SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 278
WHEREAS, Residents of Wise County are visiting Austin on
March 7, 2023, to celebrate Wise County Day at the State
Capitol; and
WHEREAS, Located in the northwestern part of the state,
Wise County was established on January 23, 1856; the county was
carved out of Cooke County by legislative act and named in honor
of Henry A. Wise, a U.S. congressman from Virginia who had
supported the annexation of Texas; at the same time as it created
Wise County, the legislature decreed that its county seat be
established within five miles of the county's center, and two
years later that new community became known as Decatur, after the
naval hero Stephen Decatur; and
WHEREAS, The eastern fork of the Chisholm Trail passed near
Decatur during the latter half of the 19th century, and the town
prospered as a shipping point and market for local farmers;
today, it is a center for natural gas production, specialty
carbon and graphite manufacturing, and health care, as well as
marketing and processing for area agribusiness; and
WHEREAS, Decatur is also home to some of the best
professional rodeo cowboys and bull riders in the world; the many
champions who have lived or trained in the community include one
of the most decorated rodeo cowboys of all time, Trevor Brazile,
as well as Tuf Cooper and Texas Rodeo Hall of Famer Roy Cooper,
both of the famed Cooper family; and
WHEREAS, Visitors to Wise County are drawn by such historic
attractions as the Waggoner Mansion, the Wise County Heritage
Museum, the Wise County Veterans Park, and the pink granite Wise
County Courthouse, which was completed in 1896; the county also
offers a variety of recreational opportunities at Lake
Bridgeport, Eagle Mountain Lake, and the Caddo-Lyndon B. Johnson
National Grasslands; in addition, area residents commemorate
their heritage with the annual Butterfield Stage Days Festival in
May, the Wise County Old Settlers Reunion in July, and the
Chisholm Trail Days and Western Heritage Festival in August; and
WHEREAS, Celebrating their history as they embrace the
opportunities of the future, the citizens of Wise County take
great pride in their community, and it is indeed fitting to honor
their unique 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 7, 2023, as Wise County Day
at the State Capitol and extend a warm welcome to the visiting
delegation.
Parker
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President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on March 7, 2023.
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Secretary of the Senate
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Member, Texas Senate