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SENATE RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to |
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join the citizens of Waco in celebrating City of Waco Day at the |
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State Capitol on March 28, 2023; and |
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WHEREAS, Situated on the banks of the Bosque and Brazos |
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Rivers, the Waco Village was founded in 1849 on the site of an |
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ancient Huaco Indian agricultural community and was named the |
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county seat of McLennan County one year later; in 1856, Waco |
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Village was incorporated as the town of Waco, and upon completion |
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of the Waco Suspension Bridge over the Brazos River in 1870, the |
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town was reincorporated as the City of Waco; and |
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WHEREAS, Primarily driven by cotton production, Waco's |
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early economy began to boom with the arrival of the Waco and |
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Northwestern Railroad in 1871 and, in 1881, the Saint Louis and |
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Southwestern Railroad, and the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad, |
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which connected Waco's cotton farmers and nascent industries |
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with factories and consumers across the nation; and |
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WHEREAS, Waco's dynamic transportation network stimulated |
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the city's shipping industry and spurred regional population |
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growth; by 1884, Waco had approximately 12,000 residents, and an |
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estimated 50,000 bales of cotton and hundreds of thousands of |
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pounds of wool and hides were being shipped through the city; and |
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WHEREAS, Waco's population and economy continued to grow |
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rapidly during World War I and World War II, as the military's |
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high demand for cotton and cotton products brought war plants and |
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military bases to the region; by 1942, Waco's mattress and canvas |
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industries had expanded, making Waco the military's leading |
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manufacturer of tents, cots, mattresses, and duffel bags; and |
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WHEREAS, Over the years, Waco has developed into a vibrant |
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commercial hub that has made considerable contributions to the |
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prosperity and security of the Lone Star State; the birthplace of |
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Dr. Pepper in 1885, Waco is home to numerous culturally |
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significant spaces, including the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and |
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Museum and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame, Waco also is renowned |
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for such institutions of higher learning as Baylor University, |
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McLennan Community College, and Texas State Technical College; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, The Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce, a business |
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leadership organization founded in 1899 as the Waco Business |
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Men's Club, has done much to create a resilient, |
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business-friendly environment in the Waco area; partnering with |
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local businesses, the chamber has facilitated economic growth |
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and promoted a high quality of life in the region while adapting |
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to economic changes and technological advancements; and |
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WHEREAS, Blessed with many natural attractions, Waco is |
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home to the Waco Mammoth National Monument, a site that exhibits |
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the 68,000-year-old bones of mammoths found at the confluence of |
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the Bosque and Brazos Rivers, and Cameron Park, one of the |
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largest municipal parks in the Lone Star State and home to the |
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52-acre Cameron Park Zoo; the citizens of Waco may take great |
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pride in their city's rich and colorful history as they look |
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ahead to an even brighter future; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 88th |
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Legislature, hereby recognize March 28, 2023, as City of Waco Day |
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at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation best |
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wishes for an enjoyable stay in Austin; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for |
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the delegates as an expression of esteem from the Texas Senate. |