H.C.R. No. 98 HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-1 WHEREAS, February 21, 1995, has been selected as 1-2 Midland/Odessa Day at the State Capitol to honor the area and the 1-3 people of those illustrious cities and to recognize their 1-4 outstanding contributions to the State of Texas; and 1-5 WHEREAS, Rising dramatically from the West Texas plains, 1-6 Midland and Odessa are located in the adjacent counties of Midland 1-7 and Ector, and the cities' destinies have been inextricably linked 1-8 by both circumstance and geography; and 1-9 WHEREAS, The city of Odessa was established in 1886 as a stop 1-10 on the Texas and Pacific Railroad; because of its location on a 1-11 boundless expanse of rolling terrain, Odessa was named for the city 1-12 on the Russian steppes, a vast region that bears a similarity to 1-13 the West Texas hills and prairies; and 1-14 WHEREAS, In 1891, Ector County was organized with Odessa as 1-15 the county seat; the city's economy was forever changed with the 1-16 discovery of oil in 1929 at Penn Field, and with the opening of 1-17 Cowden Field the next year, the city's reputation as a center of 1-18 oil production was assured; and 1-19 WHEREAS, Now a modern-day metropolis with approximately 1-20 90,000 residents, Odessa boasts a symphony orchestra and an art 1-21 institute and is home to Odessa College and The University of Texas 1-22 of the Permian Basin; and 1-23 WHEREAS, The city of Midland, which also is a county seat, 1-24 was established in 1885 on the Chihuahua Trail by settlers from the 2-1 Northwest and draws its name from its location midway between the 2-2 cities of Fort Worth and El Paso; and 2-3 WHEREAS, Primarily a farming and ranching community in its 2-4 early days, Midland also was shaped by the oil boom that began in 2-5 the 1920s; although no oil fields were located in Midland County, 2-6 the community's economy grew to meet the needs of the area's 2-7 growing petroleum industry as more than 150 oil companies 2-8 established their headquarters in the city; and 2-9 WHEREAS, Rich in history and culture, Midland is home to many 2-10 fine museums, including the Confederate Air Force Flying Museum, 2-11 the Midland County Museum, the Permian Basin Petroleum Museum, 2-12 Library and Hall of Fame, and the Museum of the Southwest Complex; 2-13 and 2-14 WHEREAS, Blessed with a fine heritage, abundant natural 2-15 resources, and dynamic citizenry, the cities of Midland and Odessa 2-16 are among the state's finest communities, and the efforts of their 2-17 residents truly merit special praise and recognition; now, 2-18 therefore, be it 2-19 RESOLVED, That the 74th Legislature of the State of Texas 2-20 hereby recognize February 21, 1995, as Midland/Odessa Day at the 2-21 State Capitol and join the citizens of Midland and Odessa in paying 2-22 tribute to two of Texas' finest cities; and, be it further 2-23 RESOLVED, That official copies of this resolution be prepared 2-24 for the Midland and Odessa chambers of commerce as an expression of 2-25 high regard by the Texas House of Representatives and the Texas 2-26 Senate.