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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Proud residents of Waller County are gathering in |
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Austin on February 27, 2013, to celebrate Waller County Day at the |
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State Capitol; and |
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WHEREAS, The Waller County area was originally settled by |
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members of Stephen F. Austin's Old Three Hundred during the 1820s; |
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shortly thereafter, it became the site of perhaps the first cotton |
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plantation in Texas, which was used as an encampment by members of |
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General Sam Houston's army during the Texas Revolution; in 1873, |
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the county was carved from sections of Austin and Grimes Counties |
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and named after Edwin Waller, a signer of the Texas Declaration of |
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Independence and the first mayor of Austin; and |
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WHEREAS, Waller County's growth was chiefly driven by |
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agriculture, with cotton, corn, and cattle serving as mainstays, |
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until the discovery of petroleum in the 1930s helped to diversify |
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its economy; today, farming, ranching, and mineral resources are |
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important to the area, and its rural character and proximity to |
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Houston have made it an attractive destination for new residents; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Hempstead is the county seat and the host of the |
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annual Waller County Fair as well as its Watermelon Festival, a |
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favorite of residents and visitors alike; Prairie View, which was |
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recently named one of the best cities to raise a family by Bloomberg |
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Business Weekly, is home to Prairie View A&M University, the |
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second-oldest public institution of higher learning in the state, |
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and Brookshire is a quaint rural town that is the location of |
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Brookwood Community as well as several international companies that |
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serve as major employers; while only parts of Waller and Katy are in |
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the county, they are both fast-growing cities that boast excellent |
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schools and contribute greatly to the culture and prosperity of the |
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county; and |
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WHEREAS, Honoring their rich heritage as they work toward |
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building an even brighter future, the citizens of Waller County |
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have many reasons to be proud of the place they call home; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize February 27, 2013, as Waller County |
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Day at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation |
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sincere best wishes for an enjoyable stay in Austin. |