84R8370 BPG-D
By: Price H.R. No. 462
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Proud residents of the Texas Panhandle are gathering
in Austin on February 17, 2015, to celebrate Panhandle Day at the
State Capitol, and this occasion offers a welcome opportunity to
honor their region's rich heritage and many noteworthy features;
and
WHEREAS, One of the oldest inhabited areas of Texas, the
Panhandle is crossed by the Canadian and Red Rivers, rests over the
southern tip of the Ogallala Aquifer, and offers breathtaking views
of Palo Duro Canyon, the second-largest canyon in the country; its
vast rolling plains were once roamed by Paleo-Indian hunters, long
before Francisco Vazquez de Coronado became the first European to
reach the area in 1541; it remained contested territory throughout
much of its history, until the Compromise of 1850, when it assumed
its modern boundaries; and
WHEREAS, Ranching became central to the Panhandle's culture
and economy in the late 19th century; during this time, two of the
area's major ranches were established: JA Ranch, which began in
1876 when Charles Goodnight arrived with a herd of longhorn cattle
from Colorado, and XIT Ranch, which was formed in the 1880s from
three million acres of Panhandle land traded by the state to finance
construction of a new Texas Capitol; the regional economy was
further diversified with the advent of the railroads and dryland
farming techniques, which led to a greater role for wheat and cotton
farming, and the discovery of oil and natural gas in the 1920s;
today, the agriculture, oil and gas, and wind industries continue
to be important to the region, and there are two large refining
facilities, the Valero McKee Refinery in Sunray and the
ConocoPhillips Refinery in Borger; and
WHEREAS, Amarillo, in Potter and Randall Counties, is an
essential component of the prosperity of the Panhandle, with Tyson
Foods, Bell Helicopter, Pantex, and multiple state-of-the-art
health care systems all serving as major employers; in addition,
the city is home to two major associations, the American Quarter
Horse Association and the Texas Cattle Feeders Association; the
nearby town of Canyon offers access to Palo Duro Canyon State Park,
designated as one of "America's 10 Best State Parks" by Fodor's
Travel, and is home to the long-running outdoor musical drama
Texas, which chronicles the story of Panhandle settlers in the
1800s; other notable communities include Pampa, the second-largest
city in the Panhandle and a commercial center for oil and livestock,
Dalhart, which hosts the annual XIT Rodeo and Reunion, and Dumas and
Hereford, major centers for cattle feeding operations and beef
processing plants; this area, known as Cattle-Feeding Country,
supports a multibillion dollar industry with the largest
proliferation of feedlots in the nation; and
WHEREAS, The Panhandle is home to such premier educational
institutions as the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center,
with its schools of medicine, pharmacy, and allied health sciences,
and West Texas A&M University, both of which boast nationally
recognized programs and faculty; Amarillo College continues to be
among the finest community colleges in the country, and Wayland
Baptist University, Frank Phillips College, and Clarendon College
also offer outstanding educational opportunities; and
WHEREAS, Visitors and residents alike enjoy a range of
attractions, including a number of museums, such as the American
Quarter Horse Museum and the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum,
with over 2 million artifacts, along with such cultural assets as
the Amarillo Museum of Art, the Lone Star Ballet, and the Amarillo
Symphony; moreover, the adventurous can drive the length of the
legendary Route 66 through Texas, starting in Glen Rio and passing
through Amarillo's popular historic district before ending their
journey in Shamrock; and
WHEREAS, Known for their hospitality, strong work ethic, and
resilience, or, as Stratford's welcome sign proclaims, "God, Grass,
and Grit," the citizens of the Texas Panhandle may take great pride
in all they have done to make their region one of the treasures of
the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas
Legislature hereby recognize February 17, 2015, as Panhandle Day at
the State Capitol and extend to the visiting guests sincere best
wishes for a meaningful and memorable stay in Austin.