| |
| |
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
|
WHEREAS, Public-spirited citizens of Matagorda County are |
|
|
gathering in Austin to celebrate Matagorda County Day at the State |
|
|
Capitol on February 19, 2019; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Taking its name from the Spanish phrase meaning |
|
|
"thick brush," this region of prairie, salt marshes, and coastal |
|
|
waterways was visited by the French explorer La Salle in 1685; the |
|
|
area constituted part of Stephen F. Austin's first colony, and |
|
|
settlers began arriving through Matagorda Bay during the winter of |
|
|
1821-1822; in 1829, the town of Matagorda was established as a |
|
|
military post, and in 1836, Matagorda County became one of the |
|
|
original 23 counties of the Republic of Texas; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Matagorda ranked as the second-largest seaport in |
|
|
Texas for a time and served as a shipping point for cotton, sugar, |
|
|
and livestock raised in the county; when the boll weevil endangered |
|
|
the cotton crop in the early 20th century, farmers began to grow |
|
|
rice, and the discovery of oil and sulfur further diversified the |
|
|
area's economy; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Ranching, farming, and petroleum remain important, |
|
|
and the county also benefits from the presence of the South Texas |
|
|
Project nuclear plant, which generates enough electricity to power |
|
|
approximately two million homes in Texas; Bay City, the county |
|
|
seat, is a center of the petrochemical industry and the home of |
|
|
TenarisBayCity, an international pipe manufacturing company, while |
|
|
the port at Palacios is home to one of the largest fishing fleets on |
|
|
the Texas Gulf Coast; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Visitors and residents alike enjoy the county's fine |
|
|
beaches and its many opportunities for fishing and water sports; |
|
|
the county has been named the North American Audubon Society |
|
|
Christmas Bird Count winner for 24 out of the last 26 years, and |
|
|
birders from across the nation are drawn to the Mad Island Marsh |
|
|
Preserve and Wildlife Management Area; Bay City is the location of |
|
|
several attractions, including the annual county fair, livestock |
|
|
show, and rodeo, which take place in the early spring, and the Rice |
|
|
Festival, which is held in the fall; Palacios also hosts a number of |
|
|
special events, including the Matagorda Bird Fest & Parade and the |
|
|
Palacios Pirate Festival; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Matagorda County is an area of abundant natural |
|
|
resources and rich history, and its residents may take great pride |
|
|
in their notable heritage as they look forward to a future filled |
|
|
with promise; now, therefore, be it |
|
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas |
|
|
Legislature hereby recognize February 19, 2019, as Matagorda County |
|
|
Day at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation |
|
|
sincere best wishes for an informative and enjoyable stay in |
|
|
Austin. |