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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Citizens of Reeves County are celebrating Reeves |
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County Day at the State Capitol; and |
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WHEREAS, Habitation of Reeves County began in prehistoric |
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times, with the earliest residents dwelling in rock shelters and |
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caves in the Barrilla Hills, where artifacts and pictographs |
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provide clues to their way of life; by the time Spanish explorer |
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Antonio de Espejo visited the region in 1583, the Jumano Indians had |
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established irrigated crops of corn and peaches, and farmers of |
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Mexican descent later prospered in the fertile Madera Valley; the |
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first Anglo farmers settled in Toyah Valley in the early 1870s; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1881, the area witnessed the opening of a new |
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chapter in its history with the arrival of the Texas and Pacific |
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Railway, and the county was organized three years later; Pecos, the |
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county seat, attracted colorful characters as a crossroads for both |
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cattle trails and railroads, and its frontier days saw several |
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infamous gunfights; a roping and riding competition staged on the |
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Fourth of July in 1883 launched what is now the West of the Pecos |
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Rodeo, which marked its 135th anniversary in June 2018; and |
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WHEREAS, Ranching and farming remain critical components of |
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the Reeves County economy; the alkaline soil and optimal growing |
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conditions produce the Pecos cantaloupe, known nationwide for its |
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sweet flavor, as well as cotton, pecans, pistachios, and other |
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crops; oil and natural gas represent another aspect of the economy, |
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while tourists are drawn by the scenery, including such spots as the |
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spring-fed pool at Balmorhea State Park, and by the West of the |
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Pecos Museum, which offers the unique opportunity to explore the |
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rooms of a historic hotel and saloon; and |
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WHEREAS, Rich in Western heritage and natural beauty, Reeves |
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County can boast of many distinctive features, and its citizens may |
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take justifiable pride in the important role their unique region |
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continues to play in the story of the Lone Star State; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize Reeves County Day at the State Capitol |
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and extend to the visiting delegation sincere best wishes for an |
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informative and enjoyable stay in Austin. |