82R13053 BPG-D
By: Cain H.R. No. 881
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Many proud citizens of Lamar County are visiting the
State Capitol on April 6, 2011, to celebrate the prominent role this
Northeast Texas county has played in the annals of the Lone Star
State; and
WHEREAS, At the time of the Republic of Texas, present-day
Lamar County was located within the boundaries of Red River County;
population growth led the Fifth Congress of the republic to
establish Lamar County on December 17, 1840, and the current
boundaries were drawn 30 years later when a portion of land was
carved out for the creation of Delta County; and
WHEREAS, Lamar County's namesake was the fourth president of
the Republic of Texas, Mirabeau B. Lamar; the small settlement of
Lafayette served as the first county seat, but after the Texas
Congress passed a law requiring that each county seat be located
within five miles of the county's geographic center, Mount Vernon
served briefly in that capacity until the town of Paris was founded
on 50 acres donated by George W. Wright; Paris has served as the
county seat since 1844; and
WHEREAS, Numerous early settlers migrated to Lamar County
through Tennessee and Kentucky and established small farms; at the
turn of the century, the county remained primarily rural, and
although the population of Paris had grown to more than 9,000, no
other community exceeded 1,000 residents; the industrial economy
gradually began to make gains on agriculture in the 20th century as
people moved into towns and smaller communities, and Paris played
an increasingly important role in the economy of Northeast Texas;
and
WHEREAS, Today, Paris is a hub of retail trade, farming, and
medical care and home to four Fortune 500 companies, Campbell's
Soup Company, Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Sara Lee Bakery Group,
and Florida Power and Light; the city is located within an excellent
multimodal transportation network, and in addition to
manufacturing and processing plants, it hosts a number of
distribution centers that serve the entire nation; and
WHEREAS, Quality of life in Paris is enhanced by such
beautiful recreation areas as Wade Park, Lake Gibbons, Lake Crook,
and the Sam Bell Maxey State Historic Structure; every summer,
citizens enjoy the Tour de Paris bike race and concerts by the Paris
Municipal Band, the oldest such ensemble in the state; landmarks
include the Culbertson Fountain in the historic district, named
"the prettiest plaza in the State of Texas" by Texas Monthly
magazine, and the "second largest Eiffel Tower in the Second
Largest Paris," a 65-foot-tall monument constructed by local
workers and capped, appropriately, with a cowboy hat; and
WHEREAS, The industrious residents of this vital Texas county
are preserving the best of their past while working to meet the
challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, and it is indeed a
pleasure to honor them at this time; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
Legislature hereby recognize April 6, 2011, as Lamar County Day at
the State Capitol and extend to the delegation sincere best wishes
for an enjoyable and memorable visit.