SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 456

WHEREAS, Proud citizens of Corsicana and Navarro County are coming together in Austin on March 10, 2011, to celebrate Corsicana and Navarro County Day at the State Capitol; and

WHEREAS, This region of rolling blackland prairie was once inhabited by the Ione, Kickapoo, and Comanche, and early Anglo-American settlers built a fort on the Navasota River in 1833; Navarro County was officially organized in 1846 and named for Jose Antonio Navarro, a hero of the Texas Revolution; and

WHEREAS, Corsicana was founded in 1848 as the county seat and named after the island of Corsica, the birthplace of Mr. Navarro's parents; the arrival of the railroad after the Civil War helped Corsicana to become the region's leading center for the trading and shipping of cotton, grain, wool, and hides; and

WHEREAS, In 1894, drillers seeking more water for Corsicana's growing population struck oil and gas instead, leading to the first oil boom and the longest continual flow of oil in Texas; since that initial strike, more than 200 million barrels of oil have been produced in the county; and

WHEREAS, Today, Navarro County's multifaceted economy revolves around advanced manufacturing, information technology, the oil and gas industries, and agriculture, primarily the production of cattle, cotton, sorghum, corn, and wheat; and

WHEREAS, Corsicana is known far and wide for its DeLuxe Fruitcake, a creation of the 114-year-old Collin Street Bakery; the town is also home to the Navarro Pecan Company, the largest pecan-shelling facility in the world, as well as a Russell Stover candy factory; and

WHEREAS, Notable attractions in Corsicana include the Lefty Frizzell Country Music Museum, the restored Palace Theatre, and Pioneer Village, a re-creation of a 19th-century Texas town; in addition, Navarro College boasts the Cook Center Planetarium, the largest domed theater in Texas, and the Pearce Museum, which contains extensive collections of Civil War documents and Western art; and

WHEREAS, Residents and visitors alike enjoy abundant opportunities for boating, fishing, waterskiing, and other such pastimes, thanks to the proximity of Richland-Chambers Reservoir, Navarro Mills Lake, and Lake Halbert; and

WHEREAS, Honoring their rich heritage even as they embrace the challenges and opportunities of the future, the citizens of Corsicana and Navarro County may indeed take pride in the vital role their community has played in the story of the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 82nd Legislature, hereby recognize March 10, 2011, as Corsicana and Navarro County Day at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation best wishes for a meaningful and memorable stay in Austin; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in honor of this special day. Birdwell

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President of the Senate

I hereby certify that the above Resolution was adopted by the Senate on March 8, 2011.

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Secretary of the Senate

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Member, Texas Senate