SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 134

WHEREAS, Proud residents of Weslaco are gathering in Austin on February 26, 2025, to celebrate Weslaco Day at the State Capitol; and

WHEREAS, Located in the heart of the Rio Grande Valley, the city of Weslaco's site was part of the Llano Grande grant of 1790; after the St. Louis, Brownsville and Mexico Railway came to the area, the American Rio Grande Land and Irrigation Company purchased a major portion of the grant and platted the West Tract in 1913, and four years later, the company sold 30,000 acres to the W. E. Stewart Land Company, from which the name Weslaco is derived; officially founded in 1919, the town soon had a post office, schools, a bank, and a fire department, and by 1930, the population had reached 5,300; throughout the 20th century, the city was centered around manufacturing and agriculture, with facilities that housed migrant farmworkers and laboratories where new cultivars of produce were created; and

WHEREAS, Today, Weslaco is home to more than 42,000 residents, and its economy benefits from the educational services, health care, retail, agricultural, and tourism industries; among its educational institutions are the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Weslaco and the TAMU-Kingsville Citrus Center, which are both hubs for innovative research that enhances agricultural productivity and sustainability; and

WHEREAS, Residents and visitors alike can enjoy the area's natural beauty at Estero Llano Grande State Park, the Valley Nature Center, and Frontera Audubon; the city also hosts a number of annual events, including the Mid-Valley Lighted Christmas Parade and the Weslaco Holiday Lights Display, and the Texas Onion Festival celebrates the 1015 sweet onion, which was created in Weslaco and is the State Vegetable of Texas; and

WHEREAS, Boasting a rich history, thriving educational and cultural institutions, and a dynamic business community, Weslaco has established itself as an outstanding place to live and work, and its citizens may indeed take pride in the place they call home; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 89th Legislature, hereby recognize February 26, 2025, as Weslaco Day at the State Capitol and extend a warm welcome to the visiting delegation.

Hinojosa of Nueces

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President of the Senate

I hereby certify that the above Resolution was adopted by the Senate on February 26, 2025.

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Secretary of the Senate

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Member, Texas Senate