85R22752 KSM-D
By: Nevárez H.R. No. 1382
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Proud residents of Val Verde County are gathering in
Austin on April 12, 2017, to celebrate Val Verde County Day at the
State Capitol; and
WHEREAS, The brushlands along the Rio Grande were first
inhabited more than 6,000 years ago by native peoples whose cave
paintings are still visible; the Spanish arrived in the 1590s,
encountering the Lipan Apaches and the Comanches, and in the 1850s
and after the Civil War, a series of military camps were set up in
the area; and
WHEREAS, The community of San Felipe Del Rio was founded in
1868, and Val Verde County was organized in 1885; that same year,
the colorful Judge Roy Bean was elected justice of the peace in
Langtry, where he became known as "the Law West of the Pecos,"
making his distinctive rulings from the Jersey Lilly Saloon; and
WHEREAS, County seat Del Rio today is a cultural center for
the area; it is home to campuses of Southwest Texas Junior College
and Sul Ross State University, as well as to the Upstagers Community
Theatre, which presents several productions each year; and
WHEREAS, Since its earliest days, Val Verde County has been a
center for sheep and goat ranching, and the wool and mohair
industries continue to be central to its economy; other important
employers include Laughlin Air Force Base, the U.S. Border Patrol,
and the National Park Service; and
WHEREAS, Tourism and trade with Mexico are also part of the
life of the county; opportunities for boating, fishing, birding,
and hiking are afforded by the Amistad National Recreation Area,
and the Whitehead Memorial Museum in Del Rio and the Judge Roy Bean
Visitor Center in Langtry attract visitors interested in the
heritage of the county's frontier days; and
WHEREAS, Celebrating their rich history as they work to build
an even brighter future, the people of Val Verde County may take
great pride in the important role their unique region continues 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 April 12, 2017, as Val Verde County
Day at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation
sincere best wishes for a meaningful and memorable stay in Austin.