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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, A delegation from the Crockett Area Chamber of |
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Commerce is gathering in Austin on April 14, 2011, to celebrate |
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Houston County Day at the State Capitol; and |
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WHEREAS, The first county newly established by the Republic |
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of Texas, Houston County was crossed by the Old San Antonio Road, |
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the most important of several caminos reales that carried travel |
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and trade for a hundred years before permanent European settlements |
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were made; early settler Andrew E. Gossett donated land for the |
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county seat, Crockett, and named it after his father's friend, |
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Alamo hero David Crockett; with an economy based on cotton, the |
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county experienced rapid growth in its first decades and had a |
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population of more than 8,000 by the start of the Civil War; and |
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WHEREAS, At the end of the 19th century, Houston County's |
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leading products were corn, cotton, cattle, and lumber; commercial |
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lignite mining was introduced in 1904, but agriculture and |
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particularly cotton remained dominant; since World War II, Houston |
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County has been a regional leader in agricultural production with a |
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diverse range of crops including rye, hay, cotton, oats, wheat, |
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sorghum, peanuts, watermelon, peaches, and pecans; a variety of |
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industries flourish in the county today, represented by such |
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leading companies as Vulcraft, East Texas Medical Center, |
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Christopher Lumber Company, Earl's Apparel, Alloy Polymers, |
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Elastotech, and Pchem; and |
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WHEREAS, A member of the Texas Historical Commission's Texas |
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Forest Trail, Houston County offers numerous opportunities to |
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explore our state's rich heritage at sites such as Mission Tejas |
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State Historical Park in the Davy Crockett National Forest, as well |
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as the Rice Log Cabin and the Monroe-Crook House, a Registered |
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National Historic Landmark and Texas Historical Medallion Home; |
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Crockett draws music fans to a number of popular venues, among them |
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the Crockett Civic Center, Camp Street Café, and the Lovelady Old |
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Gym, and the county can boast of such prominent musicians as the |
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Gillette Brothers and Dennis Ivey; and |
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WHEREAS, The Houston County calendar is dotted with a wide |
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range of events, from the county fair, rodeos, and cook-offs to the |
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World Championship Fiddler's Festival and music festivals |
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highlighting bluegrass and gospel; in March 2011, the chamber of |
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commerce and Texas Forest Trail hosted a launch celebration at the |
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civic center for the Texas Historical Society's African American |
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Brochure; and |
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WHEREAS, Houston County holds a notable place in Texas |
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history and in the development of the Lone Star State, and its |
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citizens are proudly preserving and building on this outstanding |
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legacy; 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 April 14, 2011, as Houston County Day |
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at the State Capitol and extend to the delegation sincere best |
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wishes for a memorable and enjoyable visit. |