Map of District 17

Kat — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 00:28:23 -0700

Grimes County

Anderson, the county seat, is named after Kenneth L. Anderson, the last vice president of the Republic of Texas, who died at the Fanthorp Inn in Grimes County.

Madison County

Early settlers of Madison County saw firsthand the Runaway Scrape, when Texans fled north to evade Santa Anna’s approaching forces in 1836.

Burleson County

The first American to visit the future Burleson County may have been the famous explorer Zebulon Pike, when he traveled the Old San Antonio Road to Natchitoches.

Brazos County

Home to Texas A&M University, the third-largest college in the country and host of the George Bush Presidential Library. The town of Millican was founded by Robert Hemphill Millican, who was one of Stephen F. Austin’s "Old Three-Hundred" colonists.

General James "Earl" Rudder, who would later become President of Texas A&M University, was one of the most decorated heroes of World War II. He led his troops, known as Rudder’s Rangers, in a key assault on Pointe du Hoc on D-Day, scaling 100-foot cliffs and destroying German gun batteries.

Robertson County

The original Robertson County was established by the 1st Texas Congress in 1837 and its boundaries at that time included 16 present-day counties. A World War II POW camp in Hearne housed up to 8000 German soldiers from 1943-1946.

Limestone County

Originally home to the Tawakoni and Waco Indians.

McLennan County

Waco is home to Baylor University, the largest Baptist college in the world. The ALICO Building, completed in 1911, was once the tallest building west of the Mississippi River.

Doris "Dorie" Miller was a famous African-American hero of Pearl Harbor. During the attack, he aided the mortally wounded captain of the USS West Virginia. Miller then manned a 50 caliber Browning anti-aircraft machine gun until he ran out of ammunition and was ordered to abandon ship.

Bosque County

Clifton is the "Norwegian Capitol of Texas", founded in the mid-1800s by German and Norwegian immigrants.

Hill County

The county seat of Hillsboro is home to one of the most beautiful county courthouses in Texas. Hill County is also the birthplace of at least two legendary Texans: the late Bob Bullock and musician Willie Nelson.

Johnson County

Johnson County was initially settled in the 1840s and was part of the Chisholm Trail in the late 19th Century. The county seat of Cleburne is named for General Pat Cleburne, a Civil War officer.

Hood County

Known for a beautiful historic district and town square in Granbury. Legend has it that both Jesse James and John Wilkes Booth spent time hiding out in Granbury. Additionally, Davy Crockett's widow, Elizabeth, and his son, Robert, are buried in Acton.

Somervell County

Over 100 million years ago, dinosaurs roamed over what is now Somervell County. Dinosaur State Park in Glen Rose features numerous fossilized remains of the ancient reptiles.

Profile of the 17th Congressional District of Texas

Kat — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 00:02:44 -0700

Profile of the 17th Congressional District of Texas

The 17th Congressional District of Texas was created in 2003 by the Texas Legislature. The 17th is a geographically diverse district—spanning from the suburbs of Fort Worth in the North, through the Heart of Texas in Waco and to the Bryan/College Station area in the South.

The district includes all of Bosque, Brazos, Grimes, Hill, Hood, Johnson, Madison, McLennan and Somervell counties and part of Burleson, Limestone and Robertson counties.

The 17th is notable for its number of colleges and universities. The district includes two Big XII schools: Baylor University and Texas A&M University, the third-largest college in the nation. The 17th is also home to several other important colleges, including Texas State Technical College, McLennan Community College, Blinn College in Bryan and Hill College, with campuses in Hillsboro and Cleburne.

Major district employers include Texas A&M University and the A&M System, Baylor University, L-3 Communications in Waco, Sanderson Farms in Bryan and the TXU Comanche Peak power plant in Glen Rose.

Farming and ranching play a vital role in the economy of the 17th. Key crops include soft red wheat, cotton and corn. The district is also home to many family-operated cow-calf operations.

Transportation is a top issue in the 17th District, with major highways such as Interstate 35 and TX Highway 6 experiencing increasing traffic due to NAFTA and rapid population growth. Improved air travel options are also priorities in both the Waco and Bryan/College Station area. The development of a high-speed rail system is a key issue in Brazos County, as well.

The 17th is ethnically diverse: 10.8% of the population is African-American, while Hispanics comprise 15.4% of the district. The district’s total population is 651,620. Over 55,000 veterans live in the 17th District.

Chet Edwards For Congress - The District

Map of District 17

Profile of the 17th Congressional District of Texas