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79R8071 MAM-D


By:  Cook of Colorado                                           H.C.R. No. 93 



HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
	WHEREAS, In the mid-19th century, Czech and German settlers 
arrived in Central Texas looking for new lives of economic 
opportunity and religious freedom; these hardworking immigrants 
developed small communities in Fayette County and constructed 
churches to comfort their spirits and sustain their faith; and
	WHEREAS, Today four of these churches dot the landscapes of 
Ammannsville, Dubina, High Hill, and Praha, small communities near 
Schulenburg; these four Catholic churches are monuments to the 
strength and perseverance of our state's early settlers, but they 
also provide a rich aesthetic history of Texas; though the 
architecture is typically Gothic Revival in style, the interior of 
these spaces includes rare decorative painting techniques and 
nearly every wall is covered with bright, densely rendered murals; 
and
	WHEREAS, Schulenburg serves as the destination of choice for 
those who want to experience the beauty of the churches firsthand as 
the Schulenburg Chamber of Commerce offers tours of the Painted 
Churches, which let visitors marvel at the visual splendor of this 
charming part of Texas history; and
	WHEREAS, In Ammannsville, St. John the Baptist Church 
features a distinctive interior of soft colors and a vaulted 
ceiling decorated with ornamental paintings of cherubs, palm ferns, 
and lily blossoms; in Dubina, Saints Cyril and Methodius Catholic 
Church includes the masterful strokes of a 19th century painter's 
original frescoes, which were restored in the 1980s; and
	WHEREAS, The wild prairie land of High Hill is home to St. 
Mary's Catholic Church, which features 18 stained glass windows 
imported from Germany in the late 1800s; the rich reds and blues 
from the windows complement a dark, hand-carved altar and the hues 
of the statues of religious figures and saints; the final site, the 
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church in Praha, 
contains wood from Germany's Black Forest, and it also features the 
work of Swiss artist Gottfried Flurry, who painted the ceiling with 
religious imagery and flowers and vines representing local flora; 
and
	WHEREAS, Nestled in the gentle rolling hills of Fayette 
County, the Painted Churches of Texas are an irreplaceable part of 
our state's cultural heritage; for the region's early settlers, the 
churches represented hope and freedom, while today, they are 
monuments to a glorious past; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the 79th Legislature of the State of Texas 
hereby designate Schulenburg the Official Home of the Painted 
Churches of Texas.