|
|
|
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
|
|
WHEREAS, Proud residents of Midland and Odessa are gathering |
|
in Austin on February 17, 2009, to celebrate Midland-Odessa Day at |
|
the State Capitol; and |
|
WHEREAS, Set only 20 miles apart in the ranching and oil |
|
country of West Texas, these vibrant Texas cities got their start as |
|
stops on the Texas and Pacific Railway in the 1880s; by 1890, |
|
Midland was one of the most important centers for shipping cattle in |
|
Texas; and |
|
WHEREAS, Odessa began its rapid growth with the discovery of |
|
oil in the Permian Basin in the 1920s, and by the 1940s, it had grown |
|
from 750 residents to 10,000; by 1929, Midland was home to 36 oil |
|
companies, and the demand for oil during World War II helped Odessa |
|
develop as a major processor and distributor of petroleum products, |
|
home to the largest inland petrochemical complex in the world; and |
|
WHEREAS, Today, Midland continues to be the financial and |
|
administrative capital of the Permian Basin, while Odessa remains |
|
the center for the region's oil processing and distribution; |
|
looking to the future, the Midland Development Corporation and the |
|
Odessa Development Corporation are working to strengthen and |
|
diversify the area's economy; and |
|
WHEREAS, Midland is proud to be the hometown of former |
|
president George W. Bush and former first lady Laura Bush, as well |
|
as the longtime home of former president George H. W. Bush, former |
|
first lady Barbara Bush, and former Florida governor Jeb Bush; and |
|
WHEREAS, Odessa and Midland boast many fine historical and |
|
cultural attractions; in Odessa, the Presidential Museum is one of |
|
only a few museums in the nation dedicated to the history of the |
|
presidency, while the Parker House Museum evokes the life of a |
|
prominent Texas ranching family; visitors and residents alike enjoy |
|
the live productions at the replica of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre |
|
on the campus of Odessa College; and |
|
WHEREAS, Midland's Museum of the Southwest offers displays of |
|
the art and archaeology of the American Southwest, and the |
|
interactive exhibits of the Permian Basin Petroleum Museum present |
|
the geology and history of oil in West Texas; the American Airpower |
|
Heritage Museum of the Commemorative Air Force depicts the history |
|
of the U.S. Air Force during World War II; the Midland Festival |
|
Ballet, the Midland-Odessa Symphony and Chorale, and the Midland |
|
Community Theatre offer live performances that inspire and |
|
entertain; and |
|
WHEREAS, For more than a century, the dynamic cities of |
|
Midland and Odessa have been at the economic and cultural hub of |
|
West Texas, and their citizens continue to celebrate their rich |
|
history as they work hard to build a prosperous future; now, |
|
therefore, be it |
|
RESOLVED, That the 81st Legislature of the State of Texas |
|
hereby recognize February 17, 2009, as Midland-Odessa Day at the |
|
State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation best wishes for |
|
a memorable and meaningful stay in Austin. |
|
|
Craddick |
|
Lewis |
|
|
|
______________________________ |
______________________________ |
|
President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
|
|
|
I certify that H.C.R. No. 24 was adopted by the House on |
|
February 4, 2009, by a non-record vote. |
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
Chief Clerk of the House |
|
|
|
I certify that H.C.R. No. 24 was adopted by the Senate on |
|
February 9, 2009, by a viva-voce vote. |
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
Secretary of the Senate |
|
APPROVED: __________________ |
|
Date |
|
|
|
__________________ |
|
Governor |