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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail |
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Association plays a vital role in the preservation of one of the |
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most significant historic routes through the Lone Star State; and |
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WHEREAS, Stretching from the Rio Grande to Louisiana, El |
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Camino Real de los Tejas began as a series of trails and trade |
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routes used by the indigenous peoples of Texas; it was named for a |
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prominent Caddo group known as the Tejas, a Caddo word that means |
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"friend" or "ally"; and |
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WHEREAS, In the 17th century, the route was used by Spanish |
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explorers, soldiers, and priests as they moved into this vast |
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region; under Spanish rule, the trail became known as a camino real, |
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or royal road, serving as a political, economic, and cultural link |
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between Mexico City and what is now East Texas and Louisiana; in |
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later years, it was used by ranchers for cattle drives, by Anglo |
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settlers emigrating to Texas, and by slaves seeking their freedom; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, In 1915, the Texas Legislature appropriated money |
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for a survey of the historic trail, and in 1918, markers were set up |
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along a route of the trail commonly known as the Old San Antonio |
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Road; in 1929, the legislature designated the route as one of the |
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historic trails of Texas, and in 2004, it was designated by the U.S. |
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Congress as a National Historic Trail, running from Laredo to |
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Natchitoches, Louisiana, with branches passing through San |
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Antonio, Austin, and Nacogdoches; El Camino Real de los Tejas was |
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also recognized as a Texas historic highway by the state |
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legislature in 2011; and |
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WHEREAS, Established as a nonprofit organization in 2007, El |
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Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail Association seeks |
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to preserve the historic integrity of the trail, to educate the |
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public about its significance, and to promote resource development |
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and tourism along the trail; it maintains strong partnerships with |
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local, state, and federal agencies as well as with organizations in |
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Mexico and Spain; originally founded at Texas State University in |
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San Marcos, the association now calls Austin home, and it benefits |
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from the efforts of its full-time executive director, as well as its |
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staff and the members of its board; and |
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WHEREAS, For several centuries, El Camino Real de los Tejas |
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was the main overland route from the valley of the Rio Grande to the |
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watershed of the Red River, and by celebrating and protecting its |
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heritage, El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail |
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Association is performing an invaluable service for the citizens of |
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Texas; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the work of El Camino Real de los |
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Tejas National Historic Trail Association and extend to all those |
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affiliated with the association sincere best wishes for continued |
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success; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail |
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Association as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of |
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Representatives. |