H.R. No. 554
 
 
 
R E S O L U T I O N
         WHEREAS, Public-spirited citizens of Matagorda County are
  gathering in Austin to celebrate Matagorda County Day at the State
  Capitol on February 23, 2011; and
         WHEREAS, Taking its name from the Spanish phrase meaning
  "thick brush," this region of prairie, salt marshes, and coastal
  waterways was visited by the French explorer La Salle in 1685; the
  area constituted part of Stephen F. Austin's first colony, and
  settlers began arriving through Matagorda Bay during the winter of
  1821-1822; in 1829, the town of Matagorda was established as a
  military post, and in 1836, Matagorda County became one of the
  original 23 counties of the Republic of Texas; and
         WHEREAS, Matagorda ranked as the second-largest seaport in
  Texas for a time and served as a shipping point for cotton, sugar,
  and livestock raised in the county; when the boll weevil endangered
  the cotton crop in the early 20th century, farmers began to grow
  rice, and the discovery of oil and sulfur further diversified the
  county's economy; and
         WHEREAS, Ranching, farming, and petroleum remain important,
  and the county also benefits from the presence of the South Texas
  Project nuclear plant, which generates enough electricity to power
  approximately two million homes in Texas; Bay City, the county
  seat, is a center of the petrochemical industry, while the port at
  Palacios is home to the largest fishing fleet on the Texas Gulf
  Coast; and
         WHEREAS, Visitors and residents alike enjoy the county's fine
  beaches and its many opportunities for fishing and water sports,
  while birders from across the nation are drawn to the Mad Island
  Marsh and Wildlife Management Area; Bay City is the location of
  several major annual attractions--the annual county fair,
  livestock show, and rodeo, which take place in the early spring, and
  the Rice Festival, which is held in the fall; in between those
  dates, Palacios hosts the Texas Fishermen's Seafood Festival, in
  December, and a reenactment of La Salle's landing, every Fourth of
  July; and
         WHEREAS, Matagorda County is an area of abundant natural
  resources and rich history, and its residents may take great pride
  in their notable heritage as they look forward to a future filled
  with promise; now, therefore, be it
         RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
  Legislature hereby recognize February 23, 2011, as Matagorda County
  Day at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation
  sincere best wishes for a meaningful and memorable visit to Austin.
 
  Weber
 
 
Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison
 
Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr.
 
Allen Gooden Murphy
 
Alonzo Guillen Naishtat
 
Alvarado Gutierrez Nash
 
Anchia Hamilton Oliveira
 
Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr
 
Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto
 
Aycock Harless Parker
 
Beck Harper-Brown Patrick
 
Berman Hartnett Paxton
 
Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena
 
Bonnen Hilderbran Perry
 
Branch Hochberg Phillips
 
Brown Hopson Pickett
 
Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts
 
Burnam Howard of Travis Price
 
Button Huberty Quintanilla
 
Cain Hughes Raymond
 
Callegari Hunter Reynolds
 
Carter Isaac Riddle
 
Castro Jackson Ritter
 
Chisum Johnson Rodriguez
 
Christian Keffer Schwertner
 
Coleman King of Parker Scott
 
Cook King of Taylor Sheets
 
Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield
 
Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton
 
Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson
 
Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris
 
Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant
 
J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee
 
S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons
 
Deshotel Lavender Strama
 
Driver Legler Taylor of Collin
 
Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston
 
Dutton Lozano Thompson
 
Eiland Lucio III Torres
 
Eissler Lyne Truitt
 
Elkins Madden Turner
 
Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey
 
Farrar Margo Villarreal
 
Fletcher Marquez Vo
 
Flynn Martinez Walle
 
Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber
 
Gallego McClendon White
 
Garza Menendez Woolley
 
Geren Miles Workman
 
Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler
 
Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas
 
  ______________________________
  Speaker of the House     
 
         I certify that H.R. No. 554 was adopted by the House on February
  23, 2011, by a non-record vote.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House