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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 Vernon and Wilbarger County are |
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| 6 | 7 | | gathering to celebrate Wilbarger County and City of Vernon Day at |
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| 7 | 8 | | the State Capitol on March 4, 2015; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, Situated upon the rolling grasslands of North Texas, |
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| 9 | 10 | | Wilbarger County was once part of the buffalo hunting grounds of the |
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| 10 | 11 | | Comanche; named for early settlers Josiah and Mathias Wilbarger, |
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| 11 | 12 | | the county was established in 1858; a branch of the Great Western |
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| 12 | 13 | | Trail passed through the area, and from 1879 to 1895, some six |
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| 13 | 14 | | million head of cattle traversed the Red River at Doan's Crossing |
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| 14 | 15 | | during the great drives north; oil, discovered in the early 20th |
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| 15 | 16 | | century, remains important to the region's economy; and |
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| 16 | 17 | | WHEREAS, County seat Vernon, designated by voters in 1881, |
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| 17 | 18 | | was originally called Eagle Flat for the abundance of nesting |
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| 18 | 19 | | eagles nearby; today, the city is a center for farming, ranching, |
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| 19 | 20 | | and the petroleum industry; the birthplace of rock and roll legend |
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| 20 | 21 | | Roy Orbison, the town is also home to Vernon College and the Red |
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| 21 | 22 | | River Valley Museum, which chronicles the history, culture, and |
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| 22 | 23 | | geography of the region; and |
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| 23 | 24 | | WHEREAS, Formed in the mid-19th century, the Waggoner Ranch, |
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| 24 | 25 | | south of Vernon, became the largest ranch under one fence in the |
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| 25 | 26 | | nation and a five-time winner of the Texas Ranch Roundup; the Santa |
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| 26 | 27 | | Rosa Palomino Club is a renowned precision equestrian riding club, |
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| 27 | 28 | | and the club's annual Santa Rosa Roundup in Vernon draws thousands |
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| 28 | 29 | | of visitors and top professional rodeo riders; residents and |
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| 29 | 30 | | visitors alike also enjoy the picnic every May at Doan's Crossing, a |
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| 30 | 31 | | 130-year tradition that is one of the oldest annual events in Texas; |
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| 31 | 32 | | and |
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| 32 | 33 | | WHEREAS, Celebrating their rich and colorful history as they |
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| 33 | 34 | | work together to build a bright future, the citizens of Vernon and |
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| 34 | 35 | | Wilbarger County may take justifiable pride in the important role |
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| 35 | 36 | | their unique region continues to play in the story of the Lone Star |
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| 36 | 37 | | State; now, therefore, be it |
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| 37 | 38 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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| 38 | 39 | | Legislature hereby recognize March 4, 2015, as Wilbarger County and |
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| 39 | 40 | | City of Vernon Day at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting |
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| 40 | 41 | | delegation sincere best wishes for an informative and enjoyable |
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| 41 | 42 | | stay in Austin. |
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