83R18442 JGH-D
 
  By: King of Zavala H.R. No. 1300
 
 
 
R E S O L U T I O N
         WHEREAS, Proud residents of Crystal City are gathering in
  Austin on April 10, 2013, to celebrate Crystal City Day at the State
  Capitol; and
         WHEREAS, Situated in the Winter Garden Region of South Texas,
  Crystal City was laid out in 1905 by two developers, Carl F. Groos
  and E. J. Buckingham, and named for the clear waters of a nearby
  artesian well; by 1908, the town had a post office, a school, and a
  stop on the Uvalde Railway, and in 1928, it was named the seat of
  Zavala County; and
         WHEREAS, From its earliest days, Crystal City was a shipping
  point for winter vegetables such as onions, carrots, tomatoes, and
  peppers; a vegetable cannery was opened in 1932, and the town became
  known as the Spinach Capital of the World; the first spinach
  festival was held in 1936 and ran each year until World War II; in
  1937, the town erected a statue of Popeye, the spinach-loving
  cartoon character, across the street from city hall; and
         WHEREAS, During World War II, the Immigration and
  Naturalization Service took over a camp for migratory farm workers
  at Crystal City and used the facility to intern Japanese Americans
  and Axis nationals, many of whom had been residing in various South
  American countries; at its peak, the camp held more than 3,300 men,
  women, and children speaking five different languages; the camp was
  converted to low-cost housing after the war; and
         WHEREAS, The rising power of Crystal City's majority Hispanic
  population in the 1960s helped increase their representation in
  city government; in 1967, three Chicano students at Crystal City
  High School founded the Mexican American Youth Organization,
  leading three years later to the founding of the Raza Unida Party,
  which fielded Hispanic candidates for statewide office; and
         WHEREAS, Today, Crystal City continues to be a hub for
  farming, ranching, and food processing, with the Del Monte
  Corporation cannery specializing in locally produced spinach and
  carrots; revived in 1982, the Spinach Festival draws 60,000
  visitors to the town every November with such activities as a
  cook-off, a carnival and parade, and musical performances; and
         WHEREAS, The citizens of Crystal City are working to preserve
  the best of their past while building a future of ever-expanding
  opportunity, and it is indeed a privilege to recognize their
  industry and public spirit; now, therefore, be it
         RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas
  Legislature hereby recognize April 10, 2013, as Crystal City Day at
  the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation sincere
  best wishes for a meaningful and memorable stay in Austin.