H.R. No. 808
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Residents of Gonzales are traveling to Austin on
March 17, 2009, to celebrate Gonzales Day at the State Capitol, and
in special observance of the event, students in the second, third,
and fourth grade choir will be performing in the Capitol Rotunda;
and
WHEREAS, Settled in 1825, the town was named for Rafael
Gonzales, the governor of Coahuila and Texas; the first battle of
the Texas Revolution was fought in Gonzales in October 1835, when
Mexican dragoons demanded that the Texan garrison surrender their
cannon, and the Texans responded, "Come and take it!"; the battle of
Gonzales was fought and the war for Texas independence was begun;
and
WHEREAS, About a week after the battle, Stephen F. Austin
took command of the volunteer army that had concentrated at
Gonzales, and in February of the following year, the Gonzales
Ranging Company of Mounted Volunteers rode to the aid of William
Barret Travis and his men at the Alamo, where 32 of the Gonzales
contingent gave their lives; and
WHEREAS, In 1837, the Republic of Texas incorporated Gonzales
and established Gonzales County; the post office opened in January
1839 and the city council held its first meeting in March, and in
1853 the Gonzales Inquirer was established; still operating, the
newspaper comes out twice a week and is one of the oldest
continuously publishing community newspapers in the state; and
WHEREAS, Today, Gonzales is a leader in Texas agribusiness as
a processing and shipping center for local beef, poultry, and pecan
producers and is actively planning for its future growth and
prosperity through the Gonzales Economic Development Corporation;
preserving the town's legacy as the "Lexington of Texas," the
Gonzales Memorial Museum honors the men who died at the Alamo and
contains the "Come and take it" cannon, and the lives of early
settlers are evoked at Gonzales Pioneer Village Living History
Center; and
WHEREAS, Visitors and residents alike enjoy the many annual
events in the area, including Courthouse Trade Days, the First Shot
Cook Off, and the Come and Take It Festival every October, and J. B.
Wells Park is the site of several rodeos throughout the year; and
WHEREAS, Celebrating their rich history as they work to build
a bright future, the citizens of Gonzales may take great pride in
their unique place in Texas history and in the contributions they
continue to make to the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas
Legislature hereby recognize March 17, 2009, as Gonzales Day at the
State Capitol and extend to the delegation sincere best wishes for a
productive and enjoyable visit to Austin.
Kuempel
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 808 was adopted by the House on March
17, 2009, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House