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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Proud residents of Hopkins County are gathering in |
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Austin on February 28, 2013, to celebrate Hopkins County Day at the |
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State Capitol; and |
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WHEREAS, Hopkins County has an area of 789 square miles with |
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both blackland prairie and piney wood terrain; originally inhabited |
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by the Caddo and then the Cherokee people, the county was created in |
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1846 and named for a family of pioneers; Sulphur Springs was made |
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the county seat in 1870; and |
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WHEREAS, Corn, wheat, sheep, and cattle were important in the |
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19th century, but cotton became the dominant crop between 1890 and |
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1930; in 1937 the Carnation Milk Company opened a processing plant |
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in the county, and its presence, in conjunction with better road and |
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rail transportation, allowed dairy farming to become the major |
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agricultural undertaking; in 1990 the county boasted nearly 500 |
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dairies supplying 17 percent of the state's total milk; and |
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WHEREAS, Today, Hopkins County has a population of over |
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35,000, with more than 15,000 people residing in Sulphur Springs; |
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along with dairy production, tourism and food processing and |
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distribution are mainstays of the economy, as are beef cattle and |
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breeding horses; and |
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WHEREAS, Sulphur Springs features a number of popular |
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attractions, including the Southwest Dairy Center and Museum, the |
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Leo St. Clair Music Box Museum, and the Hopkins County Heritage |
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Museum and Park; one of the city's newest downtown features, the |
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striking all-glass restroom, has drawn national attention and is |
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the first of its kind in the United States; moreover, the area is a |
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well-known center for aquatic recreation, with Lake Fork and Cooper |
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Lake State Park offering opportunities for trophy bass fishing, as |
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well as boating and swimming; bird-watchers, hikers, and campers |
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also seek out the county, and special events like the Texas State |
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Champion Homemade Ice Cream Freeze Off at the Hopkins County Dairy |
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Festival in June are enjoyed by residents and visitors alike; and |
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WHEREAS, Hopkins County is one of the Lone Star State's true |
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treasures, and its citizens justifiably take great pride in the |
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history and character of their splendid communities; 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 28, 2013, as Hopkins County |
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Day at the State Capitol and extend sincere best wishes to the |
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visiting delegation for an informative and enjoyable stay in |
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Austin. |