82R4912 JGH-D
By: Weber H.R. No. 554
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Public-spirited citizens of Matagorda County are
gathering in Austin to celebrate Matagorda County Day at the State
Capitol on February 23, 2011; and
WHEREAS, Taking its name from the Spanish phrase meaning
"thick brush," this region of prairie, salt marshes, and coastal
waterways was visited by the French explorer La Salle in 1685; the
area constituted part of Stephen F. Austin's first colony, and
settlers began arriving through Matagorda Bay during the winter of
1821-1822; in 1829, the town of Matagorda was established as a
military post, and in 1836, Matagorda County became one of the
original 23 counties of the Republic of Texas; and
WHEREAS, Matagorda ranked as the second-largest seaport in
Texas for a time and served as a shipping point for cotton, sugar,
and livestock raised in the county; when the boll weevil endangered
the cotton crop in the early 20th century, farmers began to grow
rice, and the discovery of oil and sulfur further diversified the
county's economy; and
WHEREAS, Ranching, farming, and petroleum remain important,
and the county also benefits from the presence of the South Texas
Project nuclear plant, which generates enough electricity to power
approximately two million homes in Texas; Bay City, the county
seat, is a center of the petrochemical industry, while the port at
Palacios is home to the largest fishing fleet on the Texas Gulf
Coast; and
WHEREAS, Visitors and residents alike enjoy the county's fine
beaches and its many opportunities for fishing and water sports,
while birders from across the nation are drawn to the Mad Island
Marsh and Wildlife Management Area; Bay City is the location of
several major annual attractions--the annual county fair,
livestock show, and rodeo, which take place in the early spring, and
the Rice Festival, which is held in the fall; in between those
dates, Palacios hosts the Texas Fishermen's Seafood Festival, in
December, and a reenactment of La Salle's landing, every Fourth of
July; and
WHEREAS, Matagorda County is an area of abundant natural
resources and rich history, and its residents may take great pride
in their notable heritage as they look forward to a future filled
with promise; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
Legislature hereby recognize February 23, 2011, as Matagorda County
Day at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation
sincere best wishes for a meaningful and memorable visit to Austin.