86R9171 KSM-D
 
  By: Craddick H.C.R. No. 44
 
 
 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
         WHEREAS, Proud residents of Midland and Odessa are gathering
  in Austin February 4-6, 2019, to celebrate Midland-Odessa Days 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 1929, Midland was home
  to 36 oil companies; 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; and
         WHEREAS, Odessa and Midland boast many fine historical and
  cultural attractions; in Odessa, the Presidential Archives &
  Leadership Library is the only museum in the nation dedicated to the
  history of the office of the presidency; the families of both Bush
  presidents have called Midland and Odessa home, and the archive
  features a restored house where the Bush family once resided; and
         WHEREAS, The Ellen Noël Art Museum, one of only two
  Smithsonian affiliates in Texas, features world-class exhibits
  year-round, and the Parker House Ranching Museum evokes the way of
  life of a prominent Texas ranching family; the Haley Memorial
  Library & History Center houses the first bell to hang in the Alamo,
  as well as vast resources of oral and written history about the
  cowboy; and
         WHEREAS, Situated between Midland and Odessa is the Wagner
  Noël Performing Arts Center, a state-of-the-art facility boasting a
  total of 2,000 seats between its theater and recital hall, which
  brings in myriad shows to impress a variety of audiences; and
         WHEREAS, Visitors and residents alike enjoy the Stonehenge
  replica on the campus of The University of Texas of the Permian
  Basin, as well as live productions at the replica of Shakespeare's
  Globe Theatre on the campus of Odessa College; furthermore, 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, The White-Pool house is the first residential home
  in Odessa and proudly displays items from both the White and Pool
  families; also located in Odessa and enjoyed by more than 10,000
  visitors every year is the nation's second-largest meteor crater
  and adjoining museum; 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; the interactive exhibits of the Permian Basin Petroleum
  Museum present the geology and history of oil while helping to
  inspire entrepreneurs of the future; and
         WHEREAS, Odessa features the Chris Kyle Memorial Plaza, which
  honors the former Navy SEAL who was born in Odessa, and also pays
  tribute to past, current, and future veterans who have served our
  country so unselfishly; the Midland Army Air Field Museum preserves
  the history of the largest bombardier training school in World War
  II and also highlights the contributions that West Texans made to
  the war effort; 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 86th Legislature of the State of Texas
  hereby recognize February 4-6, 2019, as Midland-Odessa Days at the
  State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation best wishes for
  an informative and enjoyable stay in Austin.