H.R. No. 908
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The Texas House of Representatives is proud to join
with visiting citizens of San Antonio in recognizing March 29,
2005, as VIVA SAN ANTONIO DAY at the State Capitol; and
WHEREAS, San Antonio's history can be traced back to 1691,
when a band of Spanish explorers and missionaries came upon a river
on the feast day of St. Anthony, and for that reason named the river
"San Antonio"; and
WHEREAS, The actual founding of the city came in 1718 by
Father Antonio Olivares, when he established Misión San Antonio de
Valero, which became permanently etched in the annals of history in
1836 as "The Alamo," where 189 defenders held the historic mission
against some 4,000 Mexican troops for 13 days; and
WHEREAS, The cry "Remember the Alamo" became the rallying
point of the Texas Revolution against Mexico, and today the Alamo is
a shrine and museum and is widely recognized as the cradle of Texas
liberty; and
WHEREAS, The city was formally incorporated in 1837 when the
young Republic of Texas granted San Antonio a charter; and
WHEREAS, Through the years, San Antonio has retained its
sense of history and tradition, while carefully blending in
cosmopolitan progress; the city has always been a crossroads and
meeting place, where the rich sounds, flavors, and cultures of
Native Americans, Old Mexico, Germans, the Wild West, African
Americans, and the Deep South mingle and merge; and
WHEREAS, The city has a proud military heritage, with such
legendary figures as Pershing, Stillwell, Krueger, LeMay,
Chennault, and Eisenhower having served at San Antonio-area
military installations, including Fort Sam Houston, headquarters
for the Fifth U.S. Army and Health Services Command and the U.S.
Army Southern Command, Lackland Air Force Base, a U.S. Air Force
training base and the world's largest military training center, and
Brooks City-Base, an innovative example of local government and
military and private sector cooperation; and
WHEREAS, Recent years have brought remarkable economic
development to San Antonio because of its skilled workforce,
excellent institutions of public and higher education, and
beautiful quality of life that has attracted some of the largest and
best corporate businesses and industries; and
WHEREAS, Close to eight million visitors a year delight in
discovering San Antonio's myriad charms, including the Alamo, La
Villita, San Fernando Cathedral, the San Antonio Missions Trail,
and the famed Paseo del Rio, better known as "The Riverwalk"; and
WHEREAS, Other attractions helping to make San Antonio one of
the top tourist destinations in the country are Sea World San
Antonio, the world's largest marine life park, and Six Flags Fiesta
Texas, an entertainment theme park that celebrates the musical
sounds of San Antonio and South Texas; and
WHEREAS, San Antonio is also home to many of the state's
sports treasures as the site of the PGA Tour's Texas Open, the Alamo
Bowl, and the World Champion San Antonio Spurs; and
WHEREAS, Starting on April 15, 2005, the city will once again
celebrate FIESTA San Antonio, which began 114 years ago with a group
of ladies parading in decorated horse-drawn carriages in front of
the Alamo, battling with flower blossoms instead of bullets, in a
parade organized to honor the heroes from the battles of the Alamo
and San Jacinto; and
WHEREAS, Residents of San Antonio, and indeed all Texans, may
take justifiable pride in this vibrant, multicultural community
that has played such a pivotal role in the history and development
of the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 79th Texas
Legislature hereby recognize March 29, 2005, as VIVA SAN ANTONIO
DAY at the State Capitol and extend to those individuals who have
traveled from San Antonio to Austin for this event best wishes for
an enjoyable and memorable visit.
Puente Castro
Corte Leibowitz
Martinez Fischer McClendon
Menendez Straus
Uresti Villarreal
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 908 was adopted by the House on March
29, 2005, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House