| 1 | 1 | | H.R. No. 821 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 5 | | WHEREAS, A new historical marker celebrating the history of |
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| 6 | 6 | | the city of Van has been approved by the Texas Historical |
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| 7 | 7 | | Commission; and |
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| 8 | 8 | | WHEREAS, Sponsored by the Van Economic Development |
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| 9 | 9 | | Corporation and researched by members of the Van Zandt County |
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| 10 | 10 | | Historical Commission, the new marker tells of the birth and |
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| 11 | 11 | | development of Van; and |
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| 12 | 12 | | WHEREAS, First settled 150 years ago, the community was |
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| 13 | 13 | | originally known as Swindall, after an early resident; the name was |
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| 14 | 14 | | changed to Van when the community received its first post office; |
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| 15 | 15 | | and |
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| 16 | 16 | | WHEREAS, After the discovery of oil in Van in 1929, the quiet |
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| 17 | 17 | | rural community became a boomtown; 30 new buildings, including |
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| 18 | 18 | | hotels, dance halls, restaurants, and shops, were constructed in 10 |
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| 19 | 19 | | days' time; and |
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| 20 | 20 | | WHEREAS, The Pure Oil Company, which managed the local oil |
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| 21 | 21 | | field, played an important role in the town's progress, providing |
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| 22 | 22 | | better roads, funding toward a new school, and fire protection and |
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| 23 | 23 | | helping to create a more stable community, and about 900 people |
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| 24 | 24 | | found a good home in Van during the 1930s; and |
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| 25 | 25 | | WHEREAS, Van's new historical marker will help the city's |
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| 26 | 26 | | residents honor this rich history, paying tribute to those strong, |
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| 27 | 27 | | hardworking people who faced the economic challenges of the Great |
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| 28 | 28 | | Depression and the opportunities of the oil boom and who made their |
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| 29 | 29 | | unique contributions to the story of the Lone Star State; now, |
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| 30 | 30 | | therefore, be it |
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| 31 | 31 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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| 32 | 32 | | Legislature hereby commemorate the approval of the new historical |
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| 33 | 33 | | marker for the city of Van by the Texas Historical Commission and |
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| 34 | 34 | | congratulate the Van Zandt County Historical Commission and the Van |
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| 35 | 35 | | Economic Development Corporation on their successful efforts to win |
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| 36 | 36 | | approval for the marker. |
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| 37 | 37 | | Flynn |
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| 38 | 38 | | ______________________________ |
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| 39 | 39 | | Speaker of the House |
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| 40 | 40 | | I certify that H.R. No. 821 was adopted by the House on March |
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| 41 | 41 | | 26, 2009, by a non-record vote. |
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| 42 | 42 | | ______________________________ |
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| 43 | 43 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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