85R9542 KSM-D By: Button H.R. No. 342 R E S O L U T I O N WHEREAS, Proud residents of Rowlett are gathering in Austin on February 16, 2017, to celebrate Rowlett Day at the State Capitol; and WHEREAS, The area around present-day Rowlett was first settled in the 1840s by two immigration companies, the W. S. Peters Colony and the Charles Mercer Colony; a post office was set up in 1880 and named Morris, after its first postmaster, but the name was later changed to Rowlett, after Rowlett Creek, a tributary of the east fork of the Trinity River; and WHEREAS, The arrival of the Dallas and Greenville Railway in 1889 helped the town become a prosperous cotton farming community with a school, churches, and businesses, and in 1921, it was included on the route of the Bankhead Highway, the nation's second cross-country paved highway; the city was incorporated in 1952 by a vote of 84 citizens; and WHEREAS, Now with easy access to Dallas by way of the President George Bush Turnpike and the Dallas Area Rapid Transit light rail system, Rowlett has grown into a thriving community of more than 60,000 residents who enjoy 30 miles of beautiful Lake Ray Hubbard shoreline; and WHEREAS, The town has been named as a Tree City USA, and it has won recognition from the Texas Economic Development Council and the Dallas Business Journal for its economic development achievements; popular annual events include an Easter egg hunt, fireworks on the Fourth of July, the Movies on Main series, and a holiday parade and tree lighting ceremony every Christmas; and WHEREAS, Honoring their heritage as they embrace the opportunities of the future, the citizens of Rowlett may take justifiable pride in their efforts to cultivate such an attractive and comfortable community in which to live, work, and raise a family; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas Legislature hereby recognize February 16, 2017, as Rowlett Day at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation sincere best wishes for an enjoyable stay in Austin.