Bill Text: TX HR194 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Recognizing February 13, 2023, as Hardin County Day at the State Capitol.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2023-02-15 - Reported enrolled [HR194 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HR194-Enrolled.html
| H.R. No. 194 | ||
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| WHEREAS, Proud residents are gathering in Austin on | ||
| February 13, 2023, to celebrate Hardin County Day at the State | ||
| Capitol; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Situated northeast of Houston, Hardin County is | ||
| predominantly made up of pine and hardwood forests in the East Texas | ||
| Timberlands region; attracted by the mineral waters of Medicine | ||
| Lake, Native Americans visited the area long before it became part | ||
| of the Atascosito District of Spanish and Mexican Texas; attempts | ||
| at colonization began in earnest in 1834 when the Mexican | ||
| government made land grants, and in 1835, Stephen Jackson founded a | ||
| settlement at Sour Lake; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Following the Texas Revolution, the area was split | ||
| between the jurisdictions of Liberty and Jefferson Counties; in | ||
| 1858, the State Legislature established Hardin County, drawing | ||
| territory from both parent counties; under state law, the county's | ||
| name honored the Hardin family of Liberty, and the county seat also | ||
| bore that name; in 1881, the Sabine and East Texas Railroad bypassed | ||
| Hardin in favor of its own newly established town, Kountze, which | ||
| ultimately became the county seat; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Early farmers in Hardin County raised corn, sweet | ||
| potatoes, hogs, cattle, sheep, and horses; as early as 1878, | ||
| loggers were floating cut timber to the Neches River and on to | ||
| Beaumont, and by 1881, at least two lumber-processing mills were | ||
| operating in the county; the subsequent arrivals of other railway | ||
| companies further stimulated the lumber industry; a big economic | ||
| boost came with the discovery of oil at Saratoga and Batson and the | ||
| development of the Sour Lake oil field in 1903; today, chambers of | ||
| commerce in Kountze, Lumberton, Silsbee, and Sour Lake promote | ||
| economic development in their communities; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Hardin County is further buoyed by its robust | ||
| ecotourism, which offers ample opportunities for camping, | ||
| paddling, fishing, hiking, biking, and wildlife viewing; a major | ||
| attraction is the Big Thicket National Preserve, where visitors can | ||
| explore nine different ecosystems; moreover, Village Creek State | ||
| Park sits along one of the few free-flowing creeks in Texas, and the | ||
| Roy E. Larsen Sandyland Sanctuary protects diverse plant | ||
| communities; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Residents of Hardin County are working together to | ||
| build an even brighter future, and this special day provides a | ||
| fitting opportunity to pay tribute to the county and its people; | ||
| now, therefore, be it | ||
| RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas | ||
| Legislature hereby recognize February 13, 2023, as Hardin County | ||
| Day at the State Capitol and extend a warm welcome to the visiting | ||
| delegation. | ||
| Bailes | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Speaker of the House | ||
| I certify that H.R. No. 194 was adopted by the House on | ||
| February 15, 2023, by a non-record vote. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Chief Clerk of the House | ||
