| |
| |
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
|
WHEREAS, Citizens of Reeves County are celebrating Reeves |
|
|
County Day at the State Capitol on April 15, 2009; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Situated on the rolling plains of far West Texas, |
|
|
Reeves County was first inhabited by prehistoric people who lived |
|
|
in rock shelters and caves in the Barilla Hills; the first Spanish |
|
|
explorer visited the region in 1583, and the Madera Valley came to |
|
|
be farmed by settlers from Mexico; Anglo-American farmers and |
|
|
ranchers began to make their homes in the area in the 1870s, and the |
|
|
railway arrived in 1881; the county was organized in 1884 and named |
|
|
after Confederate colonel George R. Reeves; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Pecos, the county seat, began as a crossroads for |
|
|
cattle trails and the railway, and in its early years earned a |
|
|
colorful reputation as the site of several famous gunfights; a |
|
|
number of cowboys challenged each other to a riding and roping |
|
|
contest over the Fourth of July in 1883, and the town claims the |
|
|
title as "Home of the World's First Rodeo"; the four-day West of the |
|
|
Pecos Rodeo will celebrate its 127th year this summer; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Ranching and the farming of cotton, pecans, |
|
|
pistachios, and other crops are the basis of the county's economy, |
|
|
while the production of oil and natural gas also contributes to its |
|
|
prosperity; thanks to alkaline soil and fine growing conditions, |
|
|
the Pecos cantaloupe is prized across the nation for its sweetness |
|
|
and overall flavor; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Reeves County is a popular destination for tourists |
|
|
seeking to experience the history of the Old West; the West of the |
|
|
Pecos Museum evokes the life of lawmen, ranchers, and schoolmarms |
|
|
in 50 rooms of a historic old saloon and hotel, while the park next |
|
|
door holds the grave of Clay Allison, the "Gentleman Gunfighter," |
|
|
so called because "he never killed a man who didn't need killing"; |
|
|
and |
|
|
WHEREAS, The spring-fed pool at Balmorhea State Park is open |
|
|
year-round, while hunters are drawn to the county by the variety of |
|
|
game, including mule deer, javelina, and upland game birds; Toyah |
|
|
is a popular destination for rockhounds in search of agate, quartz, |
|
|
desert amethyst, and other rare and beautiful minerals; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Its rugged beauty, rich history, and vibrant |
|
|
agricultural economy make Reeves County a truly unique region of |
|
|
Texas, and the county's residents may indeed take great pride in |
|
|
their heritage and continuing contributions to the Lone Star State; |
|
|
now, therefore, be it |
|
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
|
|
Legislature hereby recognize April 15, 2009, as Reeves County Day |
|
|
at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation sincere |
|
|
best wishes for an enjoyable and informative stay in Austin. |