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. Gallego Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr. Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr. Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr. Allen Gooden Murphy Allen Gooden Murphy Allen Gooden Murphy Alonzo Guillen Naishtat Alonzo Guillen Naishtat Alonzo Guillen Naishtat Alvarado Gutierrez Nash Alvarado Gutierrez Nash Alvarado Gutierrez Nash Anchia Hamilton Oliveira Anchia Hamilton Oliveira Anchia Hamilton Oliveira Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto Aycock Harless Parker Aycock Harless Parker Aycock Harless Parker Beck Harper-Brown Patrick Beck Harper-Brown Patrick Beck Harper-Brown Patrick Berman Hartnett Paxton Berman Hartnett Paxton Berman Hartnett Paxton Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena Bonnen Hilderbran Perry Bonnen Hilderbran Perry Bonnen Hilderbran Perry Branch Hochberg Phillips Branch Hochberg Phillips Branch Hochberg Phillips Brown Hopson Pickett Brown Hopson Pickett Brown Hopson Pickett Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts Burnam Howard of Travis Price Burnam Howard of Travis Price Burnam Howard of Travis Price Button Huberty Quintanilla Button Huberty Quintanilla Button Huberty Quintanilla Cain Hughes Raymond Cain Hughes Raymond Cain Hughes Raymond Callegari Hunter Reynolds Callegari Hunter Reynolds Callegari Hunter Reynolds Carter Isaac Riddle Carter Isaac Riddle Carter Isaac Riddle Castro Jackson Ritter Castro Jackson Ritter Castro Jackson Ritter Chisum Johnson Rodriguez Chisum Johnson Rodriguez Chisum Johnson Rodriguez Christian Keffer Schwertner Christian Keffer Schwertner Christian Keffer Schwertner Coleman King of Parker Scott Coleman King of Parker Scott Coleman King of Parker Scott Cook King of Taylor Sheets Cook King of Taylor Sheets Cook King of Taylor Sheets Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons Deshotel Lavender Strama Deshotel Lavender Strama Deshotel Lavender Strama Driver Legler Taylor of Collin Driver Legler Taylor of Collin Driver Legler Taylor of Collin Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston Dutton Lozano Thompson Dutton Lozano Thompson Dutton Lozano Thompson Eiland Lucio III Torres Eiland Lucio III Torres Eiland Lucio III Torres Eissler Lyne Truitt Eissler Lyne Truitt Eissler Lyne Truitt Elkins Madden Turner Elkins Madden Turner Elkins Madden Turner Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farrar Margo Villarreal Farrar Margo Villarreal Farrar Margo Villarreal Fletcher Marquez Vo Fletcher Marquez Vo Fletcher Marquez Vo Flynn Martinez Walle Flynn Martinez Walle Flynn Martinez Walle Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber Gallego McClendon White Gallego McClendon White Gallego McClendon White Garza Menendez Woolley Garza Menendez Woolley Garza Menendez Woolley Geren Miles Workman Geren Miles Workman Geren Miles Workman Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas ______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 1121 was adopted by the House on April 14, 2011, by a non-record vote. ______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr. Allen Gooden Murphy Alonzo Guillen Naishtat Alvarado Gutierrez Nash Anchia Hamilton Oliveira Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto Aycock Harless Parker Beck Harper-Brown Patrick Berman Hartnett Paxton Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena Bonnen Hilderbran Perry Branch Hochberg Phillips Brown Hopson Pickett Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts Burnam Howard of Travis Price Button Huberty Quintanilla Cain Hughes Raymond Callegari Hunter Reynolds Carter Isaac Riddle Castro Jackson Ritter Chisum Johnson Rodriguez Christian Keffer Schwertner Coleman King of Parker Scott Cook King of Taylor Sheets Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons Deshotel Lavender Strama Driver Legler Taylor of Collin Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston Dutton Lozano Thompson Eiland Lucio III Torres Eissler Lyne Truitt Elkins Madden Turner Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farrar Margo Villarreal Fletcher Marquez Vo Flynn Martinez Walle Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber Gallego McClendon White Garza Menendez Woolley Geren Miles Workman Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas