85R18275 KSM-D
By: Schubert H.R. No. 1079
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Proud residents of Burleson County are gathering in
Austin on March 29, 2017, to celebrate the unique role their county
has played in the history and culture of the Lone Star State; and
WHEREAS, Situated among rolling hills and along the broad
valley of the Brazos River, the rich farmland of Burleson County
drew Anglo-Americans to settle there during the 1820s; the Mexican
government placed a fort along the western bank of the Brazos to
stem the tide of new inhabitants, but the fort's commander,
Lieutenant Colonel Jose Francisco Ruiz, eventually sided with the
Texans and became a signer of the Texas Declaration of
Independence; and
WHEREAS, The town of Caldwell was founded in 1840, and six
years later the state legislature established Burleson County,
naming it after Texas revolutionary hero General Edward Burleson
and choosing Caldwell as the county seat; during the last half of
the 19th century, European immigrants, especially Germans,
Austrians, Czechs, and Italians, moved to the area and often set up
their own communities; and
WHEREAS, Burleson County is part of the Presidential Corridor
linking the LBJ Presidential Library in Austin and the George Bush
Presidential Library and Museum in College Station; only 90 minutes
from Houston and less than three hours from San Antonio to the
southwest and Dallas/Fort Worth to the north, the county's central
location serves as a friendly passage for thousands of travelers,
many of whom stay at the county's motels, bed and breakfast
establishments, and campgrounds and take advantage of its numerous
fine attractions; and
WHEREAS, Visitors and residents alike enjoy the county's
seasonal festivals, such as the Chilifest and Snook Fest in Snook,
and the Great Texas LakeFest, which draws thousands of people to
Welch Park along scenic Lake Somerville; they also may celebrate
the county's Czech heritage at the Kolache Festival, held every
September in Caldwell, which was proclaimed the Kolache Capital of
Texas by the Texas Legislature in 1989; and
WHEREAS, The county's history is on display at the Kraitchar
House Museum, the Somerville Area Museum, the Burleson County Czech
Heritage Museum, the Caldwell Visitors Center Museum, and the
Burleson County Historical Museum, and throughout the county are 66
historical markers and 120 historic cemeteries; there are also the
opportunities for recreation afforded by Davidson Creek Park in
Caldwell and the city parks in Somerville and Snook; and
WHEREAS, Honoring the past as they work toward an even
brighter future, the citizens of Burleson County may take great
pride in the role their communities continue to play in the story of
the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas
Legislature hereby recognize March 29, 2017, as Burleson County Day
at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation sincere
best wishes for an informative and enjoyable stay in Austin.