SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 216
WHEREAS, Proud citizens of Frio County are gathering in
Austin on February 19, 2013, to celebrate Frio County Day at the
State Capitol; and
WHEREAS, Located along the river from which it derives its
name, Frio County features gently rolling plains, scattered
prairie brush, and loamy soil that has made for ideal farmland;
the area was once inhabited by Payaya and Pachal Indians, while
the later presence of hostile Comanche mustangers discouraged
settlement until after the Civil War; and
WHEREAS, On February 1, 1858, the Texas Legislature
approved the formation of a new county out of parts of nearby
Atascosa, Bexar, and Uvalde Counties, but it was not formally
organized until 1871; in 1883 residents voted to have Pearsall
designated as the county seat; and
WHEREAS, In the late 1800s, agriculture became more viable
with the introduction of barbed wire and irrigation to the area,
and railroads expanded the market for Frio County's many cash
crops; cotton remained its primary product until the Great
Depression, when local producers turned to peanuts as a more
lucrative substitute; as the decades passed, farming and
ranching were made more efficient by the use of such machinery as
the squeeze chute and the peanut combine, the latter of which was
invented by a Frio County farmer; and
WHEREAS, With the county favorably situated in the Eagle
Ford shale region, oil has joined agriculture as one of the
region's thriving industries, and today, a period of increased
commerce and job growth is drawing new residents and businesses;
and
WHEREAS, Frio County is known for its abundant wild game,
and the Pearsall area is regarded as a "hunter's paradise" with
approximately 675,000 acres of prime hunting grounds; other
leisure attractions in the town of Pearsall itself include
numerous parks and the Old Frio County Jail Museum; to the south,
Dilley is Frio County's second-largest town; it has long been
famous for its watermelons and its giant watermelon statue, but
more recently, it is becoming known as the gateway to the Greater
Eagle Ford Shale, as the county's citizens respond to the
challenges and opportunities brought by new drilling technology
and increased interest in their area from the oil and gas
industry; and
WHEREAS, Celebrating their rich heritage as they look
forward to a future bright with promise, Frio County residents
may take special pride in the unique contributions they are
making to the history and prosperity of the Lone Star State; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
83rd Legislature, hereby recognize February 19, 2013, as Frio
County Day at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting
delegation sincere best wishes for a meaningful and memorable
stay in Austin.
Uresti
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President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on February 19, 2013.
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Secretary of the Senate
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Member, Texas Senate