84R5380 KSM-D
By: Raney H.R. No. 171
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Proud residents of the Bryan-College Station area
are gathering in Austin on February 4, 2015, to celebrate
Bryan-College Station Day at the State Capitol; and
WHEREAS, Located among the gentle, rolling hills of the
Brazos Valley, this part of east-central Texas was encompassed in
the land grant that Stephen F. Austin received in 1825; one of
Austin's nephews, William Joel Bryan, donated land for a town site
in 1859, and the new settlement was named in his honor; surrounded
by fertile farmlands and served by the railroad from the late 1860s
onward, Bryan became an important commercial center and was
formally incorporated in 1872; and
WHEREAS, Just south of Bryan, a defining event occurred in
1876 when the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas opened
its doors to students for the first time; the community that grew up
adjacent to the new school took its name, College Station, from the
post office that was established there, along the railway, in 1887;
home to many faculty members, the town expanded northward through
the years, aided in part by an electric railway that linked it to
Bryan in the early 1900s, and the community incorporated in 1938;
growing in conjunction with the university, College Station saw a
sixfold increase in its population between 1960 and 2000; and
WHEREAS, Texas A&M is one of the largest public universities
in the United States and ranks among the nation's leaders in
academic research; students from around the globe pursue degrees in
diverse areas of study, and this international presence infuses
additional vibrancy into a school already rich in tradition and
spirit; former A&M students have achieved distinction in many
fields of endeavor, and five individuals affiliated with the
university have earned the Nobel Prize; the university also
benefits from the loyal backing of a legion of students, alumni, and
other supporters, who know Bryan-College Station affectionately as
Aggieland; and
WHEREAS, The George Bush Presidential Library and Museum on
the university campus is the area's leading tourist attraction and
has received more than 700,000 visitors since it opened in 1997; as
the repository of artifacts, documents, film, photographs, music,
and more, the library and museum document the career and
accomplishments of the nation's 41st president while promoting
civic literacy and fostering volunteerism and an interest in public
service; a number of other outstanding museums and galleries are
located in Bryan-College Station as well, making the area a
thriving center for cultural activities; and
WHEREAS, Excellent business opportunities are also found in
the two cities, encouraged by the notable efforts of the
Bryan/College Station Chamber of Commerce; for the last 17 years,
the chamber has benefited from the outstanding leadership of
President and CEO Royce Hickman, who is a graduate of A&M, past
president of the school's former students association, and member
of the George Bush School of Government and Public Services
Development Council, the Texas A&M Career Center Advisory Council,
and the Bush School Public Service Organization Advisory Board; and
WHEREAS, Together, Bryan and College Station afford the
amenities of a dynamic metropolitan area while also providing the
charm and warmth that are typical of small towns, and this
combination helps make these adjoining communities a unique,
prosperous, and enjoyable part of the Lone Star State; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas
Legislature hereby recognize February 4, 2015, as Bryan-College
Station Day at the State Capitol and extend to the members of the
visiting delegation sincere best wishes for a rewarding visit to
Austin.