SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 505

WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to recognize residents of Austin County, who gathered in Austin to celebrate Austin County Day at the State Capitol on April 24, 2025; and

WHEREAS, Austin County was first settled in the 1820s as one of the first Anglo-American colonies in Texas and is located on the fertile land around the Brazos River and its tributaries; and

WHEREAS, The county is named for Stephen F. Austin, who founded multiple colonies in the area and had a monumental influence on Texas history; he served as an empresario and provided land grants to the Old Three Hundred, who were the first families to settle in the region that includes modern-day Austin County; the county was officially created by the 1836 Constitution of the Republic of Texas, with San Felipe de Austin serving as the first county seat; and

WHEREAS, The cultural impact of the many waves of settlers who arrived is still felt throughout the county and the surrounding regions; Germans and Czechs developed many towns such as Bellville, Wallis, Sealy, and Industry, and other influences in the area came from Mexican immigrants and African Americans, who further contributed to the county's development; and

WHEREAS, Austin County is the founding place of the Texas postal system and the Committee of Safety in San Felipe, which later evolved to become the Texas Rangers; the county was also home to the Texas Gazette, which was established in 1829 and was the first newspaper publication in Texas, and the Texas Register, the official voice of the government of the Republic of Texas; and

WHEREAS, Austin County has flourished to become a thriving hub for transportation, agribusiness, tourism, and manufacturing and boasts a population of more than 31,000 residents; the citizens of Austin County may indeed take great pride in their county's notable history and their unique contributions to the story of the Lone Star State as they look forward to a future filled with opportunity and promise; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 89th Legislature, hereby recognize April 24, 2025, as Austin County Day at the State Capitol and extend to the residents of Austin County best wishes for the future and for much continued success; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for the county as an expression of esteem from the Texas Senate.

Kolkhorst

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President of the Senate

I hereby certify that the above Resolution was adopted by the Senate on May 8, 2025.

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Secretary of the Senate

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Member, Texas Senate