86R24245 GM-D
 
  By: Hefner H.R. No. 1129
 
 
 
R E S O L U T I O N
         WHEREAS, Residents of Rains County are visiting Austin on
  April 12, 2019, to celebrate Rains County Day at the State Capitol;
  and
         WHEREAS, Situated between Lake Tawakoni and Lake Fork
  Reservoir, Rains County is blessed with an abundant water supply
  and fertile soil characteristic of the Blackland Prairie region;
  the county was formed in the late 1800s from Hopkins, Hunt, and Wood
  Counties and named in honor of Emory Rains, an early pioneer who
  served in the Congress of the Republic of Texas; and
         WHEREAS, Rains County initially prospered as an agricultural
  and ranching center and today enjoys a diverse economy that
  includes oil production, manufacturing, and tourism; and
         WHEREAS, The county seat, Emory, which was originally known
  as Springville, is now the county's largest town; it is home to the
  annual Eagle Fest celebration held in the winter, when the area
  lakes are the home of many American bald eagles and other rare
  birds; and
         WHEREAS, The city of Point was incorporated in the 1960s and
  is recognized as the birthplace of the National Farmers Union; the
  10 founding fathers of the NFU are memorialized by a historical
  monument in the city, which incorporates a statue of the union's
  founder, Isaac Newton Gresham, and a display of the flags of the
  NFU's member states; and
         WHEREAS, The county's newest municipality, East Tawakoni,
  was incorporated in 1967; this resort area offers residents the
  benefits of a relaxed rural community while providing easy access
  to Dallas; notably, the city is connected to its counterpart, West
  Tawakoni in Hunt County, by Two-Mile Bridge; completed in 2016,
  this impressive structure replaced the original Two-Mile Bridge,
  which was built across Lake Tawakoni in 1959 and was the longest
  bridge serving a farm-to-market road at the time of its
  construction; and
         WHEREAS, One of the smallest counties in the state, but one of
  the fastest growing in the nation, Rains County is playing a vital
  role in the story of the Lone Star State, and its citizens are
  indeed deserving of special recognition; now, therefore, be it
         RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas
  Legislature hereby recognize April 12, 2019, as Rains County Day at
  the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation sincere
  best wishes for a meaningful and memorable stay in Austin.