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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Proud residents of Upshur County are gathering in |
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Austin on March 28, 2017, for Upshur County Day at the State |
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Capitol; and |
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WHEREAS, This wooded, rolling region of East Texas was |
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inhabited at the dawn of recorded history by the Caddo people; |
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during the early 19th century the Cherokee passed through the area |
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on the Cherokee Trace, and the first known Anglo inhabitant, Isaac |
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Moody, settled near West Mountain in 1836; and |
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WHEREAS, The First Texas Legislature established Upshur |
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County on April 27, 1846; the county was named after Abel P. Upshur, |
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secretary of state under President John Tyler, and Gilmer was |
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established as the county seat in 1848; and |
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WHEREAS, Corn, cotton, and cattle were the foundations of the |
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county's economy, while the region's virgin forest made it an |
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important center for the lumber industry; the arrival of the |
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railroad in the 1870s linked the area to national markets and drew |
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in more residents; and |
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WHEREAS, Today, Upshur County is a leading producer of |
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poultry and dairy products; the reseeding of the forests between |
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the end of World War II and the 1980s has helped to maintain the |
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county's primacy as a lumber producer, and manufacturing and oil |
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and gas have also become important industries; and |
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WHEREAS, Gilmer is the site of the East Texas Yamboree, one of |
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the oldest continuing festivals in East Texas; first held in 1935, |
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this celebration of the sweet potato draws 100,000 visitors every |
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October with a parade, cooking contests, live music, livestock |
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exhibits, and an antique and classic car show; and |
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WHEREAS, Visitors and residents alike enjoy the fine |
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recreational opportunities offered by the county; Lake Gladewater |
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is popular with boaters, fishermen, swimmers, and picnickers, and |
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the county's wide variety of game makes it a destination for |
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hunters; and |
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WHEREAS, Even as they celebrate their rich heritage, the |
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hardworking citizens of Upshur County are looking ahead to the |
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opportunities of the future, and it is indeed fitting to honor them |
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and their unique contributions to 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 85th Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize March 28, 2017, as Upshur 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. |