Arkansas SR 10: TO HONOR, ON FEBRUARY 5, 2025, THE SESQUICENTENNIAL OF THE FOUNDING OF THE CITY OF OSCEOLA.

Bill Text

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State of Arkansas 1
95th General Assembly 2
Regular Session, 2025 SR 10 3
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By: Senator D. Wallace 5
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SENATE RESOLUTION 8
TO HONOR, ON FEBRUARY 5, 2025, THE SESQUICENTENNIAL 9
OF THE FOUNDING OF THE CITY OF OSCEOLA. 10
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Subtitle 13
TO HONOR, ON FEBRUARY 5, 2025, THE 14
SESQUICENTENNIAL OF THE FOUNDING OF THE 15
CITY OF OSCEOLA. 16
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WHEREAS, the City of Osceola is located in east-central Mississippi 18
County and was established in 1837, then became a city in 1853, and was 19
incorporated a second time in 1875; and 20
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WHEREAS, Osceola is one (1) of the two (2) county seats of Mississippi 22
County, one (1) of two (2) judicial districts in the county, and is situated 23
in the flat and fertile Arkansas Delta along the Mississippi River; and 24
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WHEREAS, the area Osceola now occupies was once inhabited by Native 26
American tribes, and Europeans arrived around the time of the Louisiana 27
Purchase in 1803; and 28
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WHEREAS, the area Osceola now occupies began to be more widely settled 30
during the 1830s following the New Madrid earthquake swarm of 1811-12, which 31
was the highest magnitude earthquake in North America east of the Rocky 32
Mountains and significantly reshaped the geography of the area; and 33
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WHEREAS, from the time of its founding, Osceola grew in stature and 35
economy due to the industries of timber and cotton harvesting; and 36

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WHEREAS, the growth of the critical timber and cotton harvesting 2
industries were buoyed by Osceola's eastern border, which follows the levee 3
that protects the city from, yet also gives it access to, the Mississippi 4
River, and thereby facilitated the transportation of goods by steamboat; and 5
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WHEREAS, Osceola has a population of nearly seven thousand (7,000); and 7
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WHEREAS, Osceola is famous for its role in the development of blues 9
music and many famous blues musicians are Osceola natives, including Calvin 10
Frazier, Albert King, Harvey Scales, and Son Seals; and 11
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WHEREAS, Osceola has also been home to musicians across other musical 13
genres, including Buddy Jewell, Billy Lee Riley, Jimmy Thomas, and Reggie 14
Young; and 15
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WHEREAS, to celebrate its rich musical heritage, Osceola Main Street, 17
Inc. has been hosting the Osceola Heritage Music Festival since 1998, 18
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NOW THEREFORE, 20
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE 21
STATE OF ARKANSAS: 22
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THAT the Senate honor, on February 5, 2025, the sesquicentennial of the 24
founding of the City of Osceola. 25
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT upon adoption, a copy of this resolution be 27
presented to Osceola Mayor Joe Harris, Jr. by the Secretary of the Senate. 28
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