86R32258 SME-D
 
  By: Nevárez H.R. No. 1542
 
 
 
R E S O L U T I O N
         WHEREAS, The strikingly beautiful Big Bend region is one of
  the treasures of the Lone Star State, and on June 12, 2019, Big Bend
  National Park will celebrate the 75th anniversary of its
  establishment; and
         WHEREAS, Situated along the United States-Mexico border in
  the southwestern part of Texas, Big Bend National Park includes
  1,250 square miles of stunning Chihuahuan Desert scenery; the park
  incorporates a variety of different landscapes within its borders,
  from the arid beauty of the desert floor to the volcanic peaks of
  the Chisos Mountains, from the thickets of vegetation along the
  banks of the Rio Grande to the majestic cliffs of Santa Elena
  Canyon; and
         WHEREAS, For millennia, the park has been home to a diverse
  array of plants and wildlife and today includes such inhabitants as
  black bears, mountain lions, and bobcats, as well as 450 species of
  birds and over 1,000 species of plants; moreover, the region's rich
  history of human habitation extends back thousands of years and
  encompasses Native Americans and Hispanic and Anglo-American
  settlers who arrived in the late 1800s and early 1900s; and
         WHEREAS, The idea of establishing a park in this unique
  region was conceived by several individuals, including
  entrepreneur J. O. Langford and newspaper publisher Amon Carter,
  and the initiative received a major boost through the efforts of
  Texas State Representatives Everett Ewing Townsend and Robert
  McAlpine Wagstaff, who in 1933 cosponsored House Bill 771 to
  establish Texas Canyons State Park; a second bill renaming the
  preserve as Big Bend State Park was signed into law by Governor
  Miriam "Ma" Ferguson on October 27 of that year; over the next
  decade, park supporters privately raised money to purchase
  additional land, and in 1942, the State of Texas allocated $1.5
  million to purchase 600,000 acres from private owners; and
         WHEREAS, On June 6, 1944--the same day that Allied forces
  made their D-Day invasion of Europe--Amon Carter presented
  President Franklin Roosevelt with the deed to the land; a week
  later, on June 12, 1944, Big Bend National Park was officially
  established, becoming the first national park in Texas; although it
  drew only 1,409 people during its first year, that number has grown
  to more than 400,000 annually, and today, visitors benefit from the
  park's 100 miles of paved scenic drives, 150 miles of hiking trails,
  and such amenities as the Chisos Mountain Lodge and multiple
  visitors centers; and
         WHEREAS, The abundant ecological, geological, and cultural
  riches of Big Bend are a source of tremendous pride for all Texans,
  and Big Bend National Park represents a vital part of our shared
  legacy; now, therefore, be it
         RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas
  Legislature hereby commemorate the 75th anniversary of Big Bend
  National Park; and, be it further
         RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
  prepared for the park as an expression of high regard by the Texas
  House of Representatives.