H.R. No. 170
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Proud citizens of Baytown are celebrating the 75th
anniversary of their city's incorporation in 2023, and this
occasion offers a welcome opportunity to pay tribute to the city's
history and its integral role in the dynamic story of the Lone Star
State; and
WHEREAS, Baytown is situated at the point where the San
Jacinto River flows into Galveston Bay, and stands adjacent to the
historic San Jacinto Battleground, the site of the decisive
engagement of the Texas Revolution; the area, replete with its
abundance of waterways, was originally occupied by the Atakapa,
Akokisa, Bidai, and Karankawa people; after pioneers arrived and
began establishing settlements in the early 19th century, the area
served as the home of several notable figures in Texas history,
including three Republic of Texas presidents, Sam Houston, Anson
Jones, and David G. Burnet; settlers cultivated rice and later
began harvesting the area's high-quality clay for the manufacture
of bricks; the latter proved a lucrative industry, and over the
course of a century, as many as 12 million bricks per year were made
on Cedar Bayou before being shipped to Galveston; and
WHEREAS, In 1908, the Goose Creek Oilfield became the first
offshore drilling operation in Texas, ushering in the development
of multiple communities around the oil industry, including the
"Tri-Cities" of Goose Creek, Pelly, and Baytown; the Humble Oil and
Refining Company began operations in 1919, and Baytown's local
refinery, now ExxonMobil, contributed to the production of airplane
fuel and other vital supplies during World War II; on January 24,
1948, the Tri-Cities consolidated and became the City of Baytown;
and
WHEREAS, Today, Baytown's residents enjoy having access to
such amenities as the Baytown Historical Museum, the Baytown
Sculpture Trail, the Baytown Art Gallery, Yepez Vineyard, and
Houston Raceway Park; the city is also home to the Baytown Nature
Center, which offers visiting birders a glimpse at some of the
species that migrate along the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail,
and it boasts the longest cable-stayed bridge in the state, the Fred
Hartman Bridge, which provides fascinating views of the refining
industry that has played such a significant role in the city's
development; and
WHEREAS, The citizens of Baytown may reflect with great pride
on their city's rich legacy of achievement as they look forward to
the many opportunities that lie ahead; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
Legislature hereby commemorate the 75th anniversary of the
incorporation of Baytown and extend to the city's residents sincere
best wishes for the future; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for the City of Baytown as an expression of high regard by
the Texas House of Representatives.
Leo-Wilson
Cain
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 170 was adopted by the House on
February 15, 2023, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House