WHEREAS, The city of Allen, home to two especially well-known |
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residents, Olympic gold-medal-winning gymnast Carly Patterson and |
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artist Amanda Dunbar, is yet another fast-growing town; Allen has a |
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population of more than 70,000, and its citizens are dedicated to |
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the development of a quality community with a top-ranked education |
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system, family-oriented residential areas, innovative recreational |
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facilities, and premier business developments; and |
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WHEREAS, The site now occupied by the city of Frisco was once |
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a campground for Native Americans, and a footpath that passed |
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through the area became the "Texas Road," a route for pioneers |
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traveling between the Red River and Central Texas; after the |
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arrival of the railroad, Frisco became a commercial hub for farmers |
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and ranchers in the area; it now has 85,000 residents and is the |
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site of numerous corporate offices as well as minor league baseball |
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and junior league hockey teams; and |
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WHEREAS, Other communities add much to Collin County's |
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allure; Wylie, with a population of 33,000, is a family-oriented |
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town that is home to the Ballard Street Cafe, an eatery famed for |
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its chicken fried steak; Celina has gained statewide fame for its |
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Bobcats high school football team, which has claimed seven state |
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titles; true to its name, the town of Prosper has grown larger in |
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recent years, and its residents are especially proud of its skilled |
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firefighters and paramedics, whose courage and quick action have |
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saved lives; Princeton was the site of one of the county's |
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interesting historical episodes, when it was the site of a |
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prisoner-of-war camp for captured German soldiers during World War |
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II; and |
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WHEREAS, In addition, citizens from the communities of Anna, |
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Blue Ridge, Fairview, Farmersville, Josephine, Lavon, Lucas, |
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Murphy, Nevada, New Hope, and Parker, along with parts of Dallas, |
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Garland, Richardson, Royse City, and Sachse, whose city limits |
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extend into the county, have played an important part in preserving |
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Collin County's proud heritage and contributing to its flourishing, |
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diversified economy, and they may indeed look forward to a bright |
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and promising future; 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 20, 2007, as Collin County |
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Day at the State Capitol and extend sincere best wishes to all those |
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Collin County residents who have traveled to Austin for this event. |