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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Residents of Andrews County are gathering in Austin |
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to celebrate Andrews County Day at the State Capitol on February 1, |
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2011; and |
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WHEREAS, Set under the wide-open skies of West Texas, Andrews |
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County is part of the high plains of the Permian Basin; the region |
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may have been inhabited as early as 6000 B.C., and archaeological |
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remains show the presence of the Anasazi people more than a thousand |
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years ago; more recently, the county was home to Apache and Comanche |
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tribes until the mid-1870s; and |
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WHEREAS, Andrews County was formed from Bexar County on |
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August 21, 1876, and named for Richard Andrews, the first man to die |
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in the Texas War for Independence in 1835; the town of Andrews was |
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established around 1908, and it became the county seat in 1910; and |
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WHEREAS, In its earliest days, the county's economy was |
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dominated by ranching; the vast Chicago Ranch founded by the |
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Midwestern meat packer Nelson Morris included 228,000 acres in |
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Andrews County; by 1910, the county's population was 975 people and |
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54,000 head of cattle; and |
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WHEREAS, Attempts to farm in the county were hampered by lack |
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of water, but landowners ultimately had success with extensive |
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windmill systems; by the mid-20th century, cotton and sorghum had |
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become leading crops in the county; and |
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WHEREAS, The discovery of oil and natural gas led to a boom in |
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the 1940s, thanks largely to the efforts of oilman J. W. Triplehorn; |
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with the increased economic activity, the county's population |
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climbed to 5,000 by 1950; today, Andrews County continues to be one |
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of the state's leaders in oil and gas production, and it has |
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produced more than two billion barrels of oil since 1929; ranching |
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and agribusiness continue to thrive as well; the Andrews |
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Independent School District has established a tradition of academic |
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excellence, having repeatedly won top honors at the district UIL |
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academic competition; and |
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WHEREAS, Citizens and visitors alike enjoy the fine |
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opportunities for recreation in the area, including the Andrews |
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County Golf Course and the parks that are found in the city of |
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Andrews and elsewhere in the county; local artists display their |
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talents in the annual Andrews Art Guild Show, and the county boasts |
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two annual bluegrass festivals; in addition, the Andrews County |
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Library features the work of best-selling Christian author Max |
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Lucado, a graduate of Andrews High School, whose books have sold |
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millions of copies; and |
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WHEREAS, Blessed to live in an area with a rich history and |
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abundant natural resources, the people of Andrews County may take |
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justifiable pride in the region they call home, and it is truly a |
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pleasure to join in celebrating their shared heritage and |
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accomplishments; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize February 1, 2011, as Andrews County |
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Day at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation |
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sincere best wishes for an enjoyable visit to Austin. |
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Lewis |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 150 was adopted by the House on |
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February 1, 2011, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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