By Delisi                                              H.R. No. 335
         77R5775 MDM-D                           
                                 R E S O L U T I O N
 1-1           WHEREAS, The citizens of Temple mark a historic milestone in
 1-2     2001, as they commemorate the 90th anniversary of the dedication of
 1-3     the Santa Fe Depot; and
 1-4           WHEREAS, Founded on June 29, 1881, by the Gulf, Colorado and
 1-5     Santa Fe Railroad, the city of Temple was named for chief engineer
 1-6     Bernard Moore Temple, who oversaw the construction of the tracks
 1-7     through Bell County; the new town was situated where the line
 1-8     divided and went north to Fort Worth, south to Galveston, and west
 1-9     to Santa Fe, New Mexico; and
1-10           WHEREAS, A boxcar served as the first depot, after which a
1-11     one-story wood structure and then a two-story wood structure filled
1-12     the role; in August 1909 construction began on a new building to
1-13     house both operations and staff, and in January 1911 the
1-14     Prairie-Beaux Arts style edifice, designed by Jarvis Hunt, and the
1-15     platform were completed at a cost of $200,000; and
1-16           WHEREAS, The station was a center of local rail activity
1-17     until 1989, when operations were moved to a new structure; in 1995
1-18     the city purchased the land around the depot and the railroad
1-19     donated the building; the following year Temple received a $2.4
1-20     million Texas Department of Transportation grant, added $1.6
1-21     million to the project, and  completely restored the historic
1-22     station; and
1-23           WHEREAS, The Santa Fe Depot was rededicated on July 8, 2000,
1-24     and is now the home of the Railroad and Heritage Museum and the
 2-1     future site of the Medicine and Science Discovery Center of Central
 2-2     Texas; a second department of transportation grant will be
 2-3     dedicated to refurbishing the gardens surrounding the depot; and
 2-4           WHEREAS, Since its dedication nearly a century ago, the Santa
 2-5     Fe Depot in Temple has served both as a symbol of transportation
 2-6     and progress and as a reminder of the state's proud railroad
 2-7     history; now, therefore, be it
 2-8           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 77th Texas
 2-9     Legislature hereby commemorate the 90th anniversary of the
2-10     dedication of the Santa Fe Depot in Temple and extend sincere best
2-11     wishes to all its administrators, staff, volunteers, and visitors;
2-12     and, be it further
2-13           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
2-14     prepared for prominent display at the Santa Fe Depot as an
2-15     expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives.