HR895 - Recognizing April 24, 2025, as Austin County Day at the State Capitol.

      H.R. No. 895       R E S O L U T I O N          WHEREAS, Proud residents are joining together to celebrate   Austin County Day at the State Capitol on April 24, 2025; and          WHEREAS, Located between the Post Oak Savannah and the   Coastal Prairie regions, Austin County was one of the first   Anglo-American colonies created in the 1820s; the county gets its   name from Stephen F. Austin, who not only founded the colonies in   this area but also had unprecedented influence on Texas history;   known as the Father of Texas, Stephen F. Austin served as an   empresario and provided land grants to the Old Three Hundred, who   were the first families to settle in the colony that now includes   modern-day Austin County; and          WHEREAS, San Felipe de Austin was one of the first towns   founded in the colony and was named in honor of Saint Stephen and   Stephen F. Austin; in 1824, the General Land Office opened in   San Felipe de Austin, which served as the capital of the   Anglo-American settlements in Texas; furthermore, the town hosted   the Conventions of 1832 and 1833 prior to the Texas Revolution;   Austin County was officially created by the Constitution of 1836,   with San Felipe serving as the county seat until 1848, when the   county government moved to the community of Bellville; and          WHEREAS, Austin County experienced multiple waves of   settlement, with Anglo-Americans arriving first to Austin's colony   and settling on the fertile land around the Brazos River and its   tributaries; eventually, Germans and Czechs settled the land,   leading to the development of many towns including Bellville,   Wallis, Sealy, and Industry; these cultural influences are felt   throughout the communities, with enrichments from Mexican   immigrants, the largest foreign-born group to settle in Austin   County in the 20th century; other influences came from African   Americans, who further contributed to the county's development and   the creation of many religious and social institutions; and          WHEREAS, Austin County has fostered an environment where   publications have flourished, like the Texas Gazette and the Texas   Register ; the Texas Gazette was created by Godwin Brown Cotton in   1829 at San Felipe and was the first newspaper in the State of   Texas; the Texas Register also started in Austin County at   San Felipe in 1835 and eventually became the official voice of the   government of the Republic of Texas; and          WHEREAS, Austin County also was the founding place of the   Texas postal system and the Committee of Safety in San Felipe; the   latter would defend Anglo-Americans from Indian tribes and would   eventually become the Texas Rangers; and          WHEREAS, Today, Austin County has flourished into a   successful county where its economy thrives as a hub for   transportation, agribusiness, tourism, and manufacturing; many   towns have prospered in this county, including Cat Spring, Shelby,   New Ulm, and Frydek, and it now has a total population of over   31,000 residents; and          WHEREAS, Honoring their history as they embrace the   opportunities of the future, the citizens of Austin County may   indeed take great pride in their unique contributions to the story   of the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it          RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas   Legislature hereby recognize April 24, 2025, as Austin County Day   at the State Capitol and extend a warm welcome to the visiting   delegation.     Kitzman     ______________________________   Speaker of the House                 I certify that H.R. No. 895 was adopted by the House on May   23, 2025, by a non-record vote.     ______________________________   Chief Clerk of the House