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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 Crystal City are gathering in |
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| 6 | 7 | | Austin on March 18, 2015, to celebrate Crystal City Day at the State |
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| 7 | 8 | | Capitol; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, Situated in the Winter Garden Region of South Texas, |
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| 9 | 10 | | Crystal City was laid out in 1905 by two developers, Carl F. Groos |
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| 10 | 11 | | and E. J. Buckingham, and named for the clear waters of a nearby |
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| 11 | 12 | | artesian well; by 1908, the town had a post office, a school, and a |
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| 12 | 13 | | stop on the Uvalde Railway, and in 1928, it was named the seat of |
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| 13 | 14 | | Zavala County; and |
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| 14 | 15 | | WHEREAS, From its earliest days, Crystal City was a shipping |
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| 15 | 16 | | point for winter vegetables such as onions, carrots, tomatoes, and |
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| 16 | 17 | | peppers; a vegetable cannery was opened in 1932, and the town became |
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| 17 | 18 | | known as the Spinach Capital of the World; the first spinach |
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| 18 | 19 | | festival was held in 1936 and ran each year until World War II; in |
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| 19 | 20 | | 1937, the town erected a statue of Popeye, the spinach-loving |
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| 20 | 21 | | cartoon character, across the street from city hall; and |
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| 21 | 22 | | WHEREAS, During World War II, the Immigration and |
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| 22 | 23 | | Naturalization Service took over a camp for migratory farm workers |
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| 23 | 24 | | at Crystal City and used the facility to intern Japanese Americans |
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| 24 | 25 | | and Axis nationals, many of whom had been residing in various South |
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| 25 | 26 | | American countries; at its peak, the camp held more than 3,300 men, |
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| 26 | 27 | | women, and children speaking five different languages; the camp was |
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| 27 | 28 | | converted to low-cost housing after the war; and |
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| 28 | 29 | | WHEREAS, The rising power of Crystal City's majority Hispanic |
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| 29 | 30 | | population in the 1960s helped increase their representation in |
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| 30 | 31 | | city government; in 1967, three Chicano students at Crystal City |
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| 31 | 32 | | High School founded the Mexican American Youth Organization, |
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| 32 | 33 | | leading three years later to the founding of the Raza Unida Party; |
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| 33 | 34 | | and |
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| 34 | 35 | | WHEREAS, Today, Crystal City continues to be a hub for |
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| 35 | 36 | | farming, ranching, and food processing, with the Del Monte |
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| 36 | 37 | | Corporation cannery specializing in locally produced spinach and |
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| 37 | 38 | | carrots, and the Spinach Festival, which was revived in 1982, draws |
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| 38 | 39 | | visitors from around the country with such activities as a |
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| 39 | 40 | | cook-off, a carnival and parade, and musical performances; and |
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| 40 | 41 | | WHEREAS, The mayor and city council members are together |
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| 41 | 42 | | leading efforts for infrastructure renewal, and recent successful |
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| 42 | 43 | | initiatives include road, water, and lighting upgrades; the town |
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| 43 | 44 | | has also made improvements at its popular Juan Garcia Park, adding a |
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| 44 | 45 | | ranch rodeo arena, a swimming pool complex, new basketball courts, |
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| 45 | 46 | | and wheelchair-accessible restrooms; and |
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| 46 | 47 | | WHEREAS, The citizens of Crystal City are working to preserve |
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| 47 | 48 | | the best of their past while building a future of ever-expanding |
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| 48 | 49 | | opportunity, and it is indeed most fitting to honor them for their |
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| 49 | 50 | | industry and public spirit; now, therefore, be it |
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| 50 | 51 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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| 51 | 52 | | Legislature hereby recognize March 18, 2015, as Crystal City Day at |
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| 52 | 53 | | the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation sincere |
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| 53 | 54 | | best wishes for an enjoyable stay in Austin. |
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