81R3630 JGH-D
By: Kolkhorst H.R. No. 561
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Proud residents of Washington County are gathering
in Austin on February 24, 2009, to celebrate the unique role their
county has played in the history and ongoing development of the Lone
Star State; and
WHEREAS, This region of rolling prairie just west of the
Brazos River was first inhabited by the Tamique and Xaraname
peoples; the French explorer La Salle and his party, who are thought
to have passed through the area in the 1680s, may have been the
first European visitors; and
WHEREAS, In 1821, settlers recruited by Stephen F. Austin
began to homestead the region; during the Texas Revolution, the
ferry crossing known as Washington-on-the-Brazos became the
headquarters of General Sam Houston and the site of the Convention
of 1836, which declared the independence of Texas; the town was the
capital of the new republic from 1842 to 1845; and
WHEREAS, Washington County was organized in 1837, and Brenham
became the county seat in 1844; the county's prospects were
improved by the thousands of immigrants from Germany and Poland who
arrived during the 1860s and 1870s, and its economy was further
spurred by the arrival of the railroad in 1880; in those years,
cotton, corn, and poultry were the region's mainstays; and
WHEREAS, The area played an important role in the history of
higher education in Texas; Baylor University was founded in the
county in 1846, and in 1855 Soule University, a precursor to
Southwestern University, was founded in Chappell Hill; today, Blinn
College in Brenham carries on this proud tradition; and
WHEREAS, Washington County's central role in the history of
Texas draws visitors from across the state; the Star of the Republic
Museum, Independence Hall, and the Barrington Living History Farm
at the Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site vividly evoke
the years of the Texas Republic; the Chappell Hill Historic
District includes a folk art collection, a Masonic cemetery, and a
restored Baptist parsonage; the building housing the Brenham
Heritage Museum is also a venerable landmark and is listed on the
National Register of Historic Places; and
WHEREAS, Other popular attractions include the recreation
opportunities of Lake Somerville, the eight-acre garden at the
Antique Rose Emporium, and the county's scenic country roads; every
year, thousands of people take the tour of Blue Bell Creameries,
where one of the nation's best-selling brands of ice cream is made;
and
WHEREAS, Honoring their rich history even as they work to
build a bright future, the residents of Washington County have many
reasons to be proud of the place they call home; now, therefore, be
it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas
Legislature hereby recognize February 24, 2009, as Washington
County Day at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting
delegation sincere best wishes for an enjoyable and memorable stay
in Austin.