TITLE: Recognizing February 10, 2015, as Matagorda County Day at the State Capitol.

SUMMARY: Recognizing February 10, 2015, as Matagorda County Day at the State Capitol.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Public-spirited citizens of Matagorda County are gathering in Austin to celebrate Matagorda County Day at the State Capitol on February 10, 2015; and WHEREAS, Taking its name from the Spanish phrase meaning "thick brush," this region of prairie, salt marshes, and coastal waterways was visited by the French explorer La Salle in 1685; the area constituted part of Stephen F. Austin's first colony, and settlers began arriving through Matagorda Bay during the winter of 1821-1822; in 1829, the town of Matagorda was established as a military post, and in 1836, Matagorda County became one of the original 23 counties of the Republic of Texas; and WHEREAS, Matagorda ranked as the second-largest seaport in Texas for a time and served as a shipping point for cotton, sugar, and livestock raised in the county; when the boll weevil endangered the cotton crop in the early 20th century, farmers began to grow rice, and the discovery of oil and sulfur further diversified the county's economy; and WHEREAS, Ranching, farming, and petroleum remain important, and the county also benefits from the presence of the South Texas Project nuclear plant, which generates enough electricity to power approximately two million homes in Texas; Bay City, the county seat, is a center of the petrochemical industry and recently became the home of TenarisBayCity, an international pipe manufacturing company, while the port at Palacios is home to the largest fishing fleet on the Texas Gulf Coast; and WHEREAS, Visitors and residents alike enjoy the county's fine beaches and its many opportunities for fishing and water sports, while birders from across the nation are drawn to the Mad Island Marsh Preserve and Wildlife Management Area; Bay City is the location of several major annual attractions--the annual county fair, livestock show, and rodeo, which take place in the early spring, and the Rice Festival, which is held in the fall; in between those dates, Palacios hosts the Texas Fishermen's Seafood Festival, in December, and a reenactment of La Salle's landing every Fourth of July; and WHEREAS, Matagorda County is an area of abundant natural resources and rich history, and its residents may take great pride in their notable heritage as they look forward to a future filled with promise; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas Legislature hereby recognize February 10, 2015, as Matagorda County Day at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation sincere best wishes for a meaningful and memorable visit to Austin. Bonnen of Brazoria Straus Guerra Otto Allen Guillen Paddie Alonzo Gutierrez Parker Alvarado Harless Paul Anchia Hernandez Pe a Anderson of Dallas Herrero Phelan Anderson of McLennan Howard Phillips Ashby Huberty Pickett Aycock Hughes Price Bell Hunter Raney Blanco Isaac Raymond Bohac Israel Reynolds Bonnen of Brazoria Johnson Riddle Bonnen of Galveston Kacal Rinaldi Burkett Keffer Rodriguez of Bexar Burns Keough Rodriguez of Travis Burrows King of Hemphill Romero, Jr. Button King of Parker Rose Canales King of Taylor Sanford Capriglione King of Uvalde Schaefer Clardy Klick Schofield Coleman Koop Shaheen Collier Krause Sheets Cook Kuempel Sheffield Craddick Landgraf Simmons Crownover Larson Simpson Dale Laubenberg Smith Darby Leach Smithee Davis of Dallas Longoria Spitzer Davis of Harris Lozano Springer Deshotel Lucio III Stephenson Dukes M rquez Stickland Dutton Martinez Thompson of Brazoria Elkins Martinez Fischer Thompson of Harris Faircloth McClendon Tinderholt Fallon Men ndez Turner of Collin Farias Metcalf Turner of Harris Farney Meyer Turner of Tarrant Farrar Miles VanDeaver Fletcher Miller of Comal Villalba Flynn Miller of Fort Bend Vo Frank Moody Walle Frullo Morrison White of Bell Galindo Mu oz, Jr. White of Tyler Geren Murphy Workman Giddings Murr Wray Goldman Naishtat Wu Gonzales Nev rez Zedler Gonz lez Oliveira Zerwas Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 322 was adopted by the House on February 10, 2015, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House