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| 3 | 4 | | |
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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, Many proud citizens of Dimmit County are visiting |
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| 6 | 7 | | the State Capitol on March 11, 2015, to celebrate the prominent role |
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| 7 | 8 | | this southwestern Texas county has played in the annals of our |
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| 8 | 9 | | state; and |
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| 9 | 10 | | WHEREAS, According to archeological evidence, humans have |
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| 10 | 11 | | inhabited the area of Dimmit County for at least 11,000 years; the |
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| 11 | 12 | | native Coahuiltecans were eventually pushed out by Apaches and |
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| 12 | 13 | | Comanches, as well as by Europeans, with the Spanish passing |
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| 13 | 14 | | through via the famed Old San Antonio Road in the late 1600s; and |
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| 14 | 15 | | WHEREAS, Dimmit County was named after Philip Dimmitt, one of |
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| 15 | 16 | | the framers of the Goliad Declaration of Independence; established |
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| 16 | 17 | | in 1858, it was formally organized in 1880 with Carrizo Springs as |
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| 17 | 18 | | its county seat; the town flourished, and cattle ranchers |
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| 18 | 19 | | established themselves in the county; by 1890, it was home to nearly |
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| 19 | 20 | | 100 farms and ranches, averaging over 4,000 acres in size; and |
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| 20 | 21 | | WHEREAS, In the first decades of the 20th century, the use of |
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| 21 | 22 | | underground water facilitated the introduction of commercial |
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| 22 | 23 | | agriculture, bringing new settlers and soaring land values; the |
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| 23 | 24 | | long growing season and new irrigation methods combined to make the |
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| 24 | 25 | | county one of the most prolific vegetable-growing areas in the |
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| 25 | 26 | | country, and it gained recognition as part of the Texas Winter |
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| 26 | 27 | | Garden Region; and |
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| 27 | 28 | | WHEREAS, Drought and the Great Depression took a toll on |
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| 28 | 29 | | agriculture in the county in the first half of the 20th century, but |
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| 29 | 30 | | vegetable farming rebounded following World War II; later, water |
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| 30 | 31 | | supply problems again hampered farming, ranching regained |
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| 31 | 32 | | dominance in the economy, and oil and gas production became |
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| 32 | 33 | | increasingly important; the area continues to be known for its |
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| 33 | 34 | | abundance of mineral resources; and |
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| 34 | 35 | | WHEREAS, Today, Dimmit County has a population estimated at |
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| 35 | 36 | | nearly 11,000, and in recent years, oil and gas company investment |
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| 36 | 37 | | in the Eagle Ford Shale has brought rapid development and a rush of |
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| 37 | 38 | | newcomers; and |
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| 38 | 39 | | WHEREAS, The industrious citizens of this notable Texas |
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| 39 | 40 | | county can take justifiable pride in its history as they prepare to |
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| 40 | 41 | | embrace the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in a new era |
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| 41 | 42 | | of progress; now, therefore, be it |
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| 42 | 43 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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| 43 | 44 | | Legislature hereby recognize March 11, 2015, as Dimmit County Day |
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| 44 | 45 | | at the State Capitol and extend to the delegation sincere best |
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| 45 | 46 | | wishes for an enjoyable and informative visit. |
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