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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Proud residents of Kemah celebrated the 50th |
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anniversary of the incorporation of their community on March 20, |
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2015; and |
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WHEREAS, Situated on a half-moon inlet of Galveston Bay at |
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the entrance to Clear Lake, this picturesque waterfront community |
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was known as Evergreen when it was established on the Texas and New |
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Orleans Railroad in 1898; for a time, when the railroad was hauling |
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large quantities of seashell out of the area, it was also known as |
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Shell Siding; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1907, it was renamed Kemah, an Indian word that |
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means "facing the wind," for the steady, refreshing breezes that |
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blow off the Gulf of Mexico; in the 1920s, the town was a center for |
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shrimping and the oil and ship-building industries, and from |
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Prohibition until the 1950s, it enjoyed a lively reputation as the |
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home of bootleggers and illegal casinos; and |
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WHEREAS, Incorporated in March 1965, Kemah thrives today as a |
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getaway for residents of Houston and Galveston; a marina was |
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constructed in the 1980s, and since 1997, the Kemah Boardwalk has |
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drawn countless visitors with its family-friendly entertainment |
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complex, featuring shops, restaurants, a boutique hotel, and |
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fairground rides; and |
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WHEREAS, Blessed with a colorful history and a beautiful |
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location on the Gulf of Mexico, the residents of Kemah may take |
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great pride in their community as they work together to preserve its |
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charm and build a bright future; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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Legislature hereby commemorate the 50th anniversary of the |
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incorporation of Kemah and extend to its citizens sincere best |
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wishes for continued success and happiness. |