81R6864 JH-D
By: Morrison H.R. No. 279
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The House of Representatives is pleased to join the
proud citizens of Victoria in celebrating Victoria Day at the State
Capitol on February 11, 2009; and
WHEREAS, The city of Victoria traces its origins to 1824, the
year that the Republic of Mexico approved a request for a large land
grant on the lower Guadalupe River for Don Martin DeLeon, a highly
respected Mexican citizen; as part of the grant, permission was
given to found a town at a site known earlier as Cypress Grove; the
community was established with 41 families and was named after
Guadalupe Victoria, the president of Mexico; and
WHEREAS, The Victoria thoroughfare now known as Main Street
was originally named La Calle de los Diez Amigos, or The Street of
the Ten Friends; the town was incorporated under the Republic of
Texas in 1839, and the first property taxes were assessed in 1843;
and
WHEREAS, Ranching was the first major enterprise in the area,
and it brought in capital needed for development; commercial
ventures became successful, and paved streets were becoming common
in the late 1910s; by the end of World War II, Victoria had become
one of the fastest growing cities in Texas; and
WHEREAS, Today, the city has a symphony orchestra, a fine
arts association, museums, libraries, and the National Zoo of
Texas, which is home to more than 150 native Texas animals and
plants; and
WHEREAS, Railroads, commercial airlines, and three major
highways make Victoria easily accessible to businesses; it is also
located on a barge canal that is connected to the Gulf Intracoastal
Waterway; as the Victoria County seat, the city serves as the
commercial center of this thriving area; and
WHEREAS, Victoria is home to excellent public schools, a
number of major employers, a university, and a community college;
the city offers first-rate medical care, and it is an inviting city
with an expanding economy; and
WHEREAS, The largest city in the "Golden Crescent Region,"
Victoria serves as the health, education, government, and retail
service center for a seven-county market area with a population of
more than 200,000; the city thrives on the area's petrochemical
industry, oil and gas exploration, retail trade, and agriculture;
and
WHEREAS, Combining big-city convenience and small-town
friendliness, Victoria offers a high quality of life, an exciting
art scene, and numerous commercial opportunities; this notable
Texas community is an excellent place in which to live, work, and
raise a family, and it is a pleasure to pay tribute to its many
exceptional achievements; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas
Legislature hereby recognize February 11, 2009, as Victoria Day at
the State Capitol and extend a warm welcome to the city residents
who have traveled to Austin to take part in this observance.