89R23198 HMR-D
By: Martinez H.R. No. 827
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Proud residents of the city of Donna are gathering
in Austin on April 10, 2025, to celebrate Donna Day at the State
Capitol; and
WHEREAS, Situated in the heart of the Rio Grande Valley,
Donna is located on land that was bequeathed to Lino Cabazos by the
Mexican state of Tamaulipas in 1834, and members of the Cabazos
family continued to live in the area over the ensuing decades;
settlers from northern states began arriving at the turn of the 20th
century; among them was Thomas Jefferson Hooks, who helped found
the La Blanca Agricultural Company, which purchased 23,000 acres of
land, and the town was founded in 1904; three years later, the
community was named in honor of Donna Hooks Fletcher, the daughter
of Mr. Hooks; and
WHEREAS, Donna was incorporated in 1908, the same year that
its post office was established and its first store and sugar mill
were constructed; by 1915, the town had a population of 1,500
residents, and in the decades that followed, it continued to
develop into a major hub for vegetable and citrus crops; and
WHEREAS, Today, Donna is home to more than 16,000 people, and
its economy is bolstered by the retail, educational services, and
tourism industries in addition to agriculture; area youth benefit
from the award-winning Donna Independent School District, which
provides its students with the academic opportunities necessary to
build a strong foundation for future success; and
WHEREAS, Donna is connected to Río Bravo, Tamaulipas, by an
international bridge, which receives an average of 60,000 crossings
a month; its location in a relatively uncongested portion of the
border allows for efficient travel to and from Mexico, and
officials are pursuing further improvements to the port of entry to
facilitate transportation and trade; and
WHEREAS, The citizens of Donna have made many valuable
contributions to the culture and economy of Texas, and they take
justifiable pride in the rich heritage and unique amenities that
make their city such a notable part of the Lone Star State; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas
Legislature hereby recognize April 10, 2025, as Donna Day at the
State Capitol and extend a warm welcome to the visiting delegation.