Bill Text: TX SR339 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Recognizing March 31, 2015, as Austin County Day.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)
Status: (Passed) 2015-03-09 - Reported enrolled [SR339 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-SR339-Enrolled.html
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| WHEREAS, Proud area residents are joining together to | ||
| celebrate Austin County Day at the State Capitol on March 31, | ||
| 2015, and this occasion provides a fitting opportunity to | ||
| recognize the county's unique contribution to the story of the | ||
| Lone Star State; and | ||
| WHEREAS, American settlement in the county dates to the | ||
| early 1820s, when the area became part of Stephen F. Austin's | ||
| first colony; the first town to be established was San Felipe de | ||
| Austin, which served as the administrative seat of the colony and | ||
| as a social, cultural, and commercial center; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Austin County was created by the Constitution of | ||
| 1836 and was formally organized by 1837; San Felipe was the | ||
| county seat until 1848, when the county government was moved to | ||
| Bellville; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Blessed with an abundance of water, grassland, | ||
| and forests, the county drew a steady stream of settlers, most of | ||
| whom were engaged in agriculture; a number of towns grew | ||
| substantially during the 19th century, including Bellville and | ||
| Wallis and the railroad towns of Sealy and Kenney; and | ||
| WHEREAS, During the 1800s, German and Czech immigrants | ||
| began arriving in Austin County in appreciable numbers, and | ||
| their influence is felt throughout the region in the societies | ||
| that they established and the many communities that they | ||
| founded; the cultural mosaic of the county has been further | ||
| enriched by immigrants from Mexico, the largest foreign-born | ||
| group to settle there in the 20th century, and by African | ||
| Americans, who played a fundamental role in the county's | ||
| development and in the creation of numerous social and | ||
| religious institutions; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Among the prominent Texans who have resided in | ||
| Austin County was Gail Borden Jr., a surveyor and newspaper | ||
| publisher who later invented a successful process for | ||
| condensing milk; another early citizen, Robert Justus Kleberg, | ||
| fought in the Battle of San Jacinto and held several | ||
| prestigious public offices; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Today, visitors and residents alike can explore | ||
| the county's rich heritage, preserved at the San Felipe de | ||
| Austin State Historic Site and in rural communities throughout | ||
| the area, and they enjoy hunting and fishing opportunities as | ||
| well as a wealth of special recreational events; and | ||
| WHEREAS, The citizens of Austin County have together | ||
| built a vibrant and distinctive corner of Texas, and they may | ||
| indeed take pride in their notable history as they look forward | ||
| to a future filled with promise; now, therefore, be it | ||
| RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 84th | ||
| Legislature, hereby recognize March 31, 2015, as Austin County | ||
| Day and extend to the visiting delegation a warm welcome to the | ||
| State Capitol. | ||
| Kolkhorst | ||
| ________________________________ | ||
| President of the Senate | ||
| I hereby certify that the | ||
| above Resolution was adopted by | ||
| the Senate on March 9, 2015. | ||
| ________________________________ | ||
| Secretary of the Senate | ||
| ________________________________ | ||
| Member, Texas Senate | ||
