84R6124 BPG-D
By: Nevárez H.R. No. 364
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Proud residents of Loving County are gathering in
Austin to celebrate Loving County Day at the State Capitol; and
WHEREAS, The geographically smallest county in the Permian
Basin, Loving County lies to the east of the Pecos River in the
Chihuahuan Desert along the Texas-New Mexico border; its 674 square
miles of desert, low rolling hills, playas, and dry draws were
carved out of Tom Green County in 1887 and named in honor of Oliver
Loving, an early Texas cattleman; privately organized by
out-of-state businessmen in 1893, the county was officially
attached to Reeves County by the state legislature four years
later; and
WHEREAS, In 1931, Loving County was reorganized, becoming the
only Texas county to be organized twice and the last to be
established; its fortunes had risen with the discovery of oil in the
1920s and the founding of the town of Ramsey; new residents came to
the community from the nearby settlement of Porterville and beyond;
as the county seat, Ramsey was soon given the name of Mentone, which
originally designated the old, abandoned county seat 12 miles to
the north; the historic Loving County Courthouse was built in
Mentone in 1935; and
WHEREAS, Cattle ranching has remained an important part of
the local economy since the 1800s, but oil and gas production, the
primary industry, has become even more dominant in recent years;
while Loving County has long ranked as the most rural county in the
nation--and with 95 citizens now living there, is among the least
populous--the number of residents has grown with the energy boom,
and more people come during the day to work in the oil fields;
still, the wide-open spaces of Western songs are no mere memory
here, and the abundant wildlife includes quail, deer, javelinas,
bobcats, coyotes, and armadillos; and
WHEREAS, Citizens may take great pride in the rugged beauty
and rich traditions of Loving County as they look forward to the
myriad challenges and opportunities of the future; now, therefore,
be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas
Legislature hereby recognize Loving County Day at the State Capitol
and extend to the visiting delegation sincere best wishes for an
informative and enjoyable stay in Austin.