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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The picturesque and historic community of Fort Davis |
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deserves special recognition as the town with the highest elevation |
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in the Lone Star State, 5,050 feet above sea level; and |
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WHEREAS, Completely surrounded by the Chihuahuan Desert, |
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Fort Davis is situated among the Davis Mountains in what |
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geographers call a "sky island," a self-contained mountainous |
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region with a cooler and wetter climate than the hot, arid region |
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all around it; this impressive geological formation is the result |
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of volcanic activity 35 million years ago, and the area's forested |
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ecology is inhabited by flora and fauna that couldn't survive in the |
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desert below; for centuries, Native American groups, including the |
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Mescalero Apache, used this elevated, temperate region as a refuge |
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from the harsh conditions of the desert; and |
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WHEREAS, Fort Davis takes its name from the U.S. Army post |
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that was established in 1854, a location now preserved as the Fort |
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Davis National Historic Site; Brevet General Persifor F. Smith, |
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commander of the Department of Texas, personally selected the site |
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in part because the high elevation helped guarantee its "pure water |
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and salubrious climate"; thanks to its unusual geography, the area |
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was also blessed with ample timber, game, and forage for livestock, |
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which benefited the soldiers of the fort, as well as the ranchers |
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and other settlers who followed; through the decades, the town has |
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been popular with visitors who enjoy its cool nights during the |
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blistering heat of a Texas summer, a tradition that began in the |
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years before air conditioning and continues to the present; and |
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WHEREAS, In addition to the restored fort, the area's |
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attractions include the scenic beauty of Davis Mountains State Park |
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and its majestic Indian Lodge hotel as well as the magnificent |
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ponderosa pines of the Davis Mountains Preserve; motorists enjoy |
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driving the Davis Mountains Scenic Loop, which is the highest |
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section of the Texas highway system, reaching an altitude of 6,700 |
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feet; star-filled nights are another boon of the town's elevation, |
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and they are best experienced at the Star Parties hosted by the |
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nearby McDonald Observatory; and |
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WHEREAS, Uniquely situated amid rugged mountains and below |
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the spectacular West Texas sky, Fort Davis is beloved by residents |
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and visitors alike, and it has earned a well-deserved reputation as |
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one of the Lone Star State's "top" destinations; now, therefore, be |
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it |
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RESOLVED, That the 87th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby designate Fort Davis as the official Highest Town in Texas; |
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and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That, in accordance with the provisions of Section |
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391.003(e), Government Code, this designation remain in effect |
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until the 10th anniversary of the date this resolution is finally |
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passed by the legislature. |