H.R. No. 610

R E S O L U T I O N

WHEREAS, Proud citizens of Ellis County are gathering at the State Capitol on March 3, 2009, to celebrate Ellis County Day; and

WHEREAS, First inhabited by the Tonkawa, the region was settled by Europeans in the mid-19th century; Ellis County was officially incorporated on December 20, 1849, and named for Richard Ellis, who was president of the Convention of 1836 that led to the independence of Texas; and

WHEREAS, Many Czechs, Hungarians, and Germans settled in the county in the 1850s and raised cattle on the rolling Blackland Prairie; with the arrival of the Houston and Texas Central Railroad in 1872, growing cotton came to dominate the economy; and

WHEREAS, Today the county's diversified economy is based on agribusiness and industry; cotton and ranching continue to be important, along with the raising of wheat, sorghum, and turf grass; the county is also important in the manufacture of cement and steel and has become a major warehousing and distribution hub; and

WHEREAS, County seat Waxahachie is widely known as the Gingerbread City, for its lovely Victorian homes and its picturesque county courthouse; many films have been shot in the city, including the Academy Award-winning Places in the Heart, which was written and directed by Waxahachie native Robert Benton; half a million visitors each year are drawn by such events as the Scarborough Faire Renaissance Festival and the Crape Myrtle Festival; and

WHEREAS, Waxahachie's thriving business community includes the Walgreen's distribution center, the Rock-Tenn Company, Saint-Gobain Containers, the Owens-Corning fiberglass insulation plant, Victron Energy, International Extrusion, Georgia Pacific, the U.S. Aluminum Corporation, Burleson Honey, and Dartco of Texas; and

WHEREAS, Ennis, known as the Bluebonnet City, is home to the Railroad and Cultural Heritage Museum; every Memorial Day weekend, the city hosts the National Polka Festival, a celebration of the city's Czech heritage; the Texas Motorplex, the renowned drag-racing facility, hosts 75 events annually, drawing half a million people; and

WHEREAS, The city's progressive economy has drawn such industries as Sterilite Corporation, GAF/Elk Corporation of Texas, Leggett & Platt Corporation, Ennis Extruded Products, Texas Ennis Business Forms, Schirm USA, Inc., Suez Energy Resources, JTEKT Automotive of Texas, Sherwin-Williams, the CVS Pharmacy distribution center, ASMO Manufacturing, Inc., Alliance Data, and the National Envelope Corporation; and

WHEREAS, Once known as the Cement Capital of Texas, Midlothian is now also home to such industries as Gerdau Ameristeel, TXI, the MidTexas International Center, Holcim-Texas, Ash Grove Texas, Ennis, Inc., Toys-R-Us, and the Target distribution center, as well as a new satellite campus for Navarro College; it has become a popular location for families, with its excellent school system and safe, small-town ambiance; and

WHEREAS, Red Oak, the "Gateway to Ellis County," balances the charm and comfort of small-town life with convenient access to the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex, and its flourishing economy, sustained residential growth, low crime rate, and award-winning school district make it a wonderful place to raise a family; and

WHEREAS, Dynamic and picturesque Ellis County is one of the great assets of the Lone Star State; its hardworking and innovative residents cherish their history and heritage even as they look forward to the challenges and opportunities ahead; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas Legislature hereby recognize March 3, 2009, as Ellis County Day at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation best wishes for an informative and enjoyable stay in Austin.

Pitts

______________________________ Speaker of the House

I certify that H.R. No. 610 was adopted by the House on March 3, 2009, by a non-record vote.

______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House