82R6273 JGH-D
By: Kolkhorst H.R. No. 429
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Proud residents of Washington County are gathering
in Austin on February 22, 2011, to celebrate the unique role their
county has played in the history and ongoing development of the Lone
Star State; and
WHEREAS, The French explorer La Salle and his party, who are
thought to have passed through in the 1680s, may have been the first
European visitors to the area, and in 1821, settlers recruited by
Stephen F. Austin began to homestead the region; during the Texas
Revolution, the ferry crossing known as Washington-on-the-Brazos
became the headquarters of General Sam Houston and the site of the
Convention of 1836, where 59 delegates declared Texas independent
and drafted a constitution; the town of Washington was the capital
of the new republic from 1842 to 1845; and
WHEREAS, Washington County was organized in 1837, and Brenham
became the county seat in 1844; the county's prospects were
improved by the thousands of immigrants from Germany and Poland who
arrived during the 1860s and 1870s, and its economy was further
spurred by the arrival of the railroad in 1880; in those years,
cotton, corn, and poultry were the region's mainstays; and
WHEREAS, The area played an important role in the history of
higher education in Texas; Baylor University was founded in the
county in 1845, and in 1856 Soule University, a precursor to
Southwestern University, was founded in Chappell Hill; today, Blinn
College in Brenham carries on this proud tradition; and
WHEREAS, Washington County's central role in the history of
Texas draws visitors from across the state; the Star of the Republic
Museum, Independence Hall, and the Barrington Living History Farm
at the Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site vividly evoke
the years of the Texas Republic; the Chappell Hill Historic
District hosts the "Official Bluebonnet Festival of Texas" each
April and is home to a museum and a Masonic cemetery containing
descendants of William B. Travis; in addition, the building housing
the Brenham Heritage Museum is a venerable landmark that is listed
on the National Register of Historic Places; and
WHEREAS, Other popular attractions include Lake Somerville,
several wineries, more than 40 bed and breakfast establishments,
the Antique Rose Emporium, and scenic country roads where
wildflowers bloom in profusion; every year, thousands of people
take the tour of Blue Bell Creameries, where one of the nation's
best-selling brands of ice cream is made; and
WHEREAS, Honoring their rich history even as they work to
build a bright future, the residents of Washington County have many
reasons to be proud of the place they call home; now, therefore, be
it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
Legislature hereby recognize February 22, 2011, as Washington
County Day at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting
delegation sincere best wishes for an enjoyable and memorable stay
in Austin.