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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Proud residents of Weslaco are gathering in Austin |
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on February 26, 2025, to celebrate Weslaco Day at the State Capitol; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Located in the heart of the Rio Grande Valley, the |
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city of Weslaco's site was part of the Llano Grande grant of 1790; |
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after the St. Louis, Brownsville and Mexico Railway came to the |
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area, the American Rio Grande Land and Irrigation Company purchased |
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a major portion of the grant and platted the West Tract in 1913, and |
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four years later, the company sold 30,000 acres to the W. E. Stewart |
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Land Company, from which the name Weslaco is derived; officially |
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founded in 1919, the town soon had a post office, schools, a bank, |
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and a fire department, and by 1930, the population had reached |
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5,300; throughout the 20th century, the city was centered around |
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manufacturing and agriculture, with facilities that housed migrant |
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farmworkers and laboratories where new cultivars of produce were |
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created; and |
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WHEREAS, Today, Weslaco is home to more than 42,000 |
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residents, and its economy benefits from the educational services, |
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health care, retail, agricultural, and tourism industries; among |
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its educational institutions are the Texas A&M AgriLife Research |
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and Extension Center at Weslaco and the TAMU-Kingsville Citrus |
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Center, which are both hubs for innovative research that enhances |
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agricultural productivity and sustainability; and |
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WHEREAS, Residents and visitors alike can enjoy the area's |
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natural beauty at Estero Llano Grande State Park, the Valley Nature |
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Center, and Frontera Audubon; the city also hosts a number of annual |
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events, including the Mid-Valley Lighted Christmas Parade and the |
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Weslaco Holiday Lights Display, and the Texas Onion Festival |
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celebrates the 1015 sweet onion, which was created in Weslaco and is |
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the State Vegetable of Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, Boasting a rich history, thriving educational and |
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cultural institutions, and a dynamic business community, Weslaco |
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has established itself as an outstanding place to live and work, and |
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its citizens may indeed take pride in the place they call home; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 89th Texas Legislature |
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hereby recognize February 26, 2025, as Weslaco Day at the State |
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Capitol and extend a warm welcome to the visiting delegation. |