SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 200
WHEREAS, Jim Wells County Day at the State Capitol is being
celebrated February 19, 2019, and the Texas Senate takes great
pleasure in recognizing this region and its citizens who have
contributed to the development of the Lone Star State; and
WHEREAS, The area known today as Jim Wells County was
explored in the early 1500s by Alvar Nuñez de Cabeza de Vaca and
figures prominently in the early days of Texas; the land became a
part of Texas after Texas gained its independence from Mexico in
1836; there were extensive landholdings in the area by 1850, when
early settlers to the region arrived and began to build towns;
railroads followed soon thereafter, and in 1886, a new town
developed where two rail lines intersected; the town of Alice was
named for Alice King and eventually became the largest
cattle-shipping point in the world; and
WHEREAS, Jim Wells County was created and organized by the
Texas Legislature on March 11, 1911, and Alice became the county
seat; originally a part of Nueces County, the county was named
for a prominent political figure and land developer, James B.
Wells Jr., who was also the purchasing agent for the King
Ranch; and
WHEREAS, Jim Wells County is a valuable agricultural area
that has contributed significantly to the development of the
southwestern part of the United States; since the mid-1800s, when
the famous Chisholm Trail passed through the county, the cattle
industry has played a major role in the area's economy; mesquite
brush and grasses in the western part provide ideal grazing
conditions for livestock, and coastal plains to the east produce
Coastal Bermuda grass and vegetables; and
WHEREAS, The first notable oil activity in the county was
initiated in 1936, and the first major oil producer was
established northeast of Alice; the oil rush brought many new
families to Jim Wells County; and
WHEREAS, The City of Alice is situated in the geographical
heart of South Texas in an area that has developed into a notable
hub of international trade due to its strategic location at the
intersection of two important highways and its proximity to
primary United States-Mexico trade routes that connect Laredo
and the Rio Grande Valley with the Port of Corpus Christi; and
WHEREAS, In addition to the City of Alice, which still
serves as the county seat, Jim Wells County is home to the Cities
of Orange Grove, Ben Bolt-Palito Blanco, Premont, Sandia, and La
Gloria; and
WHEREAS, The county's economy has benefited not only from
the oil business, ranching, cattle shipping, and cotton and grain
production, but also from a fine public school system, a modern
hospital, and an expanding health-related service industry; and
WHEREAS, The history of Jim Wells County has been carefully
preserved at the South Texas Museum, which was established in the
former family ranch headquarters of the McGill family and has
been designated a Texas Historical Landmark; and
WHEREAS, The citizens of Jim Wells County are justifiably
proud of their unique heritage and have retained the social
fabric of their culture through fiestas, county fairs, rodeos,
and outdoor activities such as hunting and water sports; and
WHEREAS, Jim Wells County Day at the State Capitol is an
appropriate occasion for the Texas Senate to recognize the
residents of Jim Wells County and to commend them for their
excellent accomplishments; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 86th
Legislature, hereby declare February 19, 2019, Jim Wells County
Day at the State Capitol and join the citizens of Jim Wells County
as they celebrate their county's many assets; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for
the citizens of Jim Wells County as an expression of esteem from
the Texas Senate.
Hinojosa
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President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on February 19, 2019.
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Secretary of the Senate
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Member, Texas Senate