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HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, Public-spirited citizens of Matagorda County are |
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gathering in Austin on March 10, 2009, to celebrate Matagorda |
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County Day at the State Capitol; and |
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WHEREAS, This region of prairie, salt marshes, and coastal |
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waterways has long been home to abundant wildlife, including |
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bobcats, coyotes, deer, and waterfowl; the name Matagorda, a |
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Spanish phrase meaning "thick brush," derived from the dense |
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canebrakes that once grew along the shore; and |
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WHEREAS, Karankawa Indians were living in the area when the |
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first European explorers passed through in the 1500s, and they were |
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still there, though fewer in number, in 1822 when Stephen F. Austin |
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founded a colony at the mouth of the Colorado River; the town of |
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Matagorda was established in 1829 as a military post, and two years |
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later a customs house was opened in the community; and |
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WHEREAS, Matagorda County was among the original 23 counties |
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created by the Republic of Texas in 1836; for a number of years, the |
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town of Matagorda ranked as the second-largest seaport in Texas, |
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and the first several decades of the county's history witnessed the |
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development of significant cotton, sugar, and cattle industries; |
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after the boll weevil became a threat to the cotton crop at the turn |
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of the 20th century, more and more farmers began to grow rice; the |
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discovery of oil and sulfur in the early 1900s led to further |
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diversification of the area's economy; and |
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WHEREAS, Today, farming, ranching, and petroleum continue to |
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be the economic mainstays of Matagorda County; the area is also the |
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site of the South Texas Project Electric Generating Station, one of |
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the largest nuclear power plants in the nation, which supplies |
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electricity to more than one million homes and businesses in South |
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Central Texas; other enterprises and industries include shipyards, |
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commercial fishing, and tourism; and |
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WHEREAS, Bay City, the county seat, hosts the county fair, |
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livestock show, and rodeo in early spring and the Rice Festival in |
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the fall, while attractions in Palacios include the reenactment of |
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La Salle's landing on the Fourth of July and the Texas Seafood |
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Festival in October; yearly highlights in Sargent include the July |
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Jamboree and, in November, the Lighted Boat Parade; and |
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WHEREAS, Residents and visitors alike enjoy the county's fine |
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beaches and the opportunities for fishing along Matagorda Bay; in |
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addition, the area is renowned among birders across the nation as a |
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premier destination, with the annual Mad Island Christmas Bird |
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Count consistently placing in the top five national counts; the |
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fascinating story of the final expedition of the French explorer La |
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Salle is featured at museums in Bay City and Palacios, where |
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artifacts from his ship, La Belle, are displayed; a half-scale |
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replica of the ship is docked in Palacios; and |
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WHEREAS, Matagorda County is blessed with a rich history and |
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abundant natural resources, and its residents may take great pride |
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in their legacy and bright future; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 81st Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby declare March 10, 2009, as Matagorda County Day at the State |
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Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation sincere best wishes |
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for an enjoyable stay in Austin. |
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Weber |
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______________________________ |
______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.C.R. No. 85 was adopted by the House on March |
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10, 2009, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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I certify that H.C.R. No. 85 was adopted by the Senate on May |
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18, 2009, by a viva-voce vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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APPROVED: __________________ |
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Date |
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__________________ |
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Governor |