82R18245 BPG-D
By: Gallego H.R. No. 1121
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The celebration of Ward County Day at the State
Capitol on March 31, 2011, provides a fitting opportunity to
recognize its fascinating place in the annals of Texas; and
WHEREAS, Once roamed by the Jumano and Comanche people, Ward
County is located along the southwestern edge of the High Plains;
Spanish explorers Antonio de Espejo and Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca
left journals describing their travels through the area in the
1580s, but it was some three centuries before large-scale
settlement arrived with the advent of the Texas and Pacific
Railway; and
WHEREAS, The Texas Legislature carved out territory from Tom
Green County and organized it as Ward County in 1892, naming it
after Thomas William "Peg Leg" Ward, an Irishman who served as a
colonel in the Republic of Texas Army and whose myriad roles in the
state's early history included service as chief clerk for the House
of Representatives in 1839; the red sandstone Ward County
Courthouse was built in 1893 in Barstow, the original county seat,
and the town's residents numbered nearly 1,500 by the turn of the
century; and
WHEREAS, Until the early 20th century, the economy revolved
around ranching; irrigation projects on the Pecos River allowed the
planting of numerous vineyards and orchards, but a dam failure and
drought conditions plagued farmers; nevertheless, cotton
production expanded and covered more than 10,000 acres by 1920; the
opening of the Henrick oilfield in 1926 ushered in a period of great
prosperity, and during the boom, Monahans became the economic
center and county seat; the county's population reached about 9,500
people by 1940; and
WHEREAS, Through the opening of the magnificent Monahans
Sandhills State Historic Park in 1957, Ward County gained tourism
as another cornerstone of its economy; present-day attractions also
include the Million Barrel Museum and the Rattlesnake Bomber Base
Museum, as well as events such as the annual Butterfield-Overland
Stagecoach and Wagon Festival; and
WHEREAS, Those who call Ward County home can take justifiable
pride in a county as colorful and many-faceted as its heroic
namesake, and it is indeed a pleasure to welcome these citizens to
Austin on this special day; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
Legislature hereby recognize March 31, 2011, as Ward County Day at
the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation sincere
best wishes for a memorable and enjoyable stay.