84R6674 JGH-D
By: King of Uvalde H.R. No. 921
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Proud residents of Crystal City are gathering in
Austin on March 18, 2015, to celebrate Crystal City Day at the State
Capitol; and
WHEREAS, Situated in the Winter Garden Region of South Texas,
Crystal City was laid out in 1905 by two developers, Carl F. Groos
and E. J. Buckingham, and named for the clear waters of a nearby
artesian well; by 1908, the town had a post office, a school, and a
stop on the Uvalde Railway, and in 1928, it was named the seat of
Zavala County; and
WHEREAS, From its earliest days, Crystal City was a shipping
point for winter vegetables such as onions, carrots, tomatoes, and
peppers; a vegetable cannery was opened in 1932, and the town became
known as the Spinach Capital of the World; the first spinach
festival was held in 1936 and ran each year until World War II; in
1937, the town erected a statue of Popeye, the spinach-loving
cartoon character, across the street from city hall; and
WHEREAS, During World War II, the Immigration and
Naturalization Service took over a camp for migratory farm workers
at Crystal City and used the facility to intern Japanese Americans
and Axis nationals, many of whom had been residing in various South
American countries; at its peak, the camp held more than 3,300 men,
women, and children speaking five different languages; the camp was
converted to low-cost housing after the war; and
WHEREAS, The rising power of Crystal City's majority Hispanic
population in the 1960s helped increase their representation in
city government; in 1967, three Chicano students at Crystal City
High School founded the Mexican American Youth Organization,
leading three years later to the founding of the Raza Unida Party;
and
WHEREAS, Today, Crystal City continues to be a hub for
farming, ranching, and food processing, with the Del Monte
Corporation cannery specializing in locally produced spinach and
carrots, and the Spinach Festival, which was revived in 1982, draws
visitors from around the country with such activities as a
cook-off, a carnival and parade, and musical performances; and
WHEREAS, The mayor and city council members are together
leading efforts for infrastructure renewal, and recent successful
initiatives include road, water, and lighting upgrades; the town
has also made improvements at its popular Juan Garcia Park, adding a
ranch rodeo arena, a swimming pool complex, new basketball courts,
and wheelchair-accessible restrooms; and
WHEREAS, The citizens of Crystal City are working to preserve
the best of their past while building a future of ever-expanding
opportunity, and it is indeed most fitting to honor them for their
industry and public spirit; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas
Legislature hereby recognize March 18, 2015, as Crystal City Day at
the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation sincere
best wishes for an enjoyable stay in Austin.