H.R. No. 90
R E S O L U T I O N
1-1 WHEREAS, The West Texas community of Odessa is the home of
1-2 many commendable citizens who take pride in their community's rich
1-3 heritage and look toward the future with a spirit of optimism and
1-4 progress; and
1-5 WHEREAS, Founded in 1881 as a stop on the Texas and Pacific
1-6 Railroad, the city of Odessa is said to have been named by Russian
1-7 railworkers who were struck by the region's physical similarity to
1-8 the wide plains of their native Odessa in the Ukraine; and
1-9 WHEREAS, This energetic community's colorful past and its
1-10 economic development have been shaped by two commercial forces that
1-11 have contributed vastly to our state's legendary image, farming and
1-12 ranching and the oil and gas industry; and
1-13 WHEREAS, A vital shipping point for the surrounding Plains
1-14 livestock region, the city ushered in a new era with the discovery
1-15 of oil in Ector County in 1926 and the opening of the Penn oil
1-16 field and the Crowden oil field in 1929-1930; those events brought
1-17 the famous oil boom to West Texas and enabled the entire state to
1-18 prosper for much of the 20th century; and
1-19 WHEREAS, Still a leading oil producer, the city has responded
1-20 to traditional oil field cycles by entering new areas of endeavor
1-21 with great success and in particular has gained prominence as a
1-22 principal exporter of oil field technology to countries around the
1-23 globe; and
1-24 WHEREAS, In the cultural arena, Odessans are noted for their
2-1 deep appreciation of the arts and the city flourishes as a center
2-2 for such widely acclaimed institutions as the symphony and chorale,
2-3 the Civic Music Association, the Art Institute for the Permian
2-4 Basin, the Permian Playhouse Theatre, and the Globe of the Great
2-5 Southwest; and
2-6 WHEREAS, This busy metropolis also is rich in educational
2-7 opportunities; its excellent public school system has garnered
2-8 national recognition at the elementary school level and the city is
2-9 the site of the University of Texas of the Permian Basin and Odessa
2-10 College; and
2-11 WHEREAS, In addition, citizens' health care needs are met by
2-12 a number of superior health care facilities in the area, including
2-13 the Texas Tech Regional Academic Health Science Center and The Eyes
2-14 of Texas Clinic & Surgery Center, one of the foremost eye surgery
2-15 centers in the world; and
2-16 WHEREAS, The city offers a host of recreational and other
2-17 interesting diversions for tourists and residents to enjoy as well,
2-18 such as premier golf facilities, a delightful prairie dog town, and
2-19 a fascinating Presidential Museum featuring memorabilia from past
2-20 political campaigns; and
2-21 WHEREAS, In recent years, residents of Odessa, together with
2-22 their chamber of commerce, have demonstrated their immense
2-23 community pride and civic-mindedness by joining with their elected
2-24 officials in a celebration of Odessa Day at the Capitol; and
2-25 WHEREAS, The citizens of Odessa have made this innovative and
2-26 modern community a town that still takes pride in traditional
2-27 values and a high quality of life, and their accomplishments truly
3-1 merit the commendation of the Texas House of Representatives; now,
3-2 therefore, be it
3-3 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 74th Texas
3-4 Legislature hereby recognize February 1, 1995, as Odessa Day at the
3-5 Capitol and extend best wishes to all the city's fine residents on
3-6 this noteworthy occasion; and, be it further
3-7 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
3-8 prepared for the Odessa Chamber of Commerce as an expression of
3-9 high esteem by the Texas House of Representatives.