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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Proud residents of Caldwell County are gathering in |
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Austin on May 13, 2015, to celebrate Caldwell County Day at the |
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State Capitol; and |
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WHEREAS, Caldwell County was formed in 1848 out of territory |
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from Bastrop and Gonzales Counties and is named for Mathew |
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Caldwell, a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence; and |
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WHEREAS, For many years, the county's economy was based on |
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agriculture; thousands of cattle were driven north on the Chisholm |
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Trail and on other trails that passed through the county, and cotton |
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became a major crop in the 1890s, after A. D. Mebane developed |
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strains of cotton that could flourish in less fertile soils; and |
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WHEREAS, The 1922 discovery of oil in the Luling and Prairie |
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Lea area served to diversify the county's economy; today, the |
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production of oil and gas remains a significant factor driving |
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economic growth in the area, while farming, ranching, and |
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manufacturing also figure in the county's economic profile; and |
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WHEREAS, Caldwell County offers ample opportunity for |
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outdoor recreation, notably at Lockhart State Park and along the |
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San Marcos River; the county also features many buildings of |
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architectural interest, among them a beautifully restored |
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courthouse and what is believed to be the oldest unaltered |
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Episcopal church in Texas; the attractive character of the county |
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has drawn the attention of moviemakers, and numerous films have |
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been shot on location there, including Bernie, Temple Grandin, and |
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Secondhand Lions; furthermore, Lockhart has earned recognition as |
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the Barbecue Capital of Texas, and Luling hosts the Watermelon |
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Thump, a popular annual festival complete with a rodeo, a |
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seed-spitting contest, and the crowning of the Watermelon Thump |
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Queen; 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 Caldwell |
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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 May 13, 2015, as Caldwell County Day |
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at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation sincere |
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best wishes for an informative and enjoyable stay in Austin. |