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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Residents of Jackson County are gathering in Austin |
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on April 21, 2015, to celebrate Jackson County Day at the State |
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Capitol, and this occasion provides a welcome opportunity to honor |
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the history and achievements of this notable area of the Lone Star |
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State; and |
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WHEREAS, Located along the Gulf of Mexico, this part of the |
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Coastal Prairie was once inhabited by the Karankawa people, and it |
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is thought that the early European explorers Cabeza de Vaca and La |
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Salle visited the area; in the 1820s, a number of the "Old 300" |
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families in Stephen F. Austin's first colony arrived, and the |
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communities they founded became known as the Alabama Settlement |
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because so many of the new arrivals had previously resided in that |
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state; and |
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WHEREAS, The area played a central role in the Texas |
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Revolution, serving as a training ground for Texan forces and |
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suffering destruction at the hands of the Mexican Army; after |
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independence was won in 1836, Jackson County was one of the original |
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23 counties formed in the newly established republic; and |
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WHEREAS, Cattle ranching and farming became the backbone of |
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the local economy in the mid-1800s, and these businesses remain |
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important to the county today, with rice, corn, and cotton being |
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prominent crops; moreover, oil and natural gas production have |
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employed many area residents since reserves were discovered in the |
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1930s; and |
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WHEREAS, The town of Edna was established in the 1880s as a |
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stop on a new railroad that was built through the coastal region; it |
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quickly eclipsed the existing county seat, Texana, and in 1883, |
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Edna became the center of government operations; other communities |
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in the county include Francitas, Ganado, LaSalle, La Ward, Lolita, |
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and Vanderbilt; and |
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WHEREAS, Encompassing Lake Texana and Lavaca Bay, Jackson |
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County is a great place for boating, fishing, and hiking, and these |
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activities draw many people to sites such as the Brackenridge |
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Recreation Complex, which includes the Brackenridge and Texana |
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parks and campgrounds, as well as the Main Event Center; hunting and |
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bird-watching are also popular, and visitors can learn about local |
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history at the Texana Museum and Old Jail House in Edna; and |
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WHEREAS, Celebrating their rich and colorful history as they |
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work together to build a bright future, the citizens of Jackson |
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County may take justifiable pride in the important role their |
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unique region continues to play in the story of the Lone Star State; |
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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 April 21, 2015, as Jackson County Day |
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at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation best |
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wishes for an informative and enjoyable stay in Austin. |
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Stephenson |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 1832 was adopted by the House on April |
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21, 2015, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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