H.R. No. 610
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Proud citizens of Ellis County are gathering at the
State Capitol on March 3, 2009, to celebrate Ellis County Day; and
WHEREAS, First inhabited by the Tonkawa, the region was
settled by Europeans in the mid-19th century; Ellis County was
officially incorporated on December 20, 1849, and named for Richard
Ellis, who was president of the Convention of 1836 that led to the
independence of Texas; and
WHEREAS, Many Czechs, Hungarians, and Germans settled in the
county in the 1850s and raised cattle on the rolling Blackland
Prairie; with the arrival of the Houston and Texas Central Railroad
in 1872, growing cotton came to dominate the economy; and
WHEREAS, Today the county's diversified economy is based on
agribusiness and industry; cotton and ranching continue to be
important, along with the raising of wheat, sorghum, and turf
grass; the county is also important in the manufacture of cement and
steel and has become a major warehousing and distribution hub; and
WHEREAS, County seat Waxahachie is widely known as the
Gingerbread City, for its lovely Victorian homes and its
picturesque county courthouse; many films have been shot in the
city, including the Academy Award-winning Places in the Heart,
which was written and directed by Waxahachie native Robert Benton;
half a million visitors each year are drawn by such events as the
Scarborough Faire Renaissance Festival and the Crape Myrtle
Festival; and
WHEREAS, Waxahachie's thriving business community includes
the Walgreen's distribution center, the Rock-Tenn Company,
Saint-Gobain Containers, the Owens-Corning fiberglass insulation
plant, Victron Energy, International Extrusion, Georgia Pacific,
the U.S. Aluminum Corporation, Burleson Honey, and Dartco of Texas;
and
WHEREAS, Ennis, known as the Bluebonnet City, is home to the
Railroad and Cultural Heritage Museum; every Memorial Day weekend,
the city hosts the National Polka Festival, a celebration of the
city's Czech heritage; the Texas Motorplex, the renowned
drag-racing facility, hosts 75 events annually, drawing half a
million people; and
WHEREAS, The city's progressive economy has drawn such
industries as Sterilite Corporation, GAF/Elk Corporation of Texas,
Leggett & Platt Corporation, Ennis Extruded Products, Texas Ennis
Business Forms, Schirm USA, Inc., Suez Energy Resources, JTEKT
Automotive of Texas, Sherwin-Williams, the CVS Pharmacy
distribution center, ASMO Manufacturing, Inc., Alliance Data, and
the National Envelope Corporation; and
WHEREAS, Once known as the Cement Capital of Texas,
Midlothian is now also home to such industries as Gerdau
Ameristeel, TXI, the MidTexas International Center, Holcim-Texas,
Ash Grove Texas, Ennis, Inc., Toys-R-Us, and the Target
distribution center, as well as a new satellite campus for Navarro
College; it has become a popular location for families, with its
excellent school system and safe, small-town ambiance; and
WHEREAS, Red Oak, the "Gateway to Ellis County," balances the
charm and comfort of small-town life with convenient access to the
Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex, and its flourishing economy,
sustained residential growth, low crime rate, and award-winning
school district make it a wonderful place to raise a family; and
WHEREAS, Dynamic and picturesque Ellis County is one of the
great assets of the Lone Star State; its hardworking and innovative
residents cherish their history and heritage even as they look
forward to the challenges and opportunities ahead; now, therefore,
be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas
Legislature hereby recognize March 3, 2009, as Ellis County Day at
the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation best wishes
for an informative and enjoyable stay in Austin.
Pitts
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 610 was adopted by the House on March
3, 2009, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House