| 1 | 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 352 |
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| 2 | 2 | | WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to |
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| 3 | 3 | | join the citizens of Waco in celebrating City of Waco Day at the |
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| 4 | 4 | | State Capitol on March 28, 2023; and |
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| 5 | 5 | | WHEREAS, Situated on the banks of the Bosque and Brazos |
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| 6 | 6 | | Rivers, the Waco Village was founded in 1849 on the site of an |
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| 7 | 7 | | ancient Huaco Indian agricultural community and was named the |
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| 8 | 8 | | county seat of McLennan County one year later; in 1856, Waco |
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| 9 | 9 | | Village was incorporated as the town of Waco, and upon completion |
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| 10 | 10 | | of the Waco Suspension Bridge over the Brazos River in 1870, the |
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| 11 | 11 | | town was reincorporated as the City of Waco; and |
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| 12 | 12 | | WHEREAS, Primarily driven by cotton production, Waco's |
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| 13 | 13 | | early economy began to boom with the arrival of the Waco and |
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| 14 | 14 | | Northwestern Railroad in 1871 and, in 1881, the Saint Louis and |
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| 15 | 15 | | Southwestern Railroad, and the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad, |
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| 16 | 16 | | which connected Waco's cotton farmers and nascent industries |
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| 17 | 17 | | with factories and consumers across the nation; and |
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| 18 | 18 | | WHEREAS, Waco's dynamic transportation network stimulated |
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| 19 | 19 | | the city's shipping industry and spurred regional population |
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| 20 | 20 | | growth; by 1884, Waco had approximately 12,000 residents, and an |
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| 21 | 21 | | estimated 50,000 bales of cotton and hundreds of thousands of |
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| 22 | 22 | | pounds of wool and hides were being shipped through the city; and |
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| 23 | 23 | | WHEREAS, Waco's population and economy continued to grow |
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| 24 | 24 | | rapidly during World War I and World War II, as the military's |
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| 25 | 25 | | high demand for cotton and cotton products brought war plants and |
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| 26 | 26 | | military bases to the region; by 1942, Waco's mattress and canvas |
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| 27 | 27 | | industries had expanded, making Waco the military's leading |
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| 28 | 28 | | manufacturer of tents, cots, mattresses, and duffel bags; and |
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| 29 | 29 | | WHEREAS, Over the years, Waco has developed into a vibrant |
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| 30 | 30 | | commercial hub that has made considerable contributions to the |
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| 31 | 31 | | prosperity and security of the Lone Star State; the birthplace of |
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| 32 | 32 | | Dr. Pepper in 1885, Waco is home to numerous culturally significant |
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| 33 | 33 | | spaces, including the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum and the |
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| 34 | 34 | | Texas Sports Hall of Fame, Waco also is renowned for such |
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| 35 | 35 | | institutions of higher learning as Baylor University, McLennan |
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| 36 | 36 | | Community College, and Texas State Technical College; and |
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| 37 | 37 | | WHEREAS, The Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce, a business |
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| 38 | 38 | | leadership organization founded in 1899 as the Waco Business |
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| 39 | 39 | | Men's Club, has done much to create a resilient, |
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| 40 | 40 | | business-friendly environment in the Waco area; partnering with |
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| 41 | 41 | | local businesses, the chamber has facilitated economic growth |
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| 42 | 42 | | and promoted a high quality of life in the region while adapting |
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| 43 | 43 | | to economic changes and technological advancements; and |
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| 44 | 44 | | WHEREAS, Blessed with many natural attractions, Waco is |
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| 45 | 45 | | home to the Waco Mammoth National Monument, a site that exhibits |
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| 46 | 46 | | the 68,000-year-old bones of mammoths found at the confluence of |
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| 47 | 47 | | the Bosque and Brazos Rivers, and Cameron Park, one of the |
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| 48 | 48 | | largest municipal parks in the Lone Star State and home to the |
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| 49 | 49 | | 52-acre Cameron Park Zoo; the citizens of Waco may take great |
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| 50 | 50 | | pride in their city's rich and colorful history as they look |
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| 51 | 51 | | ahead to an even brighter future; now, therefore, be it |
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| 52 | 52 | | RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 88th |
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| 53 | 53 | | Legislature, hereby recognize March 28, 2023, as City of Waco Day |
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| 54 | 54 | | at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation best |
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| 55 | 55 | | wishes for an enjoyable stay in Austin; and, be it further |
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| 56 | 56 | | RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for |
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| 57 | 57 | | the delegates as an expression of esteem from the Texas Senate. |
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| 58 | 58 | | Birdwell |
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| 59 | 59 | | ________________________________ |
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| 60 | 60 | | President of the Senate |
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| 61 | 61 | | I hereby certify that the |
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| 62 | 62 | | above Resolution was adopted by |
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| 63 | 63 | | the Senate on March 28, 2023. |
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| 64 | 64 | | ________________________________ |
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| 65 | 65 | | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 66 | 66 | | ________________________________ |
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| 67 | 67 | | Member, Texas Senate |
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