SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 172
WHEREAS, Jim Wells County Day at the State Capitol is being
celebrated February 12, 2009, and the Texas Senate takes great
pleasure in recognizing this region and its citizens who have
contributed to the development of the Lone Star State; and
WHEREAS, In the early 1500s, Alvar Nuez de Cabeza de Vaca
explored the area known today as Jim Wells County, and his
records tell of tuna or prickly pear festivals held annually by
his coastal Indian captors around the present-day City of Alice;
and
WHEREAS, Originally a part of Nueces County, Jim Wells
County was created and organized by the Texas Legislature on
March 11, 1911, and the City of Alice became the county seat; the
county was named for a prominent political figure and land
developer, James B. Wells, Jr., who was also the purchasing agent
for the King Ranch; and
WHEREAS, The area comprising Jim Wells County figures
prominently in the early days of Texas, for the land had become a
part of Texas after it gained its independence from Mexico in
1836; and
WHEREAS, N. G. Collins had extensive landholdings in the
area before early settlers to the region arrived in 1850; the
settlers brought only the barest necessities with them to build a
general store and a trading post, creating the town of Collins
east of where Alice is now located; the town of Collins was
short-lived since the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railroad was
built two miles west of the community when landowners refused to
sell the right-of-way through the town; and
WHEREAS, In 1886, a new town developed where two rail lines
intersected; after several name changes, the new town of Alice,
named for Alice King, began to develop economically; located at
that time in the northwestern part of Nueces County, the town
eventually became the largest cattle-shipping point in the
world; and
WHEREAS, Located in the geographical heart of South Texas,
along the "Texas Tropical Trail," Alice is known as the "Hub of
South Texas" due to its strategic location at the intersection of
State Highway 44 and United States Highway 281; and
WHEREAS, In addition to the oil business, ranching, cattle
shipping, and cotton and grain production, a fine public school
system, a modern hospital, and an expanding health-related
service industry combine to drive the area's economy; and
WHEREAS, Situated on primary United States-Mexico trade
routes connecting Laredo and the Rio Grande Valley with the Port
of Corpus Christi, the City of Alice and Jim Wells County are
developing into a major "Hub of International Trade"; United
States Highway 281 has been named in the National Highway System
Designation Act of 1995 as a key link in the future I-69 NAFTA
Superhighway System; and
WHEREAS, Jim Wells County is a valuable agricultural area
that has contributed significantly to the development of the
Southwestern part of the United States; since the mid-1800s when
the famous Chisholm Trail passed through the county, the cattle
industry has played a major role in its economy; mesquite brush
and grasses in the western part provide ideal grazing conditions
for livestock, and coastal plains to the east produce coastal
Bermuda and vegetables; and
WHEREAS, In 1936, the first notable oil activity in the
county was initiated, and the first major oil producer, The Texas
Royalty Corporation and Lucy Petroleum Company One, was bought
northeast of Alice; the oil rush brought many new families to Jim
Wells County; and
WHEREAS, The history of Jim Wells County has been carefully
preserved at the South Texas Museum, which has been designated a
Texas Historical Landmark; donated by the McGill family, the
museum was the family's old ranch headquarters; and
WHEREAS, Proud of their unique heritage, the citizens of
Jim Wells County have retained the social fabric of their culture
through fiestas, county fairs, rodeos, and outdoor activities
such as hunting and water sports; and
WHEREAS, Jim Wells County Day at the State Capitol is an
appropriate occasion for the Texas Senate to recognize the
residents of Jim Wells County and to commend them for their
excellent accomplishments; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 81st
Legislature, hereby declare February 12, 2009, Jim Wells County
Day at the State Capitol and join the citizens of Jim Wells County
as they celebrate their county's many assets; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for
the citizens of Jim Wells County as an expression of esteem from
the Texas Senate.
Hinojosa
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President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on February 10, 2009.
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Secretary of the Senate
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Member, Texas Senate