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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Proud residents of Kinney County are gathering at |
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the State Capitol to celebrate the role the county has played in the |
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annals of the Lone Star State; and |
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WHEREAS, Located west of San Antonio in the Rio Grande Plains |
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region, Kinney County was first populated as long as 10,000 years |
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ago, according to the archeological evidence found in rock |
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shelters; artifacts indicate the subsequent presence of tribes |
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including the Lipan Apaches, Coahuiltecans, Jumanos, Tamaulipans, |
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Tonkawas, and Comanches; and |
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WHEREAS, Early Spanish explorers visited the area, and in |
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1665, Fernando de Azcué, credited as the first European to cross the |
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Rio Grande, passed through what would become the southeastern |
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corner of the county; although the region remained sparsely |
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settled, the Texas Legislature carved it out of Bexar County to form |
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a new county in 1850, and it was named after pioneer Henry Lawrence |
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Kinney; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1852, the United States Army established Fort |
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Riley, soon redesignated as Fort Clark, along Las Moras Creek, and |
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the community of Brackett was founded; named for local merchant |
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Oscar B. Brackett, it became known as Brackettville, and it is today |
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the county's seat and largest city; the fort later became the base |
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for a small company of Black Seminole Indian scouts, and in 1872, |
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the Black Seminole Indian Scout Cemetery was sited there; by the |
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mid-1870s, the Black Seminoles numbered some 400 to 500; their |
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families lived on a military reservation along Las Moras Creek for |
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decades, and although the scouts were disbanded by the federal |
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government in 1912 and the reservation was closed, some descendants |
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remain in the county; and |
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WHEREAS, Through the years, cattle ranching has dominated the |
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county's economy, and wool and mohair production played an |
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important part in the nation's war effort during World War II; |
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today, tourists are drawn to the area by a variety of noteworthy |
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attractions, among them Kickapoo Cavern State Park, Alamo Village, |
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Las Moras Park, and Fort Clark; and |
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WHEREAS, The citizens of Kinney County are confidently facing |
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the future while continuing to embrace their rich and colorful |
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past, and it is indeed a pleasure to honor them at this time; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize Kinney County Day at the State Capitol |
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and extend to this delegation sincere best wishes for an enjoyable |
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and memorable visit. |
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Nevárez |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 373 was adopted by the House on |
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February 19, 2015, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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