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HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, Both the Chisholm Trail and the Great Western Trail |
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contributed immeasurably to the agricultural boom in the United |
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States in the 19th century, and their far-reaching effects on the |
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country's culture, their historical significance, and their |
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potential for recreational use make them prime candidates for |
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designation as National Historic Trails; and |
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WHEREAS, The Chisholm Trail was formed in 1867, when Joseph |
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G. McCoy and other cattlemen sought to expand the market for Texas |
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beef; the passage stretched from San Antonio to Abilene, Kansas, |
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and with each passing year, the number of heads of cattle shipped |
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along the route doubled until topping out at more than 600,000 in |
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1871; before its closing in 1884, the trail had been the route of |
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the greatest migration of livestock in world history, including |
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five million cattle and a million mustangs; and |
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WHEREAS, The Great Western Trail was established by cattle |
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driver John T. Lytle in 1874; it reached from San Antonio to Dodge |
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City, Kansas, and quickly succeeded the Chisholm Trail as the |
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principal thoroughfare for exporting cattle; by the last reported |
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drive in 1893, between three and five million cattle had traveled |
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north along its path; and |
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WHEREAS, The importance of the Chisholm and Great Western |
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Trails in American history cannot be understated, as they provided |
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an abundance of beef and milk to the industrialized centers of the |
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country and greatly changed the economics of the agricultural |
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industry, and these landmarks are truly deserving of being |
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designated as National Historic Trails; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 84th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby respectfully urge Congress to designate the Chisholm Trail |
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and the Great Western Trail as National Historic Trails while |
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ensuring that the private property rights of citizens along the |
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trails are protected; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official |
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copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to |
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the speaker of the house of representatives and to the president of |
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the senate of the United States Congress, and to all members of the |
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Texas delegation to Congress with the request that this resolution |
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be officially entered in the Congressional Record as a memorial to |
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the Congress of the United States of America. |
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