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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Proud residents of Waller County are gathering in |
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Austin on January 31, 2017, to celebrate Waller County Day at the |
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State Capitol; and |
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WHEREAS, The Waller County area was originally settled by |
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members of Stephen F. Austin's Old Three Hundred during the 1820s; |
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shortly thereafter, it became the site of perhaps the first cotton |
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plantation in Texas, which was used as an encampment by members of |
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General Sam Houston's army during the Texas Revolution; in 1873, |
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the county was carved from sections of Austin and Grimes Counties |
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and named after Edwin Waller, a signer of the Texas Declaration of |
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Independence and the first mayor of Austin; and |
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WHEREAS, Waller County's growth was chiefly driven by |
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agriculture, with cotton, corn, and cattle serving as mainstays |
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until the discovery of petroleum in the 1930s helped to diversify |
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the economy; today, farming, ranching, and mineral resources are |
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important to the area, and its rural character and proximity to |
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Houston have made it an attractive destination for new residents; |
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additionally, opportunities abound for hunting and fishing, and the |
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region's natural beauty and wildlife can be experienced at the Katy |
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Prairie, a coastal grassland area that is a haven for |
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bird-watchers; and |
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WHEREAS, Hempstead is the county seat and the host of the |
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annual Waller County Fair and its summertime Watermelon Festival, a |
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favorite of residents and visitors alike; Prairie View is home to |
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Prairie View A&M University, the second-oldest public institution |
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of higher learning in the state, and Brookshire is a quaint rural |
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town that is the location of the Brookwood Community as well as |
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several international companies that serve as major employers; |
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while only parts of Waller and Katy are in the county, they are both |
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fast-growing cities that boast excellent schools and contribute |
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greatly to the culture and prosperity of the area; and |
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WHEREAS, The people of Waller County take great pride in |
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their rich history as they work to build an even brighter future, |
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and it is indeed fitting to honor them and their contributions to |
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the story of the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize January 31, 2017, as Waller 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. |