H.R. No. 2053

R E S O L U T I O N

WHEREAS, The year 2007 marks the 100th anniversary of the city of Robstown, and residents are commemorating this significant milestone at events throughout the year; and

WHEREAS, Established in 1907 in Nueces County, Robstown was named for Robert Driscoll, Jr., a prominent South Texas businessman and landowner; the town originated from acreage that he sold to Nebraskan developer George H. Paul, who in turn sold parcels to settlers; situated at an important junction of railroad lines, it became an agricultural center with the addition of a cotton gin in 1911, and it incorporated the following year; and

WHEREAS, Robstown's population swelled in the 1930s with the development of the Winter Garden Region in the Rio Grande Valley and the discovery of oil within its own county; two decades later, it was home to seven cotton gins, five vegetable-packing sheds, five schools, 20 churches, and 220 businesses; today, Robstown is bustling with some 13,000 residents, and the economy has grown to include petroleum and chemical processing, agribusiness, oil and gas production, and transportation; it remains a railroad hub for the Union Pacific Railroad, the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway, the Kansas City Railroad, and the Texas Mexican Railway, and it is at the crossroads of two crucial thoroughfares, Texas State Highway 44 and U.S. Highway 77; moreover, as a member of the Texas Yes! program, sponsored by the Texas Department of Agriculture, Robstown has been recognized for its efforts to attract tourism, jobs, and development to a rural part of the state; and

WHEREAS, The city's engine for economic and community development and reinvestment is driven by several nonprofit corporations, including the Robstown Improvement Development Corporation, the Robstown Industrial Development Corporation, the Pride of Robstown, the Robstown Housing Finance Corporation, the Robstown Area Development Commission, and the Robstown Historical Commission; and

WHEREAS, Among the notable projects initiated by these organizations are: tax credit programs for housing at the Sierra Royale and Rancho de Luna Multi-Family Complexes, state funding for home rehabilitation and reconstruction, private housing developments such as Ashlee Estates, the Highway Travel Center, the Southern Development Retail Center on Main Avenue, the Bank of Odem, the Snappy Foods Travel Center, the Tots & Teens Pediatric Clinic, the Hospital District Facility, a hot-dip galvanizing plant, Combex-Westhem, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Corpus Christi Robstown Unit, the municipal parks upgrade, including new playground equipment and additional trees, several motels and hotels along the main highways, and the controlled humidity storage facility for the Corpus Christi Army Reserve; moreover, the possibility of a Robstown Trade Processing and Inland Center is currently under study; and

WHEREAS, Home to an enticing combination of new and historic development, Robstown offers numerous annual community events, including a holiday lighting procession, a Juneteenth celebration, a Fourth of July program, a military observance and local hero recognition, Cottonfest, and clean-up and beautification activities; in addition, Robstown citizens are often represented in the Feria de Las Flores pageant; and

WHEREAS, Citizens of Robstown kicked off centennial festivities with the grand opening of the Richard M. Borchard Regional Fairgrounds on January 13, 2007; complete with a spacious banquet hall, two exhibit halls, a central pavilion arena, and a livestock area, the 500-acre facility will host an array of events, including the Nueces County Junior Livestock Show; and

WHEREAS, The city of Robstown embraces and promotes its proud history, culture, and tradition by, among other things, supporting its local schools, its children, and its children's activities, including sporting and academic events, where they are proudly known as the Cottonpickers; and

WHEREAS, With a recently revitalized downtown and several community projects in the works, Robstown is poised for a future of growth, development, and opportunity; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas Legislature hereby congratulate the residents of Robstown on their centennial celebration and extend to them sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for the city of Robstown as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives.

Herrero

______________________________ Speaker of the House

I certify that H.R. No. 2053 was adopted by the House on May 25, 2007, by a non-record vote.

______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House