SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 246
WHEREAS, Proud residents of Galveston County are gathering
in Austin on March 1, 2023, to celebrate Galveston County Day at
the State Capitol; and
WHEREAS, Covering approximately 870 square miles of lush
grasslands, warm beaches, and sparkling waters, Galveston County
was first inhabited by the Karankawa people and later, several
Spanish expeditions passed through the area; the county was
formed out of portions of Harrisburg, Liberty, and Brazoria
Counties in 1838 and named after Bernardo de Gálvez, who
supported the United States in the Revolutionary War; and
WHEREAS, Galveston, the county's seat, is the birthplace of
the national holiday Juneteenth, which marks the day in 1865 that
Union Major General Gordon Granger issued General Order No. 3,
announcing the freedom of more than 250,000 enslaved Black people
in the state; by the late 1800s, the city had become a center for
banking and a national hub for immigration, however during the
Galveston hurricane of 1900, the deadliest natural disaster in
U.S. history, the town was devastated and thousands of lives were
lost; in the wake of the storm, the Galveston seawall was
constructed; and
WHEREAS, The ports of Galveston and Texas City contributed
greatly to the rebuilding of the area after the hurricane, and
along with the chemical and petrochemical complex, continue to be
important to the economic development of the county;
additionally, agriculture, livestock, and the fishing and
shrimping industries provide jobs for many residents of the
region; and
WHEREAS, Today, Galveston County is a center for medical
services and marine research and is home to a number of
institutions of higher education; these include The University
of Texas Medical Branch, which encompasses schools of medicine,
nursing, health professions, public and population health, and
graduate biomedical sciences, and Texas A&M University at
Galveston, which is one of six state maritime academies in the
nation, as well as College of the Mainland and Galveston College;
and
WHEREAS, Visitors are drawn to the county's natural beauty
and miles of beaches and also enjoy such family-friendly
attractions as the Galveston County Fair and Rodeo, the Galveston
Island Wild Texas Shrimp Festival, and the Blessing of the Fleet
at Kemah; other points of interest include the Strand Historic
District, Schlitterbahn Waterpark, the Galveston Island Historic
Pleasure Pier, Lone Star Flight Museum, and Moody Gardens; and
WHEREAS, Galveston County is blessed with a rich history
and abundant natural resources, and its citizens may take great
pride in their continuing contributions to the story of the Lone
Star State; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 88th
Legislature, hereby recognize March 1, 2023, as Galveston County
Day at the State Capitol and extend a warm welcome to the visiting
delegation.
Middleton, Creighton
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President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on March 1, 2023.
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Secretary of the Senate
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Member, Texas Senate
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Member, Texas Senate