SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 114
WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to
recognize February 17 and 18, 2009, as El Paso Days at the State
Capitol; and
WHEREAS, Located in the westernmost tip of the state, the
City of El Paso combines a modern metropolis with the charm born
of its Spanish origins; the area was named El Paso by the Spanish
conquistador Don Juan de Onate because of the shallow place in
the river where the colonists crossed en route to Santa Fe, New
Mexico; and
WHEREAS, The arrival of the railroads in 1881 ushered in an
era of prosperity, and El Paso became a flourishing frontier
community that has developed into a significant industrial,
commercial, and transportation city; and
WHEREAS, Today, semitrailers, trains, and planes transport
manufactured goods through the border cities at the Pass, just as
Spanish traders did in the 16th century when they guided ox-drawn
carts along the Camino Real from Mexico City to Santa Fe; and
WHEREAS, With a population of nearly three-quarters of a
million people, El Paso is the state's sixth-largest city and the
nation's 22nd-largest; the largest American city on the
2,000-mile United States-Mexico border, it lies across the Rio
Grande from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico's fifth-largest city, which
has a population of over a million people; and
WHEREAS, Nearby Fort Bliss, which celebrated its 160th
anniversary in 2008, is immersed in the biggest transformation in
its history; its population is projected to increase 300 percent
by 2012, and $5 billion is being invested in construction for
new, top-of-the-line facilities for the incoming personnel and
their families; and
WHEREAS, El Paso is a vibrant, bilingual community, and
many of its residents are fluent in Spanish; its residents enjoy
a thriving fine arts community, exemplary educational
institutions, and many cultural and historical resources and
museums; and
WHEREAS, El Paso Days at the State Capitol provide an
opportunity for friends and families to honor El Paso and its
rich heritage, which today is enjoyed by residents and
vacationers of all ages; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 81st
Legislature, hereby recognize February 17 and 18, 2009, as El
Paso Days at the State Capitol and join the citizens of this
historical and vibrant region in paying tribute to this wonderful
city; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared as a
memento of this special occasion.
Shapleigh
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President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on February 2, 2009.
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Secretary of the Senate
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Member, Texas Senate