SLS 15RS-2905 ORIGINAL 2015 Regular Session SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 178 BY SENATOR LONG COMMENDATIONS. Commends the city of Natchitoches on being the named the 2015 Best Southern Small Town by USA Today. 1 A RESOLUTION 2 To commend the city of Natchitoches on being named the 2015 Best Southern Small Town 3 by USA Today. 4 WHEREAS, USA Today is a national newspaper distributed across all fifty states and 5 is read by almost two million people annually; and 6 WHEREAS, this year, the editors convened a group of travel and lifestyle experts 7 to select twenty cities throughout the South with a population of under twenty thousand and 8 which best represents the atmosphere and culture of this historic region; and 9 WHEREAS, the list of nominees included Natchitoches, Louisiana; Abingdon, 10 Virginia; Bardstown, Kentucky; Dahlonega, Georgia; Natchez, Mississippi; Eureka Springs, 11 Arkansas; Beaufort, South Carolina; Berkeley Springs, West Virginia; Floyd, Virginia; and 12 Fredericksburg, Texas; and 13 WHEREAS, Natchitoches was nominated largely because a trip there is like 14 "stepping back in time, where the famed Southern hospitality remains a tradition and where 15 life moves along at a more leisurely pace"; and 16 WHEREAS, the list of nominees were presented to readers of the newspaper who 17 had the opportunity to vote on which town they thought best represented the ideal of the 18 southern small town, and after eleven days and thousands of votes, Natchitoches, Louisiana, Page 1 of 2 SR NO. 178 SLS 15RS-2905 ORIGINAL 1 was officially named the 2015 Best Southern Small Town; and 2 WHEREAS, a proud gem of the state and one of the nation's oldest cities, 3 Natchitoches was founded in 1714 as part of French Louisiana and was named after the 4 Natchitoches Indian Tribe; and 5 WHEREAS, the city boasts a population of eighteen thousand two hundred and 6 seventy-five people, and during its long and storied history the town has served as an 7 important trading and economic hub for north Louisiana, is home to a major university, and 8 is a popular tourist destination for those wanting to experience the culture and heritage that 9 the city is so celebrated for; and 10 WHEREAS, the city of Natchitoches and its proud citizens should be commended 11 on being recognized for their efforts in preserving the Southern experience. 12 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana 13 does hereby commend and congratulate the city of Natchitoches, Louisiana, for being named 14 the 2015 Best Southern Small Town by USA Today. 15 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the 16 mayor of the city of Natchitoches, Louisiana. The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part of the legislative instrument, were prepared by McHenry Lee. DIGEST SR 178 Original 2015 Regular Session Long Commends the city of Natchitoches on being named the 2015 Best Southern Small Town by USA Today. Page 2 of 2