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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Citizens of Jim Wells County are assembling at the |
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State Capitol on February 17, 2015, to celebrate the importance of |
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their home to the history of the State of Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, A landscape of sweeping grasslands and wide |
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horizons, the county's early inhabitants, the Chaguane and Payuguan |
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tribes, enjoyed the region's mild winters and abundant game; after |
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the first European settlement in 1754, at Penitas Creek, Mexican |
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ranchers developed land grants into sheep and cattle ranches; in |
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1848 the region became part of the State of Texas, and it was |
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formally incorporated as a county in 1911 and named after the |
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prominent politician James B. Wells Jr.; and |
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WHEREAS, With the arrival of the railroad in the 1870s, |
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county seat Alice became the most important livestock shipment |
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junction in South Texas, and ranching has remained a mainstay of the |
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county's economy ever since; cotton and sorghum are important |
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crops, as are hay, corn, and wheat; it is a center for health care, |
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with an outstanding medical facility, the CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital |
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Alice, and since the discovery of oil in 1931, it has become one of |
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the state's leaders in oil production; and |
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WHEREAS, The Tejano R.O.O.T.S. Hall of Fame in Alice honors |
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Tejano culture and recognizes the region as the birthplace of this |
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popular musical genre; area culture is further showcased at the |
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South Texas Museum, housed in the historic McGill Brothers Building |
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in Alice, and the annual Fiesta Bandana, celebrating Cinco de Mayo, |
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is a highlight of the county's cultural calendar; and |
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WHEREAS, The hardworking and forward-looking citizens of Jim |
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Wells County are building on a long tradition of industry, |
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achievements, and public spirit, and they are indeed worthy of |
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special recognition; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize February 17, 2015, as Jim Wells County |
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Day at the State Capitol and extend to its citizens sincere best |
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wishes for a memorable visit to Austin. |