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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Proud citizens of Brazoria County are gathering in |
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Austin to celebrate Brazoria County Day at the State Capitol on |
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March 8, 2011; and |
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WHEREAS, This section of coastal prairie along the Brazos |
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River was inhabited during the first three centuries of Texas' |
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recorded history by the nomadic Karankawa Indians; the Spanish |
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explorer Cabeza de Vaca passed through the region as early as 1528, |
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and the pirate Jean Lafitte was rumored to have used the mouth of |
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the Brazos as a refuge; and |
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WHEREAS, The region was settled in the 1820s by members of |
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Stephen F. Austin's Old Three Hundred; Henry Smith of Brazoria |
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served as the first American-born governor of the Mexican territory |
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of Texas and as a leader of the movement for independence, and the |
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town of Columbia served as the capital of Texas during the first |
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Texas Congress; in 1836, Brazoria County became one of the original |
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counties established by the new republic; and |
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WHEREAS, Farming and ranching initially constituted the |
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mainstays of the county's economy; the discovery of oil and sulfur |
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deposits in the early 20th century helped the region grow, and |
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chemical processing became increasingly important during World War |
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II and after; commercial fishing and the recreation industry have |
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helped to ensure continuing economic development; and |
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WHEREAS, Today, the eight cities of the Brazosport |
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area--Clute, Freeport, Jones Creek, Lake Jackson, Oyster Creek, |
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Quintana, Richwood, and Surfside Beach--boast excellent schools |
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and affordable housing; visitors and residents alike take great |
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pleasure in miles of sandy beaches, bay and offshore fishing, scuba |
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diving, and outstanding bird-watching at the Brazoria and San |
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Bernard National Wildlife Refuges; and |
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WHEREAS, Angleton, the county seat, abounds with antique |
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shops and scenic parks and hosts the county fair, one of the largest |
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in Texas, every October and Christmas on the Square in December; the |
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town of Alvin is home to the Nolan Ryan Center, which celebrates the |
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career of its native son and Baseball Hall of Famer; moreover, the |
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nearby town of Pearland is a center for the chemical and oil |
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industries; and |
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WHEREAS, The educational opportunities available to students |
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at Alvin Community College and Brazosport College further |
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contribute to the county's many amenities; and |
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WHEREAS, Even as they celebrate their rich heritage, the |
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hardworking citizens of Brazoria County are looking ahead to the |
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opportunities of the future and continuing to contribute greatly to |
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the growth and prosperity of the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be |
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it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize March 8, 2011, as Brazoria County Day |
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at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation best |
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wishes for a memorable and meaningful stay in Austin. |