89R13786 KSM-D
By: Middleton, Creighton S.R. No. 209
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Proud residents of Galveston County are gathering in
Austin on March 6, 2025, 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; the town was
devastated, however, during the Galveston hurricane of 1900, the
deadliest natural disaster in U.S. history, 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,
maritime activities, tourism, and retail sales 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
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 & Rodeo, the Galveston
Island Wild Texas Shrimp Festival, and the Blessing of the Fleet
boat parade at the Kemah Boardwalk; other points of interest
include the Strand Historic District, Schlitterbahn Waterpark, the
Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier, 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 89th Texas Legislature
hereby recognize March 6, 2025, as Galveston County Day at the State
Capitol and extend a warm welcome to the visiting delegation.