SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 572
WHEREAS, Proud residents of McMullen County are gathering
in Austin to celebrate McMullen County Day at the State Capitol
on March 23, 2011; and
WHEREAS, Located in the center of South Texas, McMullen
County is made up of more than 1,000 square miles of flat and
rolling brushland; artifacts discovered in the county indicate
that human settlement dates back perhaps as far as 11,000 years,
with groups of hunter-gatherers in the area until the 1700s; and
WHEREAS, Several Spanish expeditions passed through the
area in the 17th and 18th centuries, but the population was
sparse until shortly before the Civil War, when settlers began to
move in to take advantage of the grasslands where wild mustangs
and cattle could be found; and
WHEREAS, The county was established in 1858, and a group of
resourceful adventurers settled where the Leoncita Creek flowed
into the Rio Frio; the town was first called Rio Frio, then Dog
Town, and finally Tilden, after Samuel J. (Whispering Sammy)
Tilden, the unsuccessful Democratic candidate for president in
1876; the town eventually became the county seat; and
WHEREAS, Cattle and sheep ranching dominate the county's
economy, though oil and gas have grown in importance since the
1930s, and the region is also a destination for hunters; and
WHEREAS, McMullen County residents are stewards of an area
of fascinating history and culture, and their unique county
merits special recognition; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 82nd
Legislature, hereby recognize March 23, 2011, as McMullen County
Day at the State Capitol and extend best wishes to the visiting
delegation for an informative and enjoyable stay in Austin; and,
be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in
honor of this special day.
Zaffirini
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President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on March 22, 2011.
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Secretary of the Senate
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Member, Texas Senate