HBA-KMH H.C.R. 17 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.C.R. 17 By: Ramsay Higher Education 4/5/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The county seat of Marion County, Jefferson was founded in the early 1840s on Big Cypress Creek and, given its proximity to the Red River, rapidly became a substantial navigation site. By the late 1840s this commercially vibrant Northeast Texas town was the state's leading inland port. A lively and likely place for innovation, Jefferson was the first town in Texas to use artificial gas for lighting, and in its environs ice was first manufactured on a commercial scale in 1868. Today, Jefferson is widely acclaimed for its abundance of historic places, including stunning mid19th-century homes, churches, and other architectural riches. In 1971, 56 such buildings were listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Since then at least 10 others have reached National Register status, including the antebellum Excelsior hotel and Planters Bank and Warehouse. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS H.C.R. 17 recognizes January 26, 1999, as Jefferson Day at the State Capitol and extends to the citizens of historic Jefferson the sincere best wishes of the 76th Legislature for an enjoyable visit to Austin.