H.R. No. 1198
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, On April 7, 2011, people from across Winkler County
are traveling to the State Capitol to celebrate their county's
heritage and to share with fellow Texans their history, traditions,
and achievements; and
WHEREAS, The Anasazi were the earliest known people in the
Winkler County area; in the 1880s, cattlemen established large
ranches on free state land and Winkler County was carved out of part
of Tom Green County; its name honors Clinton M. Winkler, a member of
the state legislature and justice of the Court of Civil Appeals; and
WHEREAS, On April 5, 1910, the county was officially
organized, and the town of Kermit, named after Theodore Roosevelt's
son, was chosen as the county seat; the discovery of oil nearby in
1926 brought so many people that many residents lived in tents and
makeshift shelters, and a new town, Winkler, also sprang up; when
the postal authorities advised that another town in Texas had
already claimed that name, it was swiftly shortened to Wink; and
WHEREAS, During the early boom years, Wink acquired a
reputation as a wild, freewheeling place; now, although its economy
is still based on the petroleum industry and ranching, it is perhaps
better known as the hometown of music legend Roy Orbison; his first
band, the Wink Westerners, made its radio debut on Kermit station
KERB, and the Roy Orbison Museum is today one of the town's most
interesting attractions; Kermit gained celebrity luster more
recently when the Disney company threw a 50th birthday party there
for beloved Muppet Kermit the Frog; the town made national
headlines as it celebrated in style, renaming a street in honor of
the Sesame Street star and repainting the water tower with his
likeness; and
WHEREAS, Winkler County holds a notable place in frontier
history, and through the years, its towns have demonstrated a
unique West Texas flair; its residents can indeed take pride in this
colorful past as they look forward to a bright future; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
Legislature hereby recognize April 7, 2011, as Winkler County Day
at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation sincere
best wishes for an enjoyable and productive visit to Austin.
Lewis
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 1198 was adopted by the House on April
7, 2011, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House