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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Proud residents of Port Aransas are gathering in |
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Austin to celebrate Port Aransas Day at the State Capitol on March |
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24, 2015; and |
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WHEREAS, The town's location on Mustang Island was first |
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inhabited by the Karankawa Indians, and in the early 1800s, it was |
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frequented by the famed buccaneer Jean Lafitte; the natural passage |
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between the island and St. Joseph Island was originally named |
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Aranzazu, and it became known as Aransas Pass; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1855, an English sheep and cattle rancher named |
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Robert A. Mercer built a cabin on Mustang Island at the site that |
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later became the town; Elihu Harrison Ropes started a project to dig |
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a channel across the island in 1890, and the community that grew |
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around the new post office was called Ropesville; in 1896, it was |
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renamed Tarpon to highlight the island's fine fishing, and in 1911, |
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the town was officially designated as Port Aransas; and |
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WHEREAS, Since World War II, the city has become one of the |
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most popular resort destinations on the Texas Gulf Coast; the |
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superb beaches draw campers, swimmers, and surfers from across the |
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Lone Star State, and the town's launching ramps, lighted piers, and |
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jetties enable anglers to catch a wide diversity of fish, including |
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red snapper, shark, sand trout, tuna, and bonito; and |
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WHEREAS, Port Aransas is also one of the top bird-watching |
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destinations in the nation, and many preserved venues afford fine |
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opportunities to view local species such as herons and roseate |
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spoonbills as well as the annual migrations of hummingbirds, |
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flycatchers, and orioles; and |
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WHEREAS, The rich variety of sea life found along the Gulf |
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Coast can be appreciated at The University of Texas Marine Science |
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Institute; visitors also delight in the town's many fine art |
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galleries, shops, seafood restaurants, and lodging accommodations, |
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including the historic Tarpon Inn, which displays tarpon scales |
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signed by such famous visitors as President Franklin Delano |
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Roosevelt and movie star Hedy Lamarr; and |
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WHEREAS, Blessed with natural beauty and a colorful history, |
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Port Aransas is one of the jewels of the Lone Star State, and its |
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citizens may indeed take great pride in their heritage and ongoing |
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achievements; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize March 24, 2015, as Port Aransas Day at |
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the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation sincere |
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best wishes for an enjoyable and informative visit to Austin. |
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Hunter |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 1247 was adopted by the House on March |
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24, 2015, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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