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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Residents of Kimble County celebrated the |
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sesquicentennial of the founding of their county in 2008; and |
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WHEREAS, The rugged, rolling plains of this scenic region of |
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live oak, mesquite, and sedge grasses were once inhabited by the |
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Comanche, Kiowa, and Apache peoples; several Spanish expeditions |
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passed through during the 1700s, and the first non-Native American |
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settlers arrived in the late 1850s; and |
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WHEREAS, Kimble County was established on January 22, 1858, |
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and was named for George Chester Kimble, a hero of the Alamo; the |
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town of Junction, at the confluence of the north and south branches |
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of the Llano River, eventually became the county seat; and |
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WHEREAS, In its early years, the county was an untamed and |
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often dangerous place, susceptible to attacks by Comanche, |
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Kickapoo, and Lipan Apache raiding parties; its rocky hills and |
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cedar brakes were also a haven for such outlaws as Rube Boyce, the |
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Dublin Gang, and John P. Ringo; and |
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WHEREAS, Peace came to Kimble County through the work of the |
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Texas Rangers and the United States Cavalry, and the county |
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steadily grew and prospered; the raising of cattle and sheep became |
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the mainstay of the area economy, and as early as the 1920s, |
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tourists began to journey to the county for its fine hunting and |
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fishing; and |
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WHEREAS, Kimble County has been the home of such notable |
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Texans as Governor Coke R. Stevenson, the first man to hold the |
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state's three highest offices, and O. C. Fisher, who served Texas as |
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a United States congressman for 32 years; and |
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WHEREAS, Today, Kimble County remains an important center for |
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ranching, with cattle, goats, and sheep as the principal livestock; |
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residents and visitors alike enjoy the many recreational |
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opportunities offered by this "land of living waters," including |
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fishing, canoeing, hunting, hiking, and birding; and |
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WHEREAS, Embracing their rich and colorful past as they look |
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to a bright future, the citizens of Kimble County may take |
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justifiable pride in celebrating their heritage and recognizing |
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this significant milestone; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby commemorate the sesquicentennial of the |
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founding of Kimble County. |