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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Shelby County Day is being celebrated at the State |
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Capitol on March 5, 2015, and this occasion provides a fine |
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opportunity to pay tribute to this unique region of the Lone Star |
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State; and |
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WHEREAS, Located alongside the Toledo Bend Reservoir on the |
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Sabine River, the territory that now makes up Shelby County has |
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drawn people for thousands of years; the Caddo were the chief |
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inhabitants of the region by the time Spanish and French explorers |
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arrived, and the first non-Native American settlers established |
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farms in the late 1810s; and |
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WHEREAS, The area was organized as Tenehaw Municipality in |
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1835, when Texas was still a part of Mexico, but it was renamed as |
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Shelby County when it became one of the original counties of the |
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Republic of Texas in 1836; its name was a tribute to Isaac Shelby, a |
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hero of the American Revolution; and |
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WHEREAS, Throughout the county's history, agriculture and |
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livestock have been mainstays of the economy; the ample forests of |
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the area are another major asset, supporting jobs in lumber |
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processing and wood-product manufacturing and also drawing |
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tourists; the Sabine National Forest is a favorite destination for |
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outdoor recreation, as is Toledo Bend Reservoir, a quality spot for |
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boating and fishing; and |
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WHEREAS, Center, the largest town, has been the county seat |
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since 1866; it is home to the Shelby County Museum and the former |
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Shelby County Courthouse, a castle-like structure constructed in |
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1885 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places; and |
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WHEREAS, Residents and visitors alike enjoy a variety of |
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special events that dot the county's annual calendar, including the |
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Center Fly-In, the Shelby County Sheriff's Posse PRCA Rodeo, the |
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What-A-Melon Festival, Timpson Frontier Days, and the East Texas |
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Poultry Festival; thanks to its year-round charm and diverse |
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amenities, Shelby County is now also a certified retirement |
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community; and |
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WHEREAS, In 2015, the city of Center will celebrate the |
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completion of Loop 500 by the Texas Department of Transportation; |
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this enhancement of the city's infrastructure will encourage |
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economic development for the timber and poultry industries and |
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local manufacturers and will ease traffic congestion; the new road |
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will also enable the growth of new business and residential |
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development in previously underserved areas; and |
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WHEREAS, From the time of its establishment more than 175 |
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years ago, Shelby County has contributed to the rich and meaningful |
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saga of the Lone Star State, and its citizens can be proud to claim |
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allegiance to this scenic part of East Texas; 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 March 5, 2015, as Shelby County Day at |
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the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation best wishes |
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for the future. |