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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Proud citizens of Ward County are gathering in |
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Austin on February 28, 2017, to celebrate Ward County Day at the |
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State Capitol; and |
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WHEREAS, The territory of Ward County was originally home to |
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the Apache and Comanche Indians, and in 1881, the Texas and Pacific |
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Railway built a line through the region, with stations at Barstow |
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and Monahans; the county was created out of part of Tom Green County |
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in 1887 and named for Thomas "Peg Leg" Ward, a soldier in the Texas |
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Revolution who lost his leg to a cannonball; a center for ranching |
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and farming in its early years, the county was transformed by the |
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discovery of oil and gas in the 1920s; during World War II, it was |
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the site of Pyote Army Air Field, and in 1957, the Monahans |
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Sandhills State Historic Park was created in the county's northeast |
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corner; and |
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WHEREAS, Monahans, the Ward County seat, was founded in 1880 |
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by an Irishman named John Thomas Monahan, an employee of the Texas |
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and Pacific who found water at the site, and it was incorporated in |
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1928; and |
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WHEREAS, Situated at the hub of the Permian Basin, the town |
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boasts a welcoming business environment facilitated by easy access |
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to two railroads and two interstate highways; today, the area is |
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stronger and busier than ever, with a commitment by city and county |
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officials to upgrade the county's infrastructure and accommodate |
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the growing need for housing, industry, and retail; and |
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WHEREAS, Even as they celebrate their rich heritage, the |
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hardworking people of Ward County are looking ahead to the |
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opportunities of the future, and they may reflect with pride on |
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their contributions to the story of the Lone Star State; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize February 28, 2017, as Ward 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. |