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SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The city of Gonzales has special prominence in the |
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history of this state as the site of the first battle of the Texas |
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Revolution, and the town seeks to heighten awareness of the rich |
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heritage shared by all Texans with a number of museums it has opened |
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to tell the colorful and inspiring story of the Lone Star State; and |
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WHEREAS, Recognizing the significance of the community's |
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historical attractions, the Gonzales Texas History Museums |
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Partnership, working in conjunction with city leaders, has |
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established a history museum district that encompasses the public |
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lands between and adjacent to Saint Lawrence Street and Saint Louis |
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Street, extending from Highway 183 to Highway 90; within that area |
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are 18 sites that help illuminate our state's unique past; and |
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WHEREAS, Several of the museum district locations |
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commemorate the events surrounding that fateful day of October 2, |
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1835, when local residents took up arms against Mexican troops, |
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firing the first shots in the revolution that would lead to the |
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independence of Texas; the Gonzales Memorial Museum contains a |
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mural honoring the brave patriots who took part in the Battle of |
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Gonzales as well as an artillery piece that some believe to be the |
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legendary "Come and Take It" cannon that sparked the skirmish; the |
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limestone museum building is interesting in its own right, having |
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been constructed in the 1930s to mark the centennial of the Lone |
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Star State; and |
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WHEREAS, Nearby is the Eggleston House Museum, a |
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dogtrot-style log cabin that was built in the 1840s, and the |
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district also contains numerous other examples of historic |
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architecture; among them are the Old College, built in 1851, the Old |
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Jail Museum, which dates to the late 1800s, and the Gonzales County |
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Courthouse, constructed in the mid-1890s; and |
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WHEREAS, The Gonzales museum district encompasses a variety |
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of additional landmarks as well, including the town's seven |
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downtown squares, churches that first opened their doors at the |
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turn of the 20th century, and the 1917 Crystal Theatre; and |
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WHEREAS, These sites have long been enjoyed by visitors to |
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Gonzales, and the establishment of the museum district is sure to |
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make the town an even more popular destination in the years ahead; |
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the community offers a treasure trove of interesting and |
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informative locations that help explain how Texas was established |
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and how it has developed into the state we know today, and the |
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community's role as a center for historical tourism is indeed |
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deserving of special recognition; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 82nd Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby designate a portion of the city of Gonzales as an official |
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Texas History Museum District. |