88R28467 BK-D
By: Flores S.R. No. 533
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Proud residents of Lampasas are celebrating their
city's sesquicentennial in 2023; and
WHEREAS, In 1760, a mission and presidio were built just west
of the site of modern-day Lampasas at a time when the area was under
Spanish rule; during the Revolutionary War, Lampasas would figure
into a pivotal chapter of American history when Isaac Cox, a
Pennsylvanian and Spanish army veteran, and seven of his nephews
delivered over 700 horses from the area to Major General Charles
Lee, a high-ranking officer in the Continental Army under General
George Washington; Lampasas County would go on to supply horses for
the U.S. military's use in the Spanish-American War, World War I,
and World War II as well; and
WHEREAS, In the early 1850s, Moses Hughes and his family were
among the first Anglo settlers to arrive in the area; Mr. Hughes and
his ailing wife, Hannah, came in search of mineral springs due to
their rumored healing properties; news of Mrs. Hughes's reported
cure drew others to the community, and the town's growth in
population led the Texas Legislature to declare Lampasas, formerly
called Burleson, as the seat of the newly created Lampasas County on
February 1, 1856; and
WHEREAS, The City of Lampasas was officially incorporated by
the 12th Texas Legislature on April 13, 1873; several years later, a
group of farmers gathered to discuss the economic issues that were
impacting their livelihoods, which provided the impetus for the
creation of the National Farmers' Alliance and Industrial Union,
also known as the Farmers' Alliance; the organization would become
a powerful nationwide political movement that, at its height, had a
membership of nearly three million; and
WHEREAS, Beginning in 1882, the arrival of the railroad
brought visitors from all over the country to the mineral baths and
grand hotels of Lampasas, which acquired the moniker "the Saratoga
of the South"; Lampasas was the birthplace of the Texas Bankers
Association, the oldest state banking association in the nation;
organized in 1885 by two local bankers, Frank Malone and E. M.
Longcope, the group had its first meeting at the luxurious 200-room
Lampasas Park Hotel; the rapidly growing town was also selected as
the location for the 1892 Texas Democratic Convention, which took
place at the Hannah Springs Auditorium; and
WHEREAS, Lampasas has been home to a number of famous
figures, including Olympic gold medalist and professional football
player Johnny "Lam" Jones, Keith Null of the St. Louis Rams, and
1970 Super Bowl veteran Jim Hargrove of the Minnesota Vikings and
St. Louis Cardinals; the list of notable Lampasas natives also
includes Stanley Walker, author, journalist, and editor of the New
York Herald Tribune during the 1920s and 1930s, whose 1956 book Home
to Texas describes his return to the city after 40 years in New
York; among other Lampasas icons are Grammy Award-winning fiddle
player Jason Roberts and country music artists Dale and Terry
McBride and Donnie Price, as well as prominent individuals such as
Joy Mahana Bishop, the first woman appointed to the Senior
Executive Service, and William Thomas Campbell, cofounder and
treasurer of Texaco Oil; and
WHEREAS, Today, Lampasas boasts an array of historic
buildings that showcase the community's past, including the Old
Huling Mansion, the Moses Hughes Home, the Keystone Star Hotel, the
Major Martin White House, and the Adelphia; residents and visitors
enjoy such amenities as the town's four local wineries, as well as
popular eateries like Eve's Café, one of the top customer-rated
German restaurants in the U.S., and Storm's Drive-In, a favorite of
Elvis Presley when the legendary rock and roll singer was stationed
at Fort Hood; area citizens keep up with local news and events by
reading the Lampasas Dispatch Record newspaper, which dates back to
1906, and flock to annual gatherings such as the week-long Spring Ho
Festival in July and the Riata Roundup Rodeo in April; and
WHEREAS, Celebrating their unique history as they work to
build an even brighter future, the citizens of Lampasas are
justifiably proud of their community, and it is indeed fitting to
honor the contributions they have made to the story of the Lone Star
State; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 88th Texas Legislature
hereby commemorate the 150th anniversary of Lampasas and extend to
its residents sincere best wishes for the future.