SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 200

WHEREAS, Jim Wells County Day at the State Capitol is being celebrated February 19, 2019, and the Texas Senate takes great pleasure in recognizing this region and its citizens who have contributed to the development of the Lone Star State; and

WHEREAS, The area known today as Jim Wells County was explored in the early 1500s by Alvar Nuñez de Cabeza de Vaca and figures prominently in the early days of Texas; the land became a part of Texas after Texas gained its independence from Mexico in 1836; there were extensive landholdings in the area by 1850, when early settlers to the region arrived and began to build towns; railroads followed soon thereafter, and in 1886, a new town developed where two rail lines intersected; the town of Alice was named for Alice King and eventually became the largest cattle-shipping point in the world; and

WHEREAS, Jim Wells County was created and organized by the Texas Legislature on March 11, 1911, and Alice became the county seat; originally a part of Nueces County, the county was named for a prominent political figure and land developer, James B. Wells Jr., who was also the purchasing agent for the King Ranch; and

WHEREAS, Jim Wells County is a valuable agricultural area that has contributed significantly to the development of the southwestern part of the United States; since the mid-1800s, when the famous Chisholm Trail passed through the county, the cattle industry has played a major role in the area's economy; mesquite brush and grasses in the western part provide ideal grazing conditions for livestock, and coastal plains to the east produce Coastal Bermuda grass and vegetables; and

WHEREAS, The first notable oil activity in the county was initiated in 1936, and the first major oil producer was established northeast of Alice; the oil rush brought many new families to Jim Wells County; and

WHEREAS, The City of Alice is situated in the geographical heart of South Texas in an area that has developed into a notable hub of international trade due to its strategic location at the intersection of two important highways and its proximity to primary United States-Mexico trade routes that connect Laredo and the Rio Grande Valley with the Port of Corpus Christi; and

WHEREAS, In addition to the City of Alice, which still serves as the county seat, Jim Wells County is home to the Cities of Orange Grove, Ben Bolt-Palito Blanco, Premont, Sandia, and La Gloria; and

WHEREAS, The county's economy has benefited not only from the oil business, ranching, cattle shipping, and cotton and grain production, but also from a fine public school system, a modern hospital, and an expanding health-related service industry; and

WHEREAS, The history of Jim Wells County has been carefully preserved at the South Texas Museum, which was established in the former family ranch headquarters of the McGill family and has been designated a Texas Historical Landmark; and

WHEREAS, The citizens of Jim Wells County are justifiably proud of their unique heritage and have retained the social fabric of their culture through fiestas, county fairs, rodeos, and outdoor activities such as hunting and water sports; and

WHEREAS, Jim Wells County Day at the State Capitol is an appropriate occasion for the Texas Senate to recognize the residents of Jim Wells County and to commend them for their excellent accomplishments; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 86th Legislature, hereby declare February 19, 2019, Jim Wells County Day at the State Capitol and join the citizens of Jim Wells County as they celebrate their county's many assets; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for the citizens of Jim Wells County as an expression of esteem from the Texas Senate.

Hinojosa

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President of the Senate

I hereby certify that the above Resolution was adopted by the Senate on February 19, 2019.

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Secretary of the Senate

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Member, Texas Senate