H.R. No. 270
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Proud residents of Palestine are gathering in Austin
on February 7, 2013, to celebrate Palestine Day at the State
Capitol, and this occasion provides a welcome opportunity to honor
this beautiful and historic Texas community; and
WHEREAS, The seat of Anderson County, Palestine was founded
in March 1846; it remained a largely agrarian community until 1873,
when tracks of the Houston and Great Northern Railroad, a precursor
of the International-Great Northern, reached the town; rail shops,
switching yards, and offices were subsequently established about a
mile from what came to be known as Palestine's Old Town, and a
second business district grew up near the rail line in the late
1800s; and
WHEREAS, With more than 1,800 historic structures, most of
which are located in the four National Register Historic Districts
and three local Palestine Historic Districts, Palestine is noted
for its exceptional success in preserving the historical integrity
of its built environment; the town has been designated a Texas Main
Street City, a National Main Street City, and a Preserve America
City; and
WHEREAS, Palestine is the home of the Dogwood Trails
Festival, which is held every March and which includes a parade,
arts and crafts exhibitions, and food booths in the downtown area
and live entertainment in the Old Town section; the town is also a
terminus of the Texas State Railroad, which runs steam train
excursions between Palestine and Rusk, in adjacent Cherokee County;
in November and December, the railroad has a special Polar Express
trip for children, inspired by the Chris Van Allsburg novel of the
same name; and
WHEREAS, Another notable institution in the city is the NASA
Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility, which is managed by the
Physical Science Laboratory of New Mexico State University; the
CSBF provides launching, tracking, and recovery services for
unmanned high-altitude research balloons, and over the years the
facility has launched more than 1,700 such devices; and
WHEREAS, Palestine city government, the Palestine Economic
Development Corporation, and local citizens, businesses, and civic
organizations have done an exceptional job of preserving the city's
history and charm while creating a vibrant community for residents
and visitors alike; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas
Legislature hereby recognize February 7, 2013, as Palestine Day at
the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation sincere
best wishes for a productive and memorable visit to Austin.
Cook
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 270 was adopted by the House on
February 18, 2013, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House