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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Proud residents of McMullen County are gathering in |
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Austin to celebrate McMullen County Day at the State Capitol on |
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February 8, 2023; and |
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WHEREAS, Located in the center of South Texas, McMullen |
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County is made up of more than 1,000 square miles of flat and |
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rolling brushland; artifacts discovered in the county indicate that |
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human settlement dates back perhaps as far as 11,000 years, with |
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groups of hunter-gatherers in the area until the 1700s; and |
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WHEREAS, Several Spanish expeditions passed through the area |
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in the 17th and 18th centuries, but the population was sparse until |
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shortly before the Civil War, when settlers began to move in to take |
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advantage of the grasslands where wild mustangs and cattle could be |
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found; and |
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WHEREAS, The county was established in 1858, and a group of |
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resourceful adventurers settled where the Leoncita Creek flowed |
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into the Rio Frio; the town was first called Rio Frio, then Dog |
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Town, and finally Tilden, after Samuel J. (Whispering Sammy) |
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Tilden, the unsuccessful Democratic candidate for president in |
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1876; the town eventually became the county seat; and |
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WHEREAS, Cattle and sheep ranching have dominated the |
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county's economy, though oil and gas have grown in importance since |
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the 1930s, and the region is also a destination for hunters; and |
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WHEREAS, McMullen County residents are stewards of an area of |
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fascinating history and culture, and their unique county merits |
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special recognition; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 88th Texas Legislature |
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hereby recognize February 8, 2023, as McMullen County Day at the |
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State Capitol and extend best wishes to the visiting delegation for |
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an informative and enjoyable stay in Austin. |