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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The strikingly beautiful Big Bend region is one of |
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the treasures of the Lone Star State, and on June 12, 2019, Big Bend |
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National Park will celebrate the 75th anniversary of its |
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establishment; and |
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WHEREAS, Situated along the United States-Mexico border in |
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the southwestern part of Texas, Big Bend National Park includes |
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1,200 square miles of stunning Chihuahuan Desert scenery; the park |
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incorporates a variety of different landscapes within its borders, |
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from the arid beauty of the desert floor to the volcanic peaks of |
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the Chisos Mountains, from the thickets of vegetation along the |
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banks of the Rio Grande to the majestic cliffs of Santa Elena |
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Canyon; and |
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WHEREAS, For millennia, the park has been home to a diverse |
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array of plants and wildlife and today includes such inhabitants as |
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black bears, mountain lions, and bobcats, as well as 450 species of |
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birds and over 1,000 species of plants; moreover, the region's rich |
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history of human habitation extends back thousands of years and |
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encompasses Native Americans and Hispanic and Anglo-American |
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settlers who arrived in the late 1800s and early 1900s; and |
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WHEREAS, The idea for a park in this unique region was first |
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conceived by entrepreneur J. O. Langford, State Representative |
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E. E. Townsend, and newspaper publisher Amon Carter, and by 1933, |
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their efforts resulted in the creation of Texas Canyons State Park, |
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which was soon renamed Big Bend State Park; over the next decade, |
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park supporters privately raised money to purchase additional land, |
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and in 1942, the State of Texas allocated $1.5 million to purchase |
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600,000 acres from private owners; and |
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WHEREAS, On June 6, 1944--the same day that Allied forces |
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made their D-Day invasion of Europe--Amon Carter presented |
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President Franklin Roosevelt with the deed to the land; a week |
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later, on June 12, 1944, Big Bend National Park was officially |
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established, becoming the first national park in Texas; although it |
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drew only 1,409 people during its first year, that number has grown |
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to more than 400,000 annually, and today, visitors benefit from the |
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park's 100 miles of paved scenic drives, 150 miles of hiking trails, |
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and such amenities as the Chisos Mountain Lodge and multiple |
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visitors centers; and |
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WHEREAS, The abundant ecological, geological, and cultural |
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riches of Big Bend are a source of tremendous pride for all Texans, |
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and Big Bend National Park represents a vital part of our shared |
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legacy; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas |
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Legislature hereby commemorate the 75th anniversary of Big Bend |
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National Park; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the park as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |