H.R. No. 561

	R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, Proud residents of Washington County are gathering
	in Austin on February 24, 2009, to celebrate the unique role their
	county has played in the history and ongoing development of the Lone
	Star State; and
	WHEREAS, This region of rolling prairie just west of the
	Brazos River was first inhabited by the Tamique and Xaraname
	peoples; the French explorer La Salle and his party, who are thought
	to have passed through the area in the 1680s, may have been the
	first European visitors; and
	WHEREAS, In 1821, settlers recruited by Stephen F. Austin
	began to homestead the region; during the Texas Revolution, the
	ferry crossing known as Washington-on-the-Brazos became the
	headquarters of General Sam Houston and the site of the Convention
	of 1836, which declared the independence of Texas; the town was the
	capital of the new republic from 1842 to 1845; and
	WHEREAS, Washington County was organized in 1837, and Brenham
	became the county seat in 1844; the county's prospects were
	improved by the thousands of immigrants from Germany and Poland who
	arrived during the 1860s and 1870s, and its economy was further
	spurred by the arrival of the railroad in 1880; in those years,
	cotton, corn, and poultry were the region's mainstays; and
	WHEREAS, The area played an important role in the history of
	higher education in Texas; Baylor University was founded in the
	county in 1846, and in 1855 Soule University, a precursor to
	Southwestern University, was founded in Chappell Hill; today, Blinn
	College in Brenham carries on this proud tradition; and
	WHEREAS, Washington County's central role in the history of
	Texas draws visitors from across the state; the Star of the Republic
	Museum, Independence Hall, and the Barrington Living History Farm
	at the Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site vividly evoke
	the years of the Texas Republic; the Chappell Hill Historic
	District includes a folk art collection, a Masonic cemetery, and a
	restored Baptist parsonage; the building housing the Brenham
	Heritage Museum is also a venerable landmark and is listed on the
	National Register of Historic Places; and
	WHEREAS, Other popular attractions include the recreation
	opportunities of Lake Somerville, the eight-acre garden at the
	Antique Rose Emporium, and the county's scenic country roads; every
	year, thousands of people take the tour of Blue Bell Creameries,
	where one of the nation's best-selling brands of ice cream is made;
	and
	WHEREAS, Honoring their rich history even as they work to
	build a bright future, the residents of Washington County have many
	reasons to be proud of the place they call home; now, therefore, be
	it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas
	Legislature hereby recognize February 24, 2009, as Washington
	County Day at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting
	delegation sincere best wishes for an enjoyable and memorable stay
	in Austin.
	Kolkhorst
	Straus Gattis Menendez
	Allen Geren Merritt
	Alonzo Giddings Miklos
	Alvarado Gonzales Miller of Comal
	Anchia Gonzalez Toureilles Miller of Erath
	Anderson Guillen Moody
	Aycock Gutierrez Morrison
	Berman Hamilton Naishtat
	Bohac Hancock Oliveira
	Bolton Hardcastle Olivo
	Bonnen Harless Orr
	Branch Harper-Brown Ortiz, Jr.
	Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Otto
	Brown of Brazos Heflin Parker
	Burnam Hernandez Patrick
	Button Herrero Paxton
	Callegari Hilderbran Pena
	Castro Hochberg Phillips
	Chavez Hodge Pickett
	Chisum Homer Pierson
	Christian Hopson Pitts
	Cohen Howard of Fort Bend Quintanilla
	Coleman Howard of Travis Raymond
	Cook Hughes Riddle
	Corte Hunter Rios Ybarra
	Crabb Isett Ritter
	Craddick Jackson Rodriguez
	Creighton Jones Rose
	Crownover Keffer Sheffield
	Darby Kent Shelton
	Davis of Harris King of Parker Smith of Tarrant
	Davis of Dallas King of Taylor Smith of Harris
	Deshotel King of Zavala Smithee
	Driver Kleinschmidt Solomons
	Dukes Kolkhorst Strama
	Dunnam Kuempel Swinford
	Dutton Laubenberg Taylor
	Edwards Legler Thibaut
	Eiland Leibowitz Thompson
	Eissler Lewis Truitt
	Elkins Lucio III Turner of Tarrant
	England Madden Turner of Harris
	Farabee Maldonado Vaught
	Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey
	Farrar Marquez Villarreal
	Fletcher Martinez Vo
	Flores Martinez Fischer Walle
	Flynn McCall Weber
	Frost McClendon Woolley
	Gallego McReynolds Zerwas
	______________________________
	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.R. No. 561 was adopted by the House on
	February 24, 2009, by a non-record vote.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House