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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 184
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WHEREAS, Residents of the city of McAllen are gathering |
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at the State Capitol on February 6, 2007, to celebrate their |
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community's contributions to the vitality of the Lone Star State; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Located in southern Hidalgo County, the |
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site of present-day McAllen was developed by Spanish settler |
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Jose Manuel Gomez, who founded the Santa Anita Ranch in 1797; |
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the ranch grew in size and passed through the hands of several |
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heirs of his great-granddaughter, Salome Balli, who married |
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John McAllen; together they continued to add to the property |
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and renamed it McAllen Ranch; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1904, Mr. McAllen and other early settlers |
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established a town site called West McAllen, where the St. Louis, |
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Brownsville & Mexico Railroad arrived a year later; additional |
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developers founded East McAllen in 1907, and the two towns |
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eventually merged and welcomed several businesses, churches, |
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residences, and a newspaper; by 1920, the city's population |
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exceeded 5,000 and continued to grow steadily; and |
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WHEREAS, In the last three decades, McAllen has become |
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a center for business, commerce, and government in the Valley, |
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and according to the 2000 census, it is one of the fastest-growing |
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metropolitan statistical areas in the country; it has been voted |
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as one of the best places to do business in the United States by |
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Forbes magazine, and it was named number one in midsize cities |
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for growth and development in the South by Southern Business |
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Magazine; and |
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WHEREAS, The unique landscape of the Rio Grande Valley |
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provides promising soil for farming and produces a hospitable |
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environment for cultivating citrus fruits, cotton, sugarcane, |
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and many other crops and vegetables; a variety of ecosystems also |
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nurtures many unusual flora and fauna specific to this region of |
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the country; and |
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WHEREAS, A center for cultural activities, McAllen is home |
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to the International Museum of Art and Science, which serves as |
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a showcase for traveling exhibitors, loaned works from the |
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Smithsonian Institution, and an extensive collection of Latin |
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American folk art; tourists and residents alike enjoy festive |
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annual events, including the Candlelight Posada, the Fourth of July |
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Fajita Cook-off, the Texas Citrus Fiesta, Springfest, Borderfest, |
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and the Texas Square Dance Jamboree; and |
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WHEREAS, The citizens of McAllen are justifiably proud |
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of their city, which has played a significant role in the annals |
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of Texas history, and it is a pleasure to pay tribute to them on |
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this special day; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 80th Texas Legislature hereby |
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recognize February 6, 2007, as McAllen Day at the State Capitol and |
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extend to all those McAllen residents who are present on this day |
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sincere best wishes for a memorable visit to Austin. |
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Hinojosa, Lucio |
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________________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that the |
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above Resolution was adopted by |
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the Senate on February 6, 2007. |
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________________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |