By Walker                                            H.C.R. No. 265
         77R13849 MMS-D                           
                             HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
 1-1           WHEREAS, Surrounded by the Davis Mountains and nourished by
 1-2     springs and creeks, the area of Balmorhea has long sustained human
 1-3     habitation and provided welcoming water for those crossing the arid
 1-4     stretches of the Trans-Pecos; and
 1-5           WHEREAS, Settlement at San Solomon Springs, four miles
 1-6     southwest of Balmorhea and the seventh largest group of springs in
 1-7     Texas, stretches back to prehistoric times; in the 1580s, Spanish
 1-8     explorers found Jumano Indians here, growing corn and peaches; the
 1-9     Jumanos were succeeded by Mescalero Apaches, who cultivated fields
1-10     around the springs to supplement their hunting; and
1-11           WHEREAS, By 1848 San Solomon Springs had become a watering
1-12     place for teamsters traveling between San Antonio and El Paso; in
1-13     the second half of the 19th century, Mexican farmers used water
1-14     from the springs to raise crops and livestock, which they sold at
1-15     Fort Davis, some 40 miles to the south; and
1-16           WHEREAS, During the 1870s the area began to draw the
1-17     attention of developers; an early irrigation company formed by Sam
1-18     Maverick and several others failed, but the Toyah Valley Irrigation
1-19     Company, incorporated in the early 1900s, found more success; and
1-20           WHEREAS, In 1906 the company's founders, E. D. Balcom, H. R.
1-21     Morrow, J. R. Rhea, and J. W. Rhea, platted the town of Balmorhea;
1-22     a vast tract of land surrounding the town was purchased by the
1-23     company, which then recruited land firms from Chicago to handle the
1-24     sale of subdivided parcels; and
 2-1           WHEREAS, By 1911 Balmorhea could claim a public school, a
 2-2     post office, and railroad connections; today this friendly
 2-3     community, flanking a cottonwood-shaded canal carrying water from
 2-4     San Solomon Springs, is home to nearly 850 residents; and
 2-5           WHEREAS, Nearby attractions include Balmorhea Lake, where
 2-6     more than 300 species of birds have been recorded; Balmorhea State
 2-7     Park is famed for its 1-3/4-acre pool built over San Solomon
 2-8     Springs, which provide 23 million gallons of water daily; the park
 2-9     also boasts a newly restored wetlands, or cienega, that is home to
2-10     endangered fish and other aquatic life; and
2-11           WHEREAS, For millenia, the area of Balmorhea has supported
2-12     people and wildlife with its vital springs and creeks, and it is
2-13     altogether fitting that the exceptional importance of this locale
2-14     be recognized; now, therefore, be it
2-15           RESOLVED, That the 77th Legislature of the State of Texas
2-16     hereby designate Balmorhea as the "Oasis of West Texas" in tribute
2-17     to the historic significance of its life-giving waters.