H.R. No. 990
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The Texas Historical Commission is celebrating its
60th anniversary in 2013, and this is a fitting opportunity to
recognize the commission for its immeasurable contribution to
preserving the history and heritage of the Lone Star State; and
WHEREAS, Founded as the Texas State Historical Survey
Committee by the Texas Legislature in 1953, the agency was charged
with sponsoring projects and serving as a clearinghouse to record
and preserve material culture from all phases of Texas history, in
concert with state, regional, and local groups as well as
individuals; it was to accomplish this mission by designating
historic houses, sites, and landmarks, preserving important
documents and artifacts, and publishing and distributing materials
about Texas history; and
WHEREAS, The first Texas Historical Marker was placed at Camp
Ford in Tyler in 1962, and that same year, Eggleston House in
Galveston was designated as the first Recorded Texas Historic
Landmark; in 1963, the legislature gave the Survey Committee legal
authority to preserve and protect the heritage of Texas, and it went
on to empower the agency to administer the Office of the State
Archeologist; and
WHEREAS, After the U.S. Congress passed the National Historic
Preservation Act in 1966, Governor John Connally made the Survey
Committee responsible for administering the act in Texas, and three
years later, the legislature created the Antiquities Code of Texas
and established the Texas Antiquities Committee to protect all
cultural resources within the state; and
WHEREAS, In 1973, the name of the Survey Committee was
changed to the Texas Historical Commission, and the legislature
granted the commission additional protective powers and expanded
its leadership role and educational responsibilities; and
WHEREAS, The THC created the Texas Main Street Program in
1981, and today it ranks as one of the oldest and largest such
efforts in the nation; this initiative has played a crucial role in
the restoration and revitalization of the downtown area in more
than 80 Texas communities, 67 of which recently received national
recognition for their progress; each year, the First Lady of Texas
personally welcomes each new Main Street City into the program; and
WHEREAS, In 1995, the duties of the Texas Antiquities
Committee were transferred to the commission, and that same year,
THC archeologists made a spectacular discovery when they found the
17th-century French explorer Robert de La Salle's sunken ship, La
Belle, in Matagorda Bay; thanks to a special appropriation of $1.7
million, nearly two million artifacts were recovered from the site,
and today the hull of the ship is being prepared for display at the
Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum; and
WHEREAS, The THC was granted oversight authority for the
Governor's Mansion in Austin in 1998, and that same year the Texas
preservation trust fund was established; also in 1998, the
commission launched its Texas Heritage Trails Program with the
inauguration of the Texas Forts Trail Region; now encompassing 10
heritage regions, all centered on a scenic driving trail, this
program was recognized with the Preserve America Presidential Award
in 2005; and
WHEREAS, In 1999, the legislature provided $50 million to the
THC to restore historic county courthouses, and 83 counties have
participated in this award-winning program, which has generated
nearly 10,000 jobs, $269 million in income, and more than $367
million in gross state product; in addition, 18 historic sites were
transferred from the Parks and Wildlife Department to the THC in
2007; with the aid of a $34 million bond issue, the commission has
restored several of those sites, resulting in a six percent
increase in visitors; in 2009, the THC joined with the Texas
Department of Transportation to create the Historic Highways
program; and
WHEREAS, For six decades, the Texas Historical Commission has
provided an invaluable service to the people of Texas, recording
our heritage, preserving our landmarks, and drawing national and
international attention to the real people and real stories that
make up the rich history of the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be
it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas
Legislature hereby commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Texas
Historical Commission and extend to the commission's staff sincere
best wishes for continued success with its important work; and, be
it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for the commission as an expression of high regard by the
Texas House of Representatives.
Guillen
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 990 was adopted by the House on March
27, 2013, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House