84R11637 JGH-D
 
  By: Guillen H.C.R. No. 78
 
 
 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
         WHEREAS, Over the course of nearly 200 years, people all
  around the world have come to know the State of Texas as "the Lone
  Star State," and it is time that this universally recognized
  nickname receive official recognition; and
         WHEREAS, The exact origins of this colorful phrase, and the
  use of a single, white, five-pointed star to represent Texas, are
  unclear; some accounts trace it to a flag carried by the James Long
  Expedition in 1819, an early attempt to free Texas from the Spanish
  empire, while a recent discovery of coins that were minted in what
  is now San Antonio, showing a five-pointed star on one side and the
  year 1817 on the other, suggest that the star was already in use as a
  symbol for the region; and
         WHEREAS, The first official use of the Lone Star came in 1836,
  when the Congress of the Republic of Texas adopted a flag with a
  five-pointed gold star on a background of deep azure, known as the
  David G. Burnet Flag; three years later, the Texas Congress adopted
  what is commonly known as the Lone Star Flag, showing a bright white
  star against deep blue on the left of the flag and two horizontal
  stripes of white and red on the flag's right; this was made the
  official flag of the State of Texas in 1933; and
         WHEREAS, Today, the distinctive five-pointed star and the
  phrase "the Lone Star State" are instantly recognizable the world
  over as the primary symbol and nickname for Texas; the term "Lone
  Star" has been adopted by countless enterprises, from a brand of
  beer to car dealerships, restaurants, hotels, and barbecue
  establishments, along with nearly every other sort of business;
  over the years, at least 10 communities in Texas have been named
  Lone Star, including towns in Morris, Floyd, Bastrop, Delta, Polk,
  and other counties; and
         WHEREAS, Whatever its origins, and whatever its uses, from
  the serious to the playful, the phrase "the Lone Star State" has
  achieved universal currency as a sharp and memorable way to evoke
  the unique legacy of Texas and the indomitable spirit of its people;
  now, therefore, be it
         RESOLVED, That the 84th Legislature of the State of Texas
  hereby designate "the Lone Star State" as the official nickname of
  Texas.