81R3620 BPG-D
By: Kolkhorst H.R. No. 511
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, On February 19, 2009, proud residents of Austin
County are gathering at the State Capitol to celebrate their
county's achievements and unique place in the history of the Lone
Star State; and
WHEREAS, The area that would become Austin County was one of
the locations settled by the initial colonists who were brought to
Texas by Stephen F. Austin; the first English-language newspaper in
Texas, the Gazette, was launched in 1829 in the colony's main town,
San Felipe de Austin; this settlement played an important part in
the Texas Revolution, briefly serving as capital of the provisional
government; it became the county seat upon the founding of Austin
County in 1837 but was soon supplanted by Bellville; and
WHEREAS, Beginning in the 1830s, hundreds of German
immigrants settled in the county, and this wave of migration
accelerated when well-educated dissidents fled Germany following a
failed revolution in 1848; these residents supported the
establishment of an opera house in Bellville, a German-language
weekly newspaper, and numerous other elements drawn from
traditional German culture; the county's sizeable African American
community began forming similar institutions during
Reconstruction, among them a newspaper and a school for black
students; Czech farmers also contributed to the distinctive
character of early Austin County, and large numbers of Mexican
immigrants began arriving after the First World War; and
WHEREAS, Industrial growth brought prominence to the town of
Sealy, which became a commercial center in the late 1800s with such
manufacturers as the Sealy Mattress Factory and the Engleking
Brothers Broom Factory; Sealy is also the hometown of music great
Huey Long, a jazz guitarist and original member of the Ink Spots;
some of his memorabilia is on display today at the Heritage
Park/Santa Fe Park Museum, a fascinating complex that also includes
an original settler's prairie home, an antique caboose, and the
town's old jail; and
WHEREAS, Tourism has joined agribusiness and manufacturing
as a key component of the economy; the county's colorful past
provides many splendid attractions and visitors to Stephen F.
Austin State Park can view the original site of San Felipe de Austin
while enjoying hiking, fishing, and other recreational pursuits;
moreover, countless travelers come to Austin County in the spring
for the scenic vistas of bluebonnets and other wildflowers; and
WHEREAS, Austin County maintains its pastoral charm and its
many links to Texas heritage even as it prepares for the
opportunities of the future, and it is most fitting to take this
opportunity to honor it; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas
Legislature hereby recognize February 19, 2009, as Austin County
Day and extend to its delegation sincere best wishes for an
enjoyable and rewarding visit to the State Capitol.