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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, In 1852, in spite of the danger posed by Indian raids |
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at the time, a group of entrepreneurs acquired land on a |
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cypress-lined bend in the Medina River; the following year, members |
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of the group surveyed the town of Bandera and opened a sawmill and |
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commissary; the town quickly became a thriving settlement due to |
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the success of the founders' water-powered lumber mill; and |
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WHEREAS, In the years that followed, local farmers and |
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ranchers prospered, supplying products to United States Cavalry |
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troops at Camp Verde, raising and ginning cotton, and raising |
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cattle, sheep, and goats; and |
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WHEREAS, In the 1870s, as the threat of Indian attack |
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receded, the county became a staging area for cattle drives and the |
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population grew markedly; it is estimated that between 1874 and |
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1894, 7 to 10 million longhorns and one million horses were driven |
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by 30,000 cowboys to a staging area near Bandera, a major gathering |
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point connecting with the Western Trail; during this time, Bandera |
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became known as a place where cowboys could relax and buy supplies; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Dude ranching began in 1920 when the Buck Ranch took |
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in paying summer guests, with the Bruce Ranch taking the overflow; |
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in the 1930s, the dude ranching industry continued to expand and |
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over 30 dude ranches were operating near Bandera; and |
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WHEREAS, Rodeos began in the 1920s when cowboys who worked on |
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ranches displayed their skills at roundups and on cattle drives; |
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the first advertised rodeo near Bandera was held at Mansfield Park |
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in 1924; Bandera cowboys became rodeo world champions and were |
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inducted into the National Cowboy Hall of Fame; and |
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WHEREAS, The citizens of Bandera are heirs to a rich western |
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heritage; today this charming town remains a living testament to |
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the courage, talent, and vision of the men and women who shaped the |
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Old West; since 1920 the community has been a popular tourist |
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destination, each year drawing visitors from around the state and |
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beyond to attractions that include area resorts, dude ranches, |
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rodeo venues, and hunting and camping areas; and |
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WHEREAS, The wild and rugged western town of Bandera |
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displayed the qualities and history of its self-proclaimed cowboy |
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capital status long before the first printed reference naming it |
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the "Cowboy Capital of the World" in 1948; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize the rich history of Bandera and pay |
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tribute to its citizens' many contributions to the Lone Star State. |
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Hilderbran |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 2595 was adopted by the House on May |
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24, 2013, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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