|
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
WHEREAS, Proud residents of Lufkin and Angelina County are |
|
gathering in Austin on February 7, 2013, to celebrate Lufkin and |
|
Angelina County Day at the State Capitol; and |
|
WHEREAS, Set among the pine and hardwood forests of East |
|
Texas, this verdant area was first inhabited by the Caddo and |
|
Atakapan people; the county is said to be named after a Hainai |
|
Indian girl who aided Spanish missionaries in the early 1690s; and |
|
WHEREAS, In 1801, a settler named Vincente Micheli purchased |
|
5-1/2 leagues of land in the area from the chief of the Bedias |
|
tribe; Anglo American settlers began to arrive in 1820, and the |
|
Mexican government issued land grants in the region in the |
|
mid-1830s; after Texas independence, Angelina County was |
|
established from part of Nacogdoches County in 1846, and Lufkin was |
|
made county seat in 1892; and |
|
WHEREAS, Following the arrival of the railroad in 1882, |
|
lumber became the foundation of Angelina County's economy; by the |
|
turn of the 20th century, the nation's need for southern pine |
|
supported more than 15 lumber companies in the county; today, |
|
lumber, paper, and the manufacturing of oil-field equipment |
|
continue to be mainstays of the county's prosperity; and |
|
WHEREAS, Residents and visitors alike enjoy the region's fine |
|
recreational opportunities; the Angelina National Forest is a |
|
favorite for hikers and campers, while the Sam Rayburn Reservoir is |
|
known for its boating, fishing, and waterskiing; the county's |
|
forestlands are also a prime habitat for many species of birds, |
|
drawing birdwatchers from around the state and nation; and |
|
WHEREAS, As the largest town and the seat of government, |
|
Lufkin serves as the center of operations for many of the businesses |
|
in the county, particularly those revolving around the processing |
|
of lumber and wood products; that industry's development is |
|
chronicled at the Texas Forestry Museum, and the city includes |
|
several other notable attractions, including the Museum of East |
|
Texas, the Ellen Trout Zoo and Park, and the Medford Collection of |
|
Western Art, which exhibits the work of notable contemporary |
|
artists; in addition, Lufkin is home to the campus of Angelina |
|
College; and |
|
WHEREAS, Its scenic beauty and the industriousness and |
|
creativity of its people combine to make Angelina County a vital and |
|
dynamic part of the Lone Star State, and the members of this chamber |
|
take great pleasure in recognizing this fine county's contribution |
|
to the heritage of Texas; now, therefore, be it |
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
|
Legislature hereby recognize February 7, 2013, as Lufkin and |
|
Angelina County Day at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting |
|
delegation best wishes for a meaningful and memorable stay in |
|
Austin. |