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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 820
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WHEREAS, July 4, 2017, represents the centennial of the |
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first landing by an aircraft at Mineola-Wisener Field Airport in |
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Wood County; and |
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WHEREAS, On the Fourth of July, 1917, Lieutenant Ralph W. |
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Stone of the United States Army Signal Corps landed his Curtiss |
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JN-4 "Jenny" biplane at what was then known as Massingale Meadow, |
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proving the field's suitability as an emergency landing site |
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between Love Field in Dallas and a military base in Shreveport, |
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Louisiana; witnessing this first landing was a 12-year-old local |
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farm boy named Robert Henry Wisener Jr.; and |
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WHEREAS, Over the next few years, the field was used by |
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such pioneer aviators as Wiley Post, who was the first man to fly |
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solo around the world, and Hollywood stunt pilot Roy Wilson, who |
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in the summer of 1923 taught Henry Wisener how to fly; in 1926, |
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Mr. Wisener leased the site, renamed it Royal Field, and began |
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providing flight lessons, aircraft repairs, and aircraft fuel; |
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together with his brother, Bryce, he also established the Royal |
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Flying Circus, which offered airplane rides and performed |
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aerobatics; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1941, Henry Wisener bought the site and 50 |
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adjacent acres and lengthened the runway to accommodate newer |
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aircraft, and after World War II, the brothers added an aircraft |
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repair shop, a classroom, a flight office, and a beacon tower; |
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from 1963 to 1983, the airport was leased to the City of Mineola |
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and called Mineola Municipal Airport, and since 1983, it has been |
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known as Mineola-Wisener Field Airport; and |
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WHEREAS, Over the years, this historic airfield and the |
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family behind it have been honored on a number of occasions; |
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Charles Lindbergh presented the airport in 1928 with a |
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certificate from the Daniel Guggenheim Fund for the Promotion of |
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Aeronautics, and the Texas Historical Commission has conferred |
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on the airport both an Official Texas Historical Marker and a |
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Texas Treasure Business Award; on May 2, 1980, the city of |
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Mineola celebrated Henry and Bryce Wisener Day, in recognition of |
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their contributions to American and Wood County aviation; today, |
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the site of the airport is also home to the Royal Flying Circus |
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Aviation Museum and to a chapter of the Experimental Aircraft |
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Association; and |
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WHEREAS, Still owned by the Wisener family, the |
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Mineola-Wisener Field Airport is the oldest privately held |
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public-use airport in Texas and the home base of more than 70 |
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aircraft, and it continues to support the local economy and to |
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contribute to the rich history of aviation in the Lone Star |
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State; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 85th |
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Legislature, hereby commemorate the 100th anniversary of the |
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first landing at Mineola-Wisener Field Airport and extend to the |
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Wisener family and to everyone associated with the airport |
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sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for |
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Mineola-Wisener Field Airport as an expression of high regard |
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from the Texas Senate. |
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Hughes |
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________________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that the |
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above Resolution was adopted by |
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the Senate on May 19, 2017. |
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________________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |