| 1 | 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 396 |
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| 2 | 2 | | WHEREAS, Proud residents of Port Aransas are gathering in |
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| 3 | 3 | | Austin to celebrate Port Aransas Day at the State Capitol on |
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| 4 | 4 | | March 24, 2015; and |
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| 5 | 5 | | WHEREAS, The town's location on Mustang Island was first |
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| 6 | 6 | | inhabited by the Karankawa Indians, and in the early 1800s, it |
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| 7 | 7 | | was frequented by the famed buccaneer Jean Lafitte; the natural |
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| 8 | 8 | | passage between the island and Saint Joseph Island was originally |
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| 9 | 9 | | named Aranzazu, and it became known as Aransas Pass; and |
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| 10 | 10 | | WHEREAS, In 1855, an English sheep and cattle rancher named |
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| 11 | 11 | | Robert A. Mercer built a cabin on Mustang Island at the site that |
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| 12 | 12 | | later became the town; Elihu Harrison Ropes started a project to |
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| 13 | 13 | | dig a channel across the island in 1890, and the community that |
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| 14 | 14 | | grew around the new post office was called Ropesville; in 1896, |
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| 15 | 15 | | it was renamed Tarpon to highlight the island's fine fishing, and |
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| 16 | 16 | | in 1911, the town was officially designated as Port Aransas; and |
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| 17 | 17 | | WHEREAS, Since World War II, the city has become one of the |
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| 18 | 18 | | most popular resort destinations on the Texas Gulf Coast; the |
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| 19 | 19 | | superb beaches draw campers, swimmers, and surfers from across |
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| 20 | 20 | | the Lone Star State, and the town's launching ramps, lighted piers, |
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| 21 | 21 | | and jetties enable anglers to catch a wide diversity of fish, |
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| 22 | 22 | | including red snapper, shark, sand trout, tuna, and bonito; and |
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| 23 | 23 | | WHEREAS, Port Aransas is also one of the top bird-watching |
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| 24 | 24 | | destinations in the nation, and many preserved venues afford fine |
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| 25 | 25 | | opportunities to view local species such as herons and roseate |
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| 26 | 26 | | spoonbills as well as the annual migrations of hummingbirds, |
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| 27 | 27 | | flycatchers, and orioles; and |
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| 28 | 28 | | WHEREAS, The rich variety of sea life found along the Gulf |
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| 29 | 29 | | Coast can be appreciated at The University of Texas Marine Science |
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| 30 | 30 | | Institute; visitors also delight in the town's many fine art |
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| 31 | 31 | | galleries, shops, seafood restaurants, and lodging accommodations, |
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| 32 | 32 | | including the historic Tarpon Inn, which displays tarpon scales |
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| 33 | 33 | | signed by such famous visitors as President Franklin Delano |
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| 34 | 34 | | Roosevelt and movie star Hedy Lamarr; and |
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| 35 | 35 | | WHEREAS, Blessed with natural beauty and a colorful |
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| 36 | 36 | | history, Port Aransas is one of the jewels of the Lone Star State, |
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| 37 | 37 | | and its citizens may indeed take great pride in their heritage |
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| 38 | 38 | | and ongoing achievements; now, therefore, be it |
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| 39 | 39 | | RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 84th |
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| 40 | 40 | | Legislature, hereby recognize March 24, 2015, as Port Aransas Day |
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| 41 | 41 | | at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation sincere |
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| 42 | 42 | | best wishes for an enjoyable and informative visit to Austin. |
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| 43 | 43 | | Kolkhorst |
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| 44 | 44 | | ________________________________ |
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| 45 | 45 | | President of the Senate |
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| 46 | 46 | | I hereby certify that the |
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| 47 | 47 | | above Resolution was adopted by |
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| 48 | 48 | | the Senate on March 19, 2015. |
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| 49 | 49 | | ________________________________ |
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| 50 | 50 | | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 51 | 51 | | ________________________________ |
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| 52 | 52 | | Member, Texas Senate |
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