[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 2 (Wednesday, January 28, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E46-E47]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            HONORING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF BAYTOWN, TEXAS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. KEN BENTSEN

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 28, 1998

  Mr. BENTSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the citizens of 
Baytown, Texas, which Saturday celebrated its 50th anniversary. 
Approximately 400 citizens, including Mayor Pete Alfaro and former 
Houston Mayor and Baytown native Bob Lanier, celebrated that event in 
the Baytown Community Center. Also present were current and past mayors 
and members of the City Council and other distinguished and longtime 
Baytonians for what was described as a family reunion for the City of 
Baytown.
  There was much to celebrate for, in fifty years, Baytown has steadily 
grown into one of the most vibrant communities in Texas.
  The roots of the town go back more than half a century to three rival 
communities--Baytown, Pelly, and Goose Creek--huddled on the north 
shore of Galveston Bay around the Humble Oil refinery, one of the 
largest refineries in the world. The feud peaked in 1945 when Baytown, 
then an unincorporated community, was annexed by Pelly, angering some

[[Page E47]]

residents in Goose Creek. But not long after, in 1947, residents of 
Pelly and Goose Creek held simultaneous elections and voted 
overwhelmingly to merge. The new community held another election in 
1948 to adopt a new charter and the name Baytown.
  Since that time, Baytown has become a thriving city of 70,000 with a 
vibrant economy, strong schools, safe neighborhoods, and active, 
involved citizens. Baytown has made a tremendous investment in its 
quality of life through improvements to its roads, parks, and the 
Bayland Park Marina. The City of Baytown is building a better future 
and laying the foundation for another fifty years of progress.
  One key to Baytown's progress has been transportation improvements 
for a city once isolated. There is no better symbol of that improvement 
than the Hartman Bridge, named after the late Baytown Sun Publisher 
Fred Hartman. A feat of technology and one of the largest suspension 
bridges in the world, the Hartman Bridge has integrated Baytown and the 
East Bay into the fabric of Harris County like never before, easing 
transportation, spurring commerce, and helping make Baytown a driving 
force in the Texas economy. The bridge has opened doors for local 
business, allowing companies like Exxon, Bayer, Chevron, and Amoco to 
transport their goods to the Houston Ship Channel and destinations 
beyond. The bridge is a symbol of Baytown's progress and a sign of even 
better times to come.

  Baytown also boasts some of the finest schools in the nation, a 
testament to the dedication of teachers, administrators, community 
leaders, parents, and students. Goose Creek Independent School District 
schools are among the state leaders in advanced placement programs, and 
students' SAT scores in math are among the highest in the nation. Goose 
Creek schools have been ahead of the curve in preparing young people to 
maximize their opportunity to succeed. It is also at community colleges 
like Lee College in Baytown that America's workers are getting a chance 
to advance their education and their careers.
  The success of Baytown's schools underscores what may be its most 
important attribute of all--the involvement of Baytown's citizens in 
making this community such a great place to live, work, and raise a 
family. The citizens of Baytown understand that it is our government, 
our schools, our parks, our churches and our neighborhoods, and we make 
them better when we take the time to get involved. The results are 
projects like the Eddie V. Gray Wetlands Education and Recreation 
Center, which teams up local schools, industry and civic leaders to 
protect local marshes and develop environmentally friendly classes on 
hobbies such as fly fishing, bird watching, and safe hunting skills. 
Another fine project is the Chamber of Commerce's Partnership in 
Education program in which local businesses volunteer their time and 
resources to area schools.
  The past fifty years have not all been easy, but through it all--the 
boom times and the busts--the character of Baytown's citizens has shone 
through. That character has helped build such a strong city in just 
fifty years and will lead to even greater success in the next fifty 
years.
  Mr. Speaker, I was honored to join in Baytown's 50th anniversary 
celebration and look forward to working with all Baytonians to help 
make the next fifty years of Baytown history as memorable as the first 
fifty.
  The following song, Baytown is Home to Me, by Kevin Hardin, was 
written especially for the 50th Anniversary:

                         Baytown Is Home to Me

                           (By Kevin Hardin)

     Chorus:
     Baytown is home to me
     If I stay forever or if one day I leave
     The people and the places have my roots down deep
     Baytown is home to me
     Verse:
     Some came from New York, some came from Tennessee
     Some remember Pelly, some recall Goose Creek
     From rice farms in the marshes to oil rigs in the bay
     This boom town is still booming today.
     Chorus:
     Baytown is home to me
     If I stay forever or if one day I leave
     The people and the places have my roots down deep
     Baytown is home to me
     Verse:
     From Sterling and the Rangers to the Ganders flying high
     Churches, schools, and businesses are full of Baytown pride
     From a boat across the bayou, now a bridge across the bay
     Baytown is still growing today.
     Chorus:
     Baytown is home to me
     If I stay forever or if one day I leave
     The people and the places have my roots down deep
     Baytown is home to me

     

                          ____________________