79R9069 MW-F By: Puente H.R. No. 908R 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.