SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 331
WHEREAS, Proud residents of Grand Prairie are gathering in
Austin on March 1, 2017, to celebrate Grand Prairie Day at the
State Capitol; and
WHEREAS, Founded during the Civil War and originally known
as Deckman, the city was renamed Grand Prairie in the 1870s, and the
Texas and Pacific Railway was built to the site in 1876; by 1890,
the community boasted a public school, a steam gristmill-cotton
gin, a broom factory, and a wagon factory; in 1928, Hensley Field
was built just two miles east of Grand Prairie, and the field
became the hub for area army operations; and
WHEREAS, Grand Prairie experienced a substantial boom
during World War II, when a military flight training center and
an aircraft production factory were established nearby, bringing
the city's population from 1,595 to approximately 18,000; and
WHEREAS, Today, Grand Prairie continues to grow, and the
community has been nationally ranked by WalletHub as the 13th
best city for families and the 30th best city for jobs, and Forbes
named it one of the best places to retire in the United States;
furthermore, crime has dropped 37 percent since 2010, and
according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Texas
Department of Public Safety, Grand Prairie is the eighth safest
major city in Texas with a population of more than 100,000; the
Grand Prairie Police Department earned a White House Champions of
Change award for its Youth Boxing Program in 2015, and the Grand
Prairie Fire Department has achieved the coveted ISO 1 rating and
was awarded the American Heart Association's Gold Standard for
EMS service; and
WHEREAS, Grand Prairie appeals to visitors and residents
alike who enjoy such attractions as Lone Star Park, Verizon
Theatre, and Uptown Theater, as well as popular annual events
including the Prairie Dog Chili Cookoff, the Prairie Lights
Christmas display, and the National Championship Indian Pow Wow;
moreover, there are ample opportunities for recreation at scenic
Joe Pool Lake, Mountain Creek Lake, Lynn Creek Park, and Loyd
Park, and the city has begun construction on the Epic life
center, which will include an indoor water park and an
all-accessible playground; and
WHEREAS, Grand Prairie's excellent location and numerous
amenities make it an ideal community in which to live and work,
and its citizens may indeed take great pride in their
contributions to the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 85th
Legislature, hereby recognize March 1, 2017, as Grand Prairie Day
at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation
sincere best wishes for an enjoyable day in Austin.
Hancock, Birdwell, West
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President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on March 1, 2017.
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Secretary of the Senate
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Member, Texas Senate
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Member, Texas Senate
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Member, Texas Senate