85R19938 KSM-D
By: Hefner H.R. No. 1519
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Proud residents of Rains County are visiting Austin
on April 25, 2017, to celebrate Rains County Day at the State
Capitol; and
WHEREAS, Situated between Lake Tawakoni and Lake Fork
Reservoir, Rains County is blessed with an abundant water supply
and fertile soil characteristic of the Blackland Prairie region;
the county was formed in the late 1800s from Hopkins, Hunt, and Wood
Counties and named in honor of Emory Rains, an early pioneer who
served in the Congress of the Republic of Texas; and
WHEREAS, Rains County initially prospered as an agricultural
and ranching center and today enjoys a diverse economy that
includes oil production, manufacturing, and tourism; and
WHEREAS, The county seat, Emory, which was originally known
as Springville, is now the county's largest town, with a population
of approximately 1,200; it is home to the annual Eagle Fest
celebration held in the winter, when the area lakes are the home of
many American bald eagles and other rare birds; and
WHEREAS, The City of Point was incorporated in the 1960s and
is recognized as the birthplace of the National Farmers Union, an
organization that has grown to include 200,000 members; the 10
founding fathers of the NFU are memorialized by a historic monument
in the city, which incorporates a statue of the union's founder,
Isaac Newton Gresham, and a display of the flags of the NFU's member
states; and
WHEREAS, The county's youngest municipality, East Tawakoni,
was incorporated in 1967 and has experienced significant growth in
recent years; this resort area offers residents the benefits of a
relaxed rural community while providing easy access to Dallas;
notably, the city is connected to its counterpart, West Tawakoni in
Hunt County, by the new Two-Mile Bridge; completed in 2016, this
impressive structure replaced the original Two-Mile Bridge, which
was built across Lake Tawakoni in 1959 and was the longest bridge
serving a farm-to-market road at the time of its construction; and
WHEREAS, One of the smallest counties in the state, but one of
the fastest growing in the nation, Rains County is indeed playing a
vital role in the prosperity of the Lone Star State, and it is a
pleasure to join with our fellow Texans in saluting the county and
its fine citizens; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas
Legislature hereby recognize April 25, 2017, as Rains County Day at
the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation sincere
best wishes for a meaningful and memorable stay in Austin.