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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, Citizens of Wharton County are gathering in Austin |
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| 6 | 7 | | on March 3, 2015, to celebrate Wharton County Day at the State |
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| 7 | 8 | | Capitol; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, Wharton County was founded in April of 1846, and its |
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| 9 | 10 | | name commemorates two heroes of the Texas Revolution, brothers |
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| 10 | 11 | | William Harris Wharton and John Austin Wharton; and |
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| 11 | 12 | | WHEREAS, Wharton County is located on the Coastal Plain |
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| 12 | 13 | | southwest of Houston; the county is bounded by Matagorda, Colorado, |
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| 13 | 14 | | and Jackson Counties and by the San Bernard River, which forms its |
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| 14 | 15 | | northeastern border and marks the county line with Fort Bend |
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| 15 | 16 | | County; and |
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| 16 | 17 | | WHEREAS, Wharton County has more than 41,000 residents and |
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| 17 | 18 | | encompasses 1,086 square miles of land, which is divided primarily |
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| 18 | 19 | | between prairie and timberland; the Colorado River traverses the |
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| 19 | 20 | | county from northwest to southeast, dividing it roughly in half and |
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| 20 | 21 | | flowing through Wharton and Glen Flora; and |
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| 21 | 22 | | WHEREAS, Prospective landowners first came to the plains of |
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| 22 | 23 | | the Colorado River in 1822, led by Stephen F. Austin under contract |
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| 23 | 24 | | with the Mexican government; the Mexican Imperial Colonization Law |
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| 24 | 25 | | of 1823 granted 177 acres to the heads of families for farming and |
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| 25 | 26 | | 4,428 acres for raising cattle; and |
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| 26 | 27 | | WHEREAS, During the time of the Republic of Texas, the area |
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| 27 | 28 | | was divided into three counties, Matagorda, Jackson, and Colorado, |
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| 28 | 29 | | and the area consisted of isolated plantation homes and two growing |
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| 29 | 30 | | towns, Preston and Egypt; and |
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| 30 | 31 | | WHEREAS, After Texas entered the United States in 1845, |
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| 31 | 32 | | Wharton County was formed of parts of the three existing counties |
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| 32 | 33 | | near the intersection of the mail routes from Matagorda to Columbus |
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| 33 | 34 | | and from Houston to Victoria; and |
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| 34 | 35 | | WHEREAS, The advent of railroads and irrigation brought |
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| 35 | 36 | | increased settlement to the area, which remains a center of |
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| 36 | 37 | | agricultural, educational, industrial, and medical services for a |
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| 37 | 38 | | large region; and |
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| 38 | 39 | | WHEREAS, Wharton County's largest cities and townships are El |
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| 39 | 40 | | Campo, Wharton, East Bernard, Boling, and Louise; and |
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| 40 | 41 | | WHEREAS, Wharton, the county seat, is known for its |
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| 41 | 42 | | small-town way of life and its Czech, Danish, and Mexican heritage; |
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| 42 | 43 | | it offers proximity to both Houston and the Gulf Coast, and |
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| 43 | 44 | | outstanding festivals; it is also noted for its excellent schools |
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| 44 | 45 | | and championship football teams; and |
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| 45 | 46 | | WHEREAS, Residents of Wharton County can take pride in their |
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| 46 | 47 | | rich history and heritage as they look forward to a promising |
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| 47 | 48 | | future; now, therefore, be it |
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| 48 | 49 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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| 49 | 50 | | Legislature hereby recognize March 3, 2015, as Wharton County Day |
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| 50 | 51 | | at the State Capitol and extend sincere best wishes to all |
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| 51 | 52 | | participants for an informative and enjoyable day in Austin. |
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