| |
| |
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
|
WHEREAS, Proud residents of Laredo are gathering in Austin to |
|
|
celebrate Laredo Day at the State Capitol on January 30, 2019; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Originally known as San Agustin de Laredo, the city |
|
|
was founded in 1755 as an outpost of the Spanish empire; it later |
|
|
belonged to Mexico, after that country gained independence from |
|
|
Spain in 1821, and nearly two decades later it was named the capital |
|
|
of the short-lived Republic of the Rio Grande; Laredo became part of |
|
|
Texas in 1846 and was subsequently chosen as the county seat of Webb |
|
|
County; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, From its earliest days, Laredo was an important |
|
|
crossing on the Rio Grande and a trading center for livestock, |
|
|
hides, and wool; its role in international trade expanded with the |
|
|
arrival of the railroad in 1881 and with the development of the Zona |
|
|
Libre, or free trade zone, along the border between the United |
|
|
States and Mexico; its economy was further helped by coal mining, |
|
|
the introduction of onion farming, and the discovery of rich oil and |
|
|
gas fields; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Today, this bustling gateway city is the largest |
|
|
inland port along the U.S.-Mexico border and one of the top |
|
|
U.S. Customs districts in the nation, and its diverse economy |
|
|
benefits from the retail, hospitality, import and export, and |
|
|
petroleum industries; the city handles more than a third of all |
|
|
trade between the United States and Mexico; Laredo is also a focus |
|
|
for higher education in the Rio Grande Valley, as the home to Texas |
|
|
A&M International University, two campuses of Laredo Community |
|
|
College, and a regional campus of The University of Texas Health |
|
|
Science Center; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Visitors and residents alike may explore such area |
|
|
attractions as the historic San Agustin Cathedral, the Republic of |
|
|
the Rio Grande Museum, and the Laredo Center for the Arts, while 40 |
|
|
blocks of import vendors along San Bernardo Avenue draw shoppers |
|
|
from near and far; in addition, Laredo is home to Washington's |
|
|
Birthday Celebration, a month-long event that includes a carnival, |
|
|
a colonial pageant, a jalapeño festival, and a parade; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Boasting a rich heritage and a vibrant international |
|
|
culture, the people of Laredo may indeed take great pride in the |
|
|
role their community continues to play in the story of the Lone Star |
|
|
State; now, therefore, be it |
|
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas |
|
|
Legislature hereby recognize January 30, 2019, as Laredo Day at the |
|
|
State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation sincere best |
|
|
wishes for an enjoyable and informative visit to Austin. |