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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The Texas Historical Commission is celebrating its |
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60th anniversary in 2013, and this is a fitting opportunity to |
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recognize the commission for its immeasurable contribution to |
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preserving the history and heritage of the Lone Star State; and |
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WHEREAS, Founded as the Texas State Historical Survey |
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Committee by the Texas Legislature in 1953, the agency was charged |
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with sponsoring projects and serving as a clearinghouse to record |
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and preserve material culture from all phases of Texas history, in |
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concert with state, regional, and local groups as well as |
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individuals; it was to accomplish this mission by designating |
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historic houses, sites, and landmarks, preserving important |
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documents and artifacts, and publishing and distributing materials |
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about Texas history; and |
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WHEREAS, The first Texas Historical Marker was placed at Camp |
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Ford in Tyler in 1962, and that same year, Eggleston House in |
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Galveston was designated as the first Recorded Texas Historic |
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Landmark; in 1963, the legislature gave the Survey Committee legal |
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authority to preserve and protect the heritage of Texas, and it went |
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on to empower the agency to administer the Office of the State |
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Archeologist; and |
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WHEREAS, After the U.S. Congress passed the National Historic |
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Preservation Act in 1966, Governor John Connally made the Survey |
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Committee responsible for administering the act in Texas, and three |
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years later, the legislature created the Antiquities Code of Texas |
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and established the Texas Antiquities Committee to protect all |
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cultural resources within the state; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1973, the name of the Survey Committee was |
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changed to the Texas Historical Commission, and the legislature |
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granted the commission additional protective powers and expanded |
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its leadership role and educational responsibilities; and |
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WHEREAS, The THC created the Texas Main Street Program in |
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1981, and today it ranks as one of the oldest and largest such |
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efforts in the nation; this initiative has played a crucial role in |
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the restoration and revitalization of the downtown area in more |
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than 80 Texas communities, 67 of which recently received national |
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recognition for their progress; each year, the First Lady of Texas |
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personally welcomes each new Main Street City into the program; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1995, the duties of the Texas Antiquities |
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Committee were transferred to the commission, and that same year, |
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THC archeologists made a spectacular discovery when they found the |
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17th-century French explorer Robert de La Salle's sunken ship, La |
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Belle, in Matagorda Bay; thanks to a special appropriation of $1.7 |
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million, nearly two million artifacts were recovered from the site, |
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and today the hull of the ship is being prepared for display at the |
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Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum; and |
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WHEREAS, The THC was granted oversight authority for the |
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Governor's Mansion in Austin in 1998, and that same year the Texas |
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preservation trust fund was established; also in 1998, the |
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commission launched its Texas Heritage Trails Program with the |
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inauguration of the Texas Forts Trail Region; now encompassing 10 |
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heritage regions, all centered on a scenic driving trail, this |
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program was recognized with the Preserve America Presidential Award |
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in 2005; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1999, the legislature provided $50 million to the |
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THC to restore historic county courthouses, and 83 counties have |
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participated in this award-winning program, which has generated |
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nearly 10,000 jobs, $269 million in income, and more than $367 |
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million in gross state product; in addition, 18 historic sites were |
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transferred from the Parks and Wildlife Department to the THC in |
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2007; with the aid of a $34 million bond issue, the commission has |
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restored several of those sites, resulting in a six percent |
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increase in visitors; in 2009, the THC joined with the Texas |
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Department of Transportation to create the Historic Highways |
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program; and |
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WHEREAS, For six decades, the Texas Historical Commission has |
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provided an invaluable service to the people of Texas, recording |
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our heritage, preserving our landmarks, and drawing national and |
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international attention to the real people and real stories that |
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make up the rich history of the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be |
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it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
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Legislature hereby commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Texas |
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Historical Commission and extend to the commission's staff sincere |
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best wishes for continued success with its important work; and, be |
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it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the commission as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |
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Guillen |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 990 was adopted by the House on March |
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27, 2013, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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