SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 644
WHEREAS, The City of San Antonio and Bexar County are
supporting the National Park Service in its application for World
Heritage Site designation for the five Spanish Colonial missions
established along the San Antonio River in the 18th century; and
WHEREAS, Determined to expand its influence in the New
World, Spain built missions to convert indigenous people to
Catholicism, to acclimate them in some measure to Hispanic
culture, and to make them subjects of the Spanish crown; these
frontier institutions provided not only religious instruction,
but also occupational training and education in the Spanish
language and system of government; and
WHEREAS, Vibrant communities grew up around these
outposts, and the city of San Antonio owes its existence to its
five missions, San José y San Miguel de Aguayo, Nuestra Señora de
la Purísima Concepción de Acuña, San Francisco de la Espada, San
Juan Capistrano, and San Antonio de Valero, better known as the
Alamo; these represent the largest concentration of Catholic
missions in North America; and
WHEREAS, World Heritage Site designation is granted under
the World Heritage Convention, which seeks to enhance
understanding, appreciation, and international cooperation for
heritage conservation, pursuing an ideal similar to that
advanced by the American National Park system; in 1973, the
United States became one of the nearly 200 nations to ratify the
convention, an independent treaty administered under UNESCO;
current sites include the Egyptian pyramids and Australia's
Great Barrier Reef, as well as our nation's own Statue of Liberty
and Grand Canyon; if accepted, the San Antonio missions would
become the first World Heritage Site in the State of Texas; and
WHEREAS, World Heritage designation confirms the
extraordinary cultural significance of sites and contributes to
their preservation, and this recognition typically leads to
increased international tourism and greater access to historians
and preservation specialists; by supporting the National Park
Service in its endeavors in behalf of the Spanish Colonial
missions, the City of San Antonio and Bexar County are taking an
important step to heighten global awareness of these
irreplaceable cultural treasures and the richness of Texas
history; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 84th
Legislature, hereby commend the City of San Antonio and Bexar
County for their vision in joining the effort to gain World
Heritage Site designation for San Antonio's five Spanish
Colonial missions and extend sincere best wishes for success to
all those associated with this important project; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be
prepared for the city and county as an expression of high regard
from the Texas Senate.
Uresti, Menéndez, Zaffirini
Bettencourt Hall Perry Bettencourt Hall Perry
Bettencourt Hall Perry
Birdwell Hancock Rodríguez Birdwell Hancock Rodríguez
Birdwell Hancock Rodríguez
Burton Hinojosa Schwertner Burton Hinojosa Schwertner
Burton Hinojosa Schwertner
Creighton Huffines Seliger Creighton Huffines Seliger
Creighton Huffines Seliger
Ellis Huffman Taylor of Galveston Ellis Huffman Taylor of Galveston
Ellis Huffman Taylor of Galveston
Eltife Kolkhorst Taylor of Collin Eltife Kolkhorst Taylor of Collin
Eltife Kolkhorst Taylor of Collin
Estes Lucio Watson Estes Lucio Watson
Estes Lucio Watson
Fraser Nelson West Fraser Nelson West
Fraser Nelson West
Garcia Nichols Whitmire Garcia Nichols Whitmire
Garcia Nichols Whitmire
Patrick, President of the Senate
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President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on April 28, 2015.
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Secretary of the Senate
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Member, Texas Senate
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Member, Texas Senate
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Member, Texas Senate
Bettencourt Hall Perry
Birdwell Hancock Rodríguez
Burton Hinojosa Schwertner
Creighton Huffines Seliger
Ellis Huffman Taylor of Galveston
Eltife Kolkhorst Taylor of Collin
Estes Lucio Watson
Fraser Nelson West
Garcia Nichols Whitmire