|
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
WHEREAS, Proud representatives of Mineral Wells are |
|
gathering at the State Capitol in Austin on January 29, 2019; and |
|
WHEREAS, First settled in 1877 by James and Amanda Lynch, |
|
Mineral Wells is nestled in a valley among the hills of Palo Pinto |
|
and Parker Counties; after drilling a well, Mr. and Mrs. Lynch |
|
discovered that the unusual-tasting water coming from the source |
|
seemed to have medicinal qualities; news spread quickly about the |
|
miraculous "healing" water, and people came by the thousands to try |
|
it for themselves; the famed Crazy Well was dug in 1885, and soon |
|
thereafter, the town became a booming center for wellness and |
|
recreation; and |
|
WHEREAS, By 1920, the city had 400 mineral wells, and |
|
tourists from around the world were traveling to "the South's |
|
greatest health resort" to enjoy its bathhouses, drinking |
|
pavilions, and spas; the Baker Hotel opened in 1929 as an |
|
international retreat destination, and in its heyday, it was |
|
frequented by the country's most glamorous and well-known |
|
celebrities, including Clark Gable, Carole Lombard, Judy Garland, |
|
Mary Martin, Will Rogers, and the Three Stooges; moreover, the |
|
city's population continued to grow in the mid-20th century due to |
|
the military presence at Camp Wolters, which in more recent years |
|
has served as a base for the United States Army, Air Force, and |
|
National Guard; and |
|
WHEREAS, Today Mineral Wells is home to about 16,000 people; |
|
the city remains a center for retirement, health, and recreation, |
|
and notable attractions include the beautiful Clark Gardens, |
|
Mineral Wells Fossil Park, and Lake Mineral Wells State Park; |
|
furthermore, visitors can still order Crazy Water at the historic |
|
Famous Mineral Water Company and celebrate the area's heritage at |
|
the annual Crazy Water Festival; and |
|
WHEREAS, With a colorful history and a unique small-town |
|
atmosphere, Mineral Wells is a wonderful community in which to live |
|
and work, and its residents may indeed take justifiable pride in the |
|
place they call home; now, therefore, be it |
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas |
|
Legislature hereby honor the citizens of Mineral Wells who are |
|
visiting the State Capitol on January 29, 2019, and extend to them |
|
sincere best wishes for a meaningful and memorable day in Austin. |