SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 112
         WHEREAS, Proud residents of Midland and Odessa are gathering
  in Austin on February 7, 2017, to celebrate Midland-Odessa Day at
  the State Capitol; and
 
         WHEREAS, Set only 20 miles apart in the ranching and oil
  country of West Texas, these vibrant Texas cities got their start
  as stops on the Texas and Pacific Railway in the 1880s; by 1890,
  Midland was one of the most important centers for shipping cattle
  in Texas; and
 
         WHEREAS, Odessa began its rapid growth with the discovery
  of oil in the Permian Basin in the 1920s, and by the 1940s, it had
  grown from 750 residents to 10,000; by 1929, Midland was home to
  36 oil companies, and the demand for oil during World War II
  helped Odessa to develop as a major processor and distributor of
  petroleum products and to become home to the largest inland
  petrochemical complex in the world; and
 
         WHEREAS, Today, Midland continues to be the financial and
  administrative capital of the Permian Basin, while Odessa remains
  the center for the region's oil processing and distribution;
  looking to the future, the Midland Development Corporation and the
  Odessa Development Corporation are working to strengthen and
  diversify the area's economy; and
 
         WHEREAS, Both Midland and Odessa are proud that the Bush
  presidential families and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush
  called Midland and Odessa home; and
 
         WHEREAS, Odessa and Midland boast many fine historical and
  cultural attractions; in Odessa, the Presidential Archives and
  Leadership Library is the only museum in the nation dedicated to
  the history of the office of the presidency; located right next
  door is the Ellen Noël Art Museum, one of only two Smithsonian
  affiliates in Texas; the museum features world class exhibits
  year round; the Parker House Museum evokes the life of a
  prominent Texas ranching family, and the White-Pool House is the
  first residential home in Odessa and proudly displays items from
  both the White and Pool families; visitors and residents alike
  enjoy the live productions at the replica of Shakespeare's Globe
  Theatre on the campus of Odessa College and the Stonehenge
  replica on The University of Texas of the Permian Basin campus;
  also located in Odessa and enjoyed by more than 10,000 visitors
  every year is the nation's second-largest meteor crater and the
  adjoining museum; Odessa's newest attraction is the Chris Kyle
  Memorial Plaza, which honors the former Navy Seal, who was born
  in Odessa, and which pays tribute to the past, current, and
  future veterans who serve our country so unselfishly; located
  between Midland and Odessa is the Wagner Noël Performing Arts
  Center, a state-of-the-art theater boasting 1,800 seats in the
  main theater and 200 seats in the recital hall; the theater hosts
  a variety of shows and performances guaranteed to attract all
  types of audiences; and
 
         WHEREAS, Midland's Museum of the Southwest offers displays
  of the art and archaeology of the American Southwest, as well as
  the winning Kentucky Derby history of one of Midland's prominent
  families, and the newly remodeled interactive exhibits in the
  Permian Basin Petroleum Museum present the geology and history of
  oil while inspiring future industry players; the Midland Army
  Airfield Museum preserves the history of the largest bombardier
  training school in World War II history and highlights the impact
  of West Texans during the war, and the Haley Library and History
  Center houses the first bell to hang in the Alamo and vast
  resources of oral and written history of the "cowboy" used by
  authors and historians to tell their tales; the Midland Festival
  Ballet, the Midland-Odessa Symphony and Chorale, and the
  award-winning Midland Community Theatre offer live performances
  that inspire and entertain; and
 
         WHEREAS, For more than a century, the dynamic cities of
  Midland and Odessa have been at the economic and cultural hub of
  West Texas, and their citizens continue to celebrate their rich
  history as they work hard to build a prosperous future; now,
  therefore, be it
 
         RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 85th
  Legislature, hereby recognize February 7, 2017, as Midland-Odessa
  Day at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation best
  wishes for a memorable and meaningful stay in Austin.
 
  Seliger
   
   
   
    ________________________________ 
        President of the Senate
     
        I hereby certify that the
    above Resolution was adopted by
    the Senate on February 7, 2017.
   
   
   
    ________________________________ 
        Secretary of the Senate
   
   
   
    ________________________________ 
         Member, Texas Senate