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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Proud residents of Port Aransas are gathering in |
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Austin to celebrate Port Aransas Day at the State Capitol on |
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February 9, 2011; and |
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WHEREAS, The town's location on Mustang Island was first |
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inhabited by the Karankawa Indians, and in the early 1800s, it was |
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frequented by the famed buccaneer Jean Lafitte; the natural passage |
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between the island and St. Joseph Island was originally named |
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Aranzazu and later became known as Aransas Pass; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1855, an English sheep and cattle rancher named |
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Robert A. Mercer built a cabin on Mustang Island at the site that |
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later became the town; Elihu Harrison Ropes started a project to dig |
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a channel across the island in 1890, and the community that grew |
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around the new post office was called Ropesville; in 1896, it was |
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renamed Tarpon to highlight the island's fine fishing, and in 1911, |
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the town was officially designated as Port Aransas; and |
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WHEREAS, Since World War II, the city has become one of the |
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most popular resort destinations on the Texas Gulf Coast; the |
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superb beaches of nearby Mustang Island State Park draw campers, |
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swimmers, and surfers from across the Lone Star State, and the |
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town's launching ramps and three lighted piers enable anglers to |
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catch a wide diversity of fish, including red snapper, shark, sand |
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trout, tuna, and bonito; and |
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WHEREAS, Port Aransas is also one of the top bird-watching |
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destinations in the nation, and the Leonabelle Turnbull Birding |
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Center, the Port Aransas Wetland Park, and other nature centers |
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afford fine opportunities to view local species such as herons and |
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roseate spoonbills as well as the annual migrations of |
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hummingbirds, flycatchers, and orioles; and |
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WHEREAS, The rich variety of sea life that resides along the |
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Gulf Coast can be appreciated at the aquariums at The University of |
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Texas Marine Science Institute; visitors also delight in the town's |
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many fine art galleries, shops, seafood restaurants, and hotels, |
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including the historic Tarpon Inn, which has hosted such famous |
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visitors as President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and movie star Hedy |
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Lamarr; and |
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WHEREAS, Blessed with natural beauty and a colorful history, |
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Port Aransas is one of the jewels of the Lone Star State, and its |
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citizens may indeed take great pride in their heritage and ongoing |
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achievements; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize February 9, 2011, as Port Aransas Day |
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at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation sincere |
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best wishes for a meaningful and memorable visit to Austin. |