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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, Proud residents of Del Rio and Val Verde County are |
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| 6 | 7 | | gathering in Austin to celebrate Val Verde County-Del Rio Day at the |
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| 7 | 8 | | State Capitol; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, The brushlands along the Rio Grande were first |
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| 9 | 10 | | inhabited more than 6,000 years ago by native peoples whose cave |
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| 10 | 11 | | paintings are still visible; the Spanish arrived in the 1590s, |
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| 11 | 12 | | encountering the Lipan Apaches and the Comanches, and in the 1850s |
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| 12 | 13 | | and after the Civil War, a series of military camps were set up in |
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| 13 | 14 | | the area; and |
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| 14 | 15 | | WHEREAS, The community of San Felipe Del Rio was founded in |
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| 15 | 16 | | 1868, and Val Verde County was organized in 1885; that same year, |
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| 16 | 17 | | the colorful Judge Roy Bean was elected justice of the peace in |
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| 17 | 18 | | Langtry, where he became known as "the Law West of the Pecos," |
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| 18 | 19 | | making his distinctive rulings from the Jersey Lilly Saloon; and |
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| 19 | 20 | | WHEREAS, County seat Del Rio today is a cultural center for |
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| 20 | 21 | | the area; it is home to campuses of Southwest Texas Junior College |
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| 21 | 22 | | and Sul Ross State University, as well as to the Upstagers Community |
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| 22 | 23 | | Theatre, which presents several productions each year; and |
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| 23 | 24 | | WHEREAS, Since its earliest days, Val Verde County has been a |
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| 24 | 25 | | center for sheep and goat ranching, and the wool and mohair |
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| 25 | 26 | | industries continue to be central to its economy; other important |
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| 26 | 27 | | employers include Laughlin Air Force Base, the U.S. Border Patrol, |
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| 27 | 28 | | and the National Park Service; and |
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| 28 | 29 | | WHEREAS, Tourism and trade with Mexico are also part of the |
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| 29 | 30 | | life of the county; opportunities for boating, fishing, birding, |
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| 30 | 31 | | and hiking are afforded by the Amistad National Recreation Area, |
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| 31 | 32 | | and the Whitehead Memorial Museum in Del Rio and the Judge Roy Bean |
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| 32 | 33 | | Visitor Center in Langtry attract visitors interested in the |
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| 33 | 34 | | heritage of the county's frontier days; and |
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| 34 | 35 | | WHEREAS, Celebrating their rich history as they work to build |
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| 35 | 36 | | a bright future, the citizens of Del Rio and Val Verde County may |
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| 36 | 37 | | take great pride in the important role their unique region |
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| 37 | 38 | | continues to play in the story of the Lone Star State; now, |
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| 38 | 39 | | therefore, be it |
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| 39 | 40 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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| 40 | 41 | | Legislature hereby recognize Val Verde County-Del Rio Day at the |
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| 41 | 42 | | State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation sincere best |
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| 42 | 43 | | wishes for a memorable stay in Austin. |
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