SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 177

WHEREAS, Proud residents of Kleberg County are gathering in Austin on March 5, 2025, to celebrate Kleberg County Day at the State Capitol; and

WHEREAS, Situated both on the broad grasslands of the Gulf Coast and on Padre Island, the area that was to become Kleberg County was first inhabited by the Karankawa and Coahuiltecan peoples; Spanish settlements were established along the lower Rio Grande in the 18th century, and after a period of Mexican rule, the land became part of Nueces County when Texas secured its independence; in 1853, Richard King established the vast King Ranch, a large tract of which was used to form the city of Kingsville in 1904; the new community grew quickly as a railway hub for farmers and ranchers, and in 1913, the Texas Legislature organized Kleberg County, naming it for Robert Justus Kleberg, whose son was the manager of King Ranch, and designating Kingsville as the county seat; and

WHEREAS, Today, Kleberg County is a place of diversified industries; successful businesses include Proco, Inc., Kleberg Bank, and numerous energy companies; occupying 825,000 acres, the legendary King Ranch is still vital to the prosperity of the county, and the enterprise has earned fame for the region through its development of the Santa Gertrudis breed of cattle, its contributions to quarter horse and thoroughbred breeding, and its accomplishments in a variety of other agribusiness interests; and

WHEREAS, The largest city in Kleberg County, Kingsville is home to Texas A&M University-Kingsville, which includes the Frank H. Dotterweich College of Engineering, the Dick and Mary Lewis Kleberg College of Agriculture, the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, and the Irma Lerma Rangel College of Pharmacy; meeting an increasingly critical military need, Naval Air Station Kingsville trains 50 percent of United States Navy and Marine Corps tactical jet pilots every year; and

WHEREAS, Kleberg County benefits from the dedicated leadership of its elected officials, including county commissioners David Rosse, Chuck Schultz, Jerry Martinez, and Marcus Salinas, and county judge Rudy Madrid; and

WHEREAS, The hardworking and forward-looking citizens of Kleberg County are building on a long tradition of excellence, and their history and achievements are indeed deserving of special recognition; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 89th Legislature, hereby recognize March 5, 2025, as Kleberg County 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 March 5, 2025.

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Secretary of the Senate

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Member, Texas Senate