SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 170
WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to
recognize February 12, 2009, as Mission Day at the Capitol and to
welcome the citizens of Mission who have traveled to Austin for
this occasion; and
WHEREAS, The earliest settlers of the Mission area were the
Native American Coahuiltecans, a name that refers to the
indigenous people of 200 tribes who lived on both sides of the Rio
Grande from the mouth of the Pecos River to the Gulf of Mexico;
and
WHEREAS, Over 200 years ago, the Spanish settled the vast
area stretching from the Panuco River in Tampico, Mexico, to
present-day Corpus Christi, Texas; in 1762, King Carlos III of
Spain ordered a just and equal division of the territory, and in
this process, porciones of land along the Rio Grande were
established; Porciones 55 and 57 were the location of Rancho La
Lomita, which became the site of the historic La Lomita Chapel;
and
WHEREAS, Written records indicate that the site known as La
Lomita was granted to Captain Cantu of Reynosa by a Spanish grant
in 1767, and the land was eventually sold to Rene Guyard, who left
the land to the Missionary Oblates of Mary; the priests of the
Oblate order established the La Lomita Mission in 1824, and La
Lomita Chapel was built in 1865; and
WHEREAS, In 1908, the Missouri Pacific Railroad
established a railway station near the mission, and that same
year, the City of Mission was founded; Mrs. Ann Voltz, who lived
in the Madero area, suggested that the new town be named Mission
after the La Lomita Mission; since 1908, the City of Mission has
grown from a railroad stop to a thriving city; and
WHEREAS, An orange grove had been planted by the Oblate
priests, and thus the Mission area became the locale of the first
citrus trees to be planted in the Rio Grande Valley; Mission was
designated the Lone Star State's Home of the Grapefruit by the
75th Texas Legislature; the citrus industry is a
multimillion-dollar business that is celebrated annually during
the Texas Citrus Fiesta; and
WHEREAS, Mission was immortalized in Larry McMurtry's
novel and miniseries, Lonesome Dove, and its notable residents
have included the late United States Senator and Treasury
Secretary Lloyd Bentsen and former United States Congressman
Kika de la Garza; Mission was the childhood home of the late Coach
Tom Landry; and
WHEREAS, The Mission area is now known for its birding and
nature study opportunities provided by the city's nearby
Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park, site of the headquarters of
the World Birding Center; and
WHEREAS, Mission will soon be the site of a new bridge
across the Rio Grande; the Anzalduas Bridge will enhance
cross-border trade by facilitating access to northern Mexico and
is scheduled to open in October of 2009; and
WHEREAS, Mission Day at the Capitol provides an
opportunity to honor the city's heritage and its charm and many
amenities, which are enjoyed by residents and vacationers of all
ages; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 81st
Legislature, hereby join the citizens of Mission in paying
tribute to their unique city and extend to them best wishes for an
enjoyable Mission Day at the Capitol; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for
the residents of the City of Mission as an expression of esteem
from the Texas Senate.
Hinojosa
________________________________
President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on February 11, 2009.
________________________________
Secretary of the Senate
________________________________
Member, Texas Senate