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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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recognize the proud residents of La Salle County who are gathered |
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in Austin on April 24, 2025, to celebrate La Salle County Day at |
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the State Capitol; and |
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WHEREAS, Situated in South Texas and traversed by the |
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Nueces and Frio Rivers, the area that is now La Salle County has |
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been inhabited for approximately 11,000 years; in the 1850s, the |
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United States Army briefly operated the Fort Ewell outpost on the |
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road from San Antonio to Laredo, and by 1871, some 60 people lived |
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in the nearby town of Guajoco; a number of ranchers moved into the |
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region, and in 1880, the county was formally organized, with |
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Stuart's Ranch near Guajoco designated as its first seat of |
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government; soon after, the International-Great Northern |
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Railroad extended its line into the county, with land being |
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donated by Joseph Cotulla, an area landowner who wanted to |
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encourage the railroad to pass through the townsite he was |
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developing; over the years, Cotulla became the most populous town |
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in the county, and the county seat was eventually relocated |
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there; and |
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WHEREAS, During the first decades of the 20th century, the |
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introduction of commercial agriculture ushered in a new period of |
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development, and national advertising campaigns attracting |
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numerous settlers to the area led the county's population to |
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double to more than 4,700 residents by 1910; in addition to |
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cattle ranching, lucrative crops such as onions, peaches, pears, |
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plums, figs, and cotton became staples of the local economy; the |
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first oil well in the county was drilled in 1940, and oil |
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production continued to increase over the succeeding decades to |
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reach more than two million barrels of crude oil produced in |
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1990; and |
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WHEREAS, Since 2008, shale oil production has further |
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bolstered the county's economic prosperity; its population of |
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more than 6,600 residents is concentrated in the cities of |
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Encinal and Cotulla, which is home to the county's courthouse and |
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airport; and |
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WHEREAS, Even as they celebrate their unique heritage, the |
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citizens of La Salle County are looking ahead to the |
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opportunities of the future, and they may reflect with pride on |
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their contributions to the story of the Lone Star State; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 89th |
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Legislature, hereby recognize April 24, 2025, as La Salle County |
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Day at the Capitol and extend a warm welcome to the visiting |
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delegation; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for |
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the county in honor of this special occasion. |