H.R. No. 251
 
 
 
R E S O L U T I O N
         WHEREAS, Proud residents of Gregg County are marking the
  150th anniversary of their county's founding on April 1, 2023; and
         WHEREAS, Situated in the East Texas timberlands along the
  Sabine River, Gregg County was originally inhabited by the Caddo
  people and later by the Cherokee people; after Texas achieved
  statehood in 1845, farmers from the southern United States settled
  in the area, and throughout the 1870s, the Southern Pacific
  Railroad, the International Railroad, and the Texas & Pacific
  Railroad established Longview, Kilgore, and Gladewater, which
  became prosperous communities; in 1873, the 13th Texas Legislature
  passed a bill creating a new county from parts of Upshur and Rusk
  Counties, with Longview as the county seat; and
         WHEREAS, Cotton and timber were mainstays of the Gregg County
  economy, and the discovery of the East Texas oilfield in 1931
  brought new industry to the area; by 1935, there were approximately
  15,000 wells and 95 refineries in the field, and the population had
  grown from more than 16,700 in 1920 to just over 58,000 in 1940; the
  oil boom prompted a multitude of civic improvements, including the
  addition of a jail and courthouse in Longview and the creation of
  Kilgore College, as well as the construction of a county hospital, a
  highway, and numerous schools; and
         WHEREAS, Today, Gregg County continues to thrive as a center
  for oil production, manufacturing, and agriculture, and residents
  and visitors alike flock to such attractions as the Great Texas
  Balloon Race, the Gregg County Fair, and the Texas Shakespeare
  Festival; and
         WHEREAS, Celebrating their rich history as they work together
  to build an even brighter future, the people of Gregg County may
  indeed take great pride in the role their community continues to
  play in the story of the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it
         RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
  Legislature hereby commemorate the 150th anniversary of Gregg
  County and extend to the county's residents sincere best wishes for
  the future.
 
  Dean
 
  ______________________________
  Speaker of the House     
 
         I certify that H.R. No. 251 was adopted by the House on March
  6, 2023, by a non-record vote.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House