| 2 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 3 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
|---|
| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, Residents of Jackson County are gathering in Austin |
|---|
| 6 | 7 | | on April 21, 2015, to celebrate Jackson County Day at the State |
|---|
| 7 | 8 | | Capitol, and this occasion provides a welcome opportunity to honor |
|---|
| 8 | 9 | | the history and achievements of this notable area of the Lone Star |
|---|
| 9 | 10 | | State; and |
|---|
| 10 | 11 | | WHEREAS, Located along the Gulf of Mexico, this part of the |
|---|
| 11 | 12 | | Coastal Prairie was once inhabited by the Karankawa people, and it |
|---|
| 12 | 13 | | is thought that the early European explorers Cabeza de Vaca and La |
|---|
| 13 | 14 | | Salle visited the area; in the 1820s, a number of the "Old 300" |
|---|
| 14 | 15 | | families in Stephen F. Austin's first colony arrived, and the |
|---|
| 15 | 16 | | communities they founded became known as the Alabama Settlement |
|---|
| 16 | 17 | | because so many of the new arrivals had previously resided in that |
|---|
| 17 | 18 | | state; and |
|---|
| 18 | 19 | | WHEREAS, The area played a central role in the Texas |
|---|
| 19 | 20 | | Revolution, serving as a training ground for Texan forces and |
|---|
| 20 | 21 | | suffering destruction at the hands of the Mexican Army; after |
|---|
| 21 | 22 | | independence was won in 1836, Jackson County was one of the original |
|---|
| 22 | 23 | | 23 counties formed in the newly established republic; and |
|---|
| 23 | 24 | | WHEREAS, Cattle ranching and farming became the backbone of |
|---|
| 24 | 25 | | the local economy in the mid-1800s, and these businesses remain |
|---|
| 25 | 26 | | important to the county today, with rice, corn, and cotton being |
|---|
| 26 | 27 | | prominent crops; moreover, oil and natural gas production have |
|---|
| 27 | 28 | | employed many area residents since reserves were discovered in the |
|---|
| 28 | 29 | | 1930s; and |
|---|
| 29 | 30 | | WHEREAS, The town of Edna was established in the 1880s as a |
|---|
| 30 | 31 | | stop on a new railroad that was built through the coastal region; it |
|---|
| 31 | 32 | | quickly eclipsed the existing county seat, Texana, and in 1883, |
|---|
| 32 | 33 | | Edna became the center of government operations; other communities |
|---|
| 33 | 34 | | in the county include Francitas, Ganado, LaSalle, La Ward, Lolita, |
|---|
| 34 | 35 | | and Vanderbilt; and |
|---|
| 35 | 36 | | WHEREAS, Encompassing Lake Texana and Lavaca Bay, Jackson |
|---|
| 36 | 37 | | County is a great place for boating, fishing, and hiking, and these |
|---|
| 37 | 38 | | activities draw many people to sites such as the Brackenridge |
|---|
| 38 | 39 | | Recreation Complex, which includes the Brackenridge and Texana |
|---|
| 39 | 40 | | parks and campgrounds, as well as the Main Event Center; hunting and |
|---|
| 40 | 41 | | bird-watching are also popular, and visitors can learn about local |
|---|
| 41 | 42 | | history at the Texana Museum and Old Jail House in Edna; and |
|---|
| 42 | 43 | | WHEREAS, Celebrating their rich and colorful history as they |
|---|
| 43 | 44 | | work together to build a bright future, the citizens of Jackson |
|---|
| 44 | 45 | | County may take justifiable pride in the important role their |
|---|
| 45 | 46 | | unique region continues to play in the story of the Lone Star State; |
|---|
| 46 | 47 | | now, therefore, be it |
|---|
| 47 | 48 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
|---|
| 48 | 49 | | Legislature hereby recognize April 21, 2015, as Jackson County Day |
|---|
| 49 | 50 | | at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation best |
|---|
| 50 | 51 | | wishes for an informative and enjoyable stay in Austin. |
|---|