SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 278

WHEREAS, Residents of Wise County are visiting Austin on March 7, 2023, to celebrate Wise County Day at the State Capitol; and

WHEREAS, Located in the northwestern part of the state, Wise County was established on January 23, 1856; the county was carved out of Cooke County by legislative act and named in honor of Henry A. Wise, a U.S. congressman from Virginia who had supported the annexation of Texas; at the same time as it created Wise County, the legislature decreed that its county seat be established within five miles of the county's center, and two years later that new community became known as Decatur, after the naval hero Stephen Decatur; and

WHEREAS, The eastern fork of the Chisholm Trail passed near Decatur during the latter half of the 19th century, and the town prospered as a shipping point and market for local farmers; today, it is a center for natural gas production, specialty carbon and graphite manufacturing, and health care, as well as marketing and processing for area agribusiness; and

WHEREAS, Decatur is also home to some of the best professional rodeo cowboys and bull riders in the world; the many champions who have lived or trained in the community include one of the most decorated rodeo cowboys of all time, Trevor Brazile, as well as Tuf Cooper and Texas Rodeo Hall of Famer Roy Cooper, both of the famed Cooper family; and

WHEREAS, Visitors to Wise County are drawn by such historic attractions as the Waggoner Mansion, the Wise County Heritage Museum, the Wise County Veterans Park, and the pink granite Wise County Courthouse, which was completed in 1896; the county also offers a variety of recreational opportunities at Lake Bridgeport, Eagle Mountain Lake, and the Caddo-Lyndon B. Johnson National Grasslands; in addition, area residents commemorate their heritage with the annual Butterfield Stage Days Festival in May, the Wise County Old Settlers Reunion in July, and the Chisholm Trail Days and Western Heritage Festival in August; and

WHEREAS, Celebrating their history as they embrace the opportunities of the future, the citizens of Wise County take great pride in their community, and it is indeed fitting to honor their unique contributions to the story of the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 88th Legislature, hereby recognize March 7, 2023, as Wise County Day at the State Capitol and extend a warm welcome to the visiting delegation.

Parker

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President of the Senate

I hereby certify that the above Resolution was adopted by the Senate on March 7, 2023.

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Secretary of the Senate

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Member, Texas Senate