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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Proud residents of Rains County are visiting Austin |
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on April 25, 2017, to celebrate Rains County Day at the State |
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Capitol; and |
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WHEREAS, Situated between Lake Tawakoni and Lake Fork |
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Reservoir, Rains County is blessed with an abundant water supply |
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and fertile soil characteristic of the Blackland Prairie region; |
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the county was formed in the late 1800s from Hopkins, Hunt, and Wood |
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Counties and named in honor of Emory Rains, an early pioneer who |
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served in the Congress of the Republic of Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, Rains County initially prospered as an agricultural |
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and ranching center and today enjoys a diverse economy that |
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includes oil production, manufacturing, and tourism; and |
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WHEREAS, The county seat, Emory, which was originally known |
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as Springville, is now the county's largest town, with a population |
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of approximately 1,200; it is home to the annual Eagle Fest |
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celebration held in the winter, when the area lakes are the home of |
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many American bald eagles and other rare birds; and |
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WHEREAS, The City of Point was incorporated in the 1960s and |
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is recognized as the birthplace of the National Farmers Union, an |
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organization that has grown to include 200,000 members; the 10 |
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founding fathers of the NFU are memorialized by a historic monument |
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in the city, which incorporates a statue of the union's founder, |
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Isaac Newton Gresham, and a display of the flags of the NFU's member |
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states; and |
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WHEREAS, The county's youngest municipality, East Tawakoni, |
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was incorporated in 1967 and has experienced significant growth in |
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recent years; this resort area offers residents the benefits of a |
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relaxed rural community while providing easy access to Dallas; |
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notably, the city is connected to its counterpart, West Tawakoni in |
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Hunt County, by the new Two-Mile Bridge; completed in 2016, this |
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impressive structure replaced the original Two-Mile Bridge, which |
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was built across Lake Tawakoni in 1959 and was the longest bridge |
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serving a farm-to-market road at the time of its construction; and |
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WHEREAS, One of the smallest counties in the state, but one of |
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the fastest growing in the nation, Rains County is indeed playing a |
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vital role in the prosperity of the Lone Star State, and it is a |
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pleasure to join with our fellow Texans in saluting the county and |
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its fine citizens; 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 April 25, 2017, as Rains County Day at |
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the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation sincere |
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best wishes for a meaningful and memorable stay in Austin. |