[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 70 (Friday, May 17, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E696-E697]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            OLD TOWN SPRING

                                 ______
                                 

                              HON. TED POE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 17, 2013

  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, driving around Houston, there's an 
endless amount of things that you can do. You can take in an Astros 
game, visit some of the best museums in the world, or if you're feeling 
a bit adventurous, kayak Buffalo Bayou. But, if sometimes you just need 
to get away from the big city life, Old Town Spring is an excellent 
option.
  At one time, Old Town Spring played a vital role in Texas. It was 
first settled by the Orcoquisac Indians, who depended on the abundant 
resources they found there. Then, Spanish and French traders arrived. 
They too recognized the importance of the region and established 
trading posts that worked closely with the natives.
  In 1836, Texas won its independence from Mexico. With this 
independence came droves of new colonists seeking to make a living in 
the wide open spaces of Texas. This influx of colonists led to the city 
of Houston being founded in 1836, just months after independence. Ten 
years later, the great Republic of Texas became the 28th State of these 
United States.
  The entrance of Texas into the Union brought even more people to the 
City of Houston and the surrounding regions, such as Spring. This flood 
of people only increased in the 1870's when railroad tracks were laid, 
connecting Houston to the rest of the United States. It was at this 
time that Spring, Texas got its name. Railroad workers building the 
line to Houston arrived in the area at the end of an extremely harsh 
winter. In their excitement at the end of winter, they dubbed their new 
home Camp Spring. Luckily for us, the ``camp'' part was dropped in 1873 
when an official settlement for railroad workers was established by the 
I.&G.N. Railroad. A bustling railroad town was born.
  For the next 50 years, Spring continued to grow. In 1901, it became a 
crossroads for two railways. As a major railroad switchyard, Spring 
began to attract businesses of all sorts. Unfortunately, this 
attraction soon faded when the town was dealt a series of devastating 
blows. In 1923 the railroad moved its headquarters from Spring to 
Houston. This move forced local businesses to move or close their 
doors. Those that stayed were soon put out of business by the Great 
Depression.
  After years of quiet, businesses slowly started coming back to the 
town in the 1960's with the oil boom in Houston. Through growth and 
investment the area began to resemble itself once again. Since 1980, 
one section of Spring, Old Town Spring, has been very popular. It is 
continually voted as one of the top attractions in Texas every year. 
Through its Victorian style buildings and turn of the century feel, Old 
Town Spring harkens back to the days when the railroad dominated the 
landscape of the west.
  Today, Old Town Spring features hundreds of mom and pop shops and 
restaurants, which provide great places to shop for antiques or simply 
to bathe in the nostalgia of times past. These small businesses exude a 
sense of family and tradition that wouldn't be possible without them. 
Thus, Old Town Spring stands

[[Page E697]]

not only as a vibrant reminder of the storied past of the area, but 
also as an impressive example of how family owned small businesses must 
be kept alive. Without them, exciting events like the Texas Crawfish 
and Music Festival, held annually in Old Town Spring, wouldn't be 
possible. Ultimately, if we want to preserve treasured pieces of Texas 
history, like Old Town Spring, we must fight to keep small businesses 
alive.
  And that's just the way it is.

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