| 1 | 1 | | H.R. No. 592 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 5 | | WHEREAS, Proud residents of Wills Point are celebrating the |
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| 6 | 6 | | 150th anniversary of their city's founding in 2023; and |
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| 7 | 7 | | WHEREAS, Wills Point traces its origins back to 1847, when |
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| 8 | 8 | | its namesake William A. Wills and his family settled in what would |
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| 9 | 9 | | later become Van Zandt County; the family traded their carriage, a |
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| 10 | 10 | | rarity on the frontier, for a log cabin, in order to provide a way |
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| 11 | 11 | | station for travelers on the Dallas-Shreveport Road; the community |
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| 12 | 12 | | was laid out at the highest elevation point between Fort Worth and |
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| 13 | 13 | | New Orleans when the route of the new railroad was determined, and |
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| 14 | 14 | | the town was officially established in 1873, the same year that the |
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| 15 | 15 | | Texas and Pacific Railroad line was built through the region; the |
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| 16 | 16 | | community thrived as the railway drew a number of businesses to the |
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| 17 | 17 | | area; and |
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| 18 | 18 | | WHEREAS, The Wills Point post office was established in 1870, |
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| 19 | 19 | | and the town's first newspaper began publication several years |
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| 20 | 20 | | later; in 1886, a four-room school, the largest in the county, |
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| 21 | 21 | | opened its doors; in the succeeding years, the city faced many |
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| 22 | 22 | | challenges, including three devastating tornadoes, but its |
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| 23 | 23 | | citizens overcame those difficulties to build a stronger, more |
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| 24 | 24 | | resilient community; and |
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| 25 | 25 | | WHEREAS, Wills Point has continued to thrive over the |
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| 26 | 26 | | decades, and today it is a dynamic community of more than 3,700 |
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| 27 | 27 | | residents; retaining its early charm, the city boasts a picturesque |
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| 28 | 28 | | historic district that features brick streets, a railroad depot |
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| 29 | 29 | | museum, and the original Wills log cabin; residents and visitors |
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| 30 | 30 | | alike can enjoy the cultural and recreational opportunities |
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| 31 | 31 | | afforded by the Wills Point Visual and Performing Arts Centre and by |
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| 32 | 32 | | Lake Tawakoni State Park; the Wills Point Chamber of Commerce also |
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| 33 | 33 | | puts on a variety of annual events, including community Halloween |
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| 34 | 34 | | and Christmas celebrations; and |
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| 35 | 35 | | WHEREAS, Wills Point has acquired a number of nicknames over |
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| 36 | 36 | | the years, including the Queen City of the Prairie, Gateway to East |
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| 37 | 37 | | Texas, and Gateway to Lake Tawakoni, and in 1995, it was designated |
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| 38 | 38 | | as the Bluebird Capital of Texas by the Texas Legislature; and |
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| 39 | 39 | | WHEREAS, Celebrating their history as they work to build an |
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| 40 | 40 | | even brighter future, the people of Wills Point are justifiably |
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| 41 | 41 | | proud of their community, and it is indeed fitting to recognize them |
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| 42 | 42 | | on this milestone anniversary; now, therefore, be it |
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| 43 | 43 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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| 44 | 44 | | Legislature hereby commemorate the 150th anniversary of Wills Point |
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| 45 | 45 | | and extend to its citizens sincere best wishes for the future; and, |
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| 46 | 46 | | be it further |
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| 47 | 47 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 48 | 48 | | prepared for the city as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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| 49 | 49 | | House of Representatives. |
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| 50 | 50 | | Slaton |
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| 51 | 51 | | ______________________________ |
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| 52 | 52 | | Speaker of the House |
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| 53 | 53 | | I certify that H.R. No. 592 was adopted by the House on March |
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| 54 | 54 | | 30, 2023, by a non-record vote. |
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| 55 | 55 | | ______________________________ |
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| 56 | 56 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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