88R6520 BPG-D
By: Bell of Kaufman H.R. No. 810
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, On February 11, 2023, the City of Terrell is marking
the 150th anniversary of its founding; and
WHEREAS, The city is named for a friend of Sam Houston and
surveyor of the Republic of Texas, Robert A. Terrell, who settled
in the area in 1847; decades later, the advent of the Texas and
Pacific Railway promised opportunities for growth and prosperity;
in order to bring a depot to town, two Kaufman County entrepreneurs,
Charles Cornelius "C. C." Nash and John G. Moore, deeded a large
tract of land to the railway on February 11, 1873; the Terrell
family and former Kaufman County judge W. D. Irvine also donated
land for the project; and
WHEREAS, By the mid-1880s, the population numbered about
3,000, supporting numerous businesses, three weekly newspapers,
and nine churches; impressed by the advocacy of local leaders, as
well as favorable terms offered by a civic-minded landowner, the
state chose a site in the city for its second mental health
facility, now known as Terrell State Hospital; and
WHEREAS, Terrell residents recognized the importance of
education from the town's earliest days; the public school system
was in place by 1882, and a number of colleges have operated in the
community over the years; during World War II, more than 2,000
British Royal Air Force cadets learned to fly at the No. 1 British
Flying Training School; today, Terrell hosts both Trinity Valley
Community College and a venerable HBCU, Southwestern Christian
College; on the SwCC campus stands the home built by
Robert A. Terrell, one of just 20 Round Houses left in the country;
noted alumni of Terrell High School include the late Randy Snow, the
first Paralympian inducted into the Olympic Hall of Fame, and
actor, singer, and comedian Jamie Foxx; the Terrell Independent
School District's Jamie Foxx Performing Arts Center is named in
honor of the Oscar and Grammy Award-winning star; and
WHEREAS, Celebrating a rich and colorful history, the
citizens of Terrell may take justifiable pride in their vibrant
community as they mark this important milestone; now, therefore, be
it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
Legislature hereby commemorate the sesquicentennial of the City of
Terrell and extend to its 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 Terrell as an expression of high regard by
the Texas House of Representatives.