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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Proud residents of Kennedale are gathering in Austin |
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to celebrate Kennedale Day at the State Capitol on March 30, 2017; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Set among the rolling grasslands of southeast |
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Tarrant County, the site of Kennedale was originally inhabited by |
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Native American tribes who hunted and fished along Village Creek; |
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the Republic of Texas signed a treaty with the tribes in 1843, and |
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settlers began moving into the area over the following decades; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1882, John D. Hudson, C. B. Teague, and Oliver |
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S. Kennedy bought land around a mineral well; a post office was |
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opened on the land two years later, and in 1886, a town was laid out |
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and named Kennedale, after Mr. Kennedy; that same year, the Fort |
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Worth and New Orleans Railway Company built a line through the town |
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to connect Fort Worth and Waxahachie, along with a passenger depot |
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and several section houses as residences for its employees; during |
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that era, the town became known for its brickworks, and Kennedale |
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brick was used in several structures in Fort Worth; and |
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WHEREAS, A town that has grown into a city since the regional |
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defense industry buildup of the 1940s, Kennedale today is an |
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attractive and comfortable community of approximately 8,000 people |
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who enjoy easy access to the amenities of Fort Worth and Arlington; |
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residents and visitors alike appreciate the opportunities for |
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recreation available at Rodgers Farm Park and Sonora Park, and a |
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replica of one of the original railway section houses stands at |
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TownCenter Park to provide a colorful reminder of the city's |
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history and a backdrop for the annual Brickworks Art in the Park |
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festival; and |
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WHEREAS, The city continues to thrive under the leadership of |
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Mayor Brian Johnson, Mayor Pro-Tem Kelly Turner, and city council |
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members Liz Carrington, Frank Fernandez, Charles Overstreet, and |
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Mike Walker; also contributing to the community's growth and |
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prosperity are the members of the board of the Kennedale Chamber of |
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Commerce, including Chair-Elect Becky Carlton, past chairs Tom Hala |
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and Monica Collier, treasurer Fred Moore, secretary Bob Hart, |
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members James Mulroy, Joe Taylor, Carl Hall, Monty Johnson, Mike |
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Johnson, and Mark Biondi, and ambassador ex officio Wayne Simmons; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Preserving the city's small-town charm while |
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working to build an even brighter future, the citizens of Kennedale |
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are justifiably proud of their community, and it is indeed fitting |
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to honor them at this time; 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 30, 2017, as Kennedale Day at |
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the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation sincere |
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best wishes for an informative and enjoyable stay in Austin. |