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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The Gage Hotel in Marathon was named to the National |
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Register of Historic Places on December 4, 2020, and its inclusion |
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is a fitting tribute to the hotel's status as a treasured West Texas |
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landmark; and |
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WHEREAS, A program of the National Park Service, the National |
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Register of Historic Places is the country's official listing of |
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historic buildings and sites worthy of preservation for their |
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historic or architectural distinction; and |
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WHEREAS, The Gage Hotel was opened in Marathon in 1927 by |
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cattleman Alfred S. Gage; a native of Vermont, he came west in 1878 |
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at the age of 18 with only a $20 gold piece in his pocket, and he |
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went on to establish the largest cattle operation in the |
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Trans-Pecos region; he founded the hotel as his residence and base |
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of operations, while also providing accommodation to travelers; and |
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WHEREAS, Designed by architect Henry C. Trost, the original |
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two-story building is a fine example of the Spanish Colonial |
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Revival style, featuring a flat roof, an arcaded porch, and a |
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semicircular arch as its main entrance; during the 1960s and 70s, |
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the hotel changed hands a number of times until it was acquired in |
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1978 by J. P. Bryan, a descendant of Stephen F. Austin; under his |
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direction, the hotel was revived and renovated, with particular |
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attention to preserving its historic character, and it reopened in |
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1982; the Los Portales addition to the hotel was created in 1992 by |
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architect Randall Walton and craftsman Norman J. Dehmlow in the |
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Pueblo-Spanish Revival style, with a central courtyard and a |
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fountain; and |
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WHEREAS, Over the years, the Gage Hotel has hosted such |
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famous guests as Gutzon Borglum, the sculptor of Mount Rushmore, |
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and the celebrated Western novelist Zane Grey, who is reputed to |
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have written one of his most famous novels at the Gage; in recent |
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years, the hotel has become popular with visitors to such nearby |
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attractions as Big Bend National Park and Marfa; and |
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WHEREAS, For nearly a century, the Gage Hotel has served as a |
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prime attraction of the Big Bend Region, drawing visitors from |
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across the state and nation, and its charm and storied history make |
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it truly deserving of this prestigious national honor; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate the Gage Hotel on its addition to |
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the National Register of Historic Places and extend to Mr. Bryan |
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and his staff sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the Gage Hotel as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |