H.R. No. 1183
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Proud residents of Austin are celebrating one of the
city's distinctive features on May 3, 2017, with the observance of
Moonlight Tower Day; and
WHEREAS, In the late 19th century, various designs of
electrical moonlight towers were erected in cities across the
globe, including Detroit, New Orleans, Los Angeles, San Francisco,
and London; Austin civic leaders, looking to light the city's
streets with power from the newly completed Great Granite Dam,
contracted with the Fort Wayne Electric Company to construct
moonlight towers around the city; and
WHEREAS, The company built 31 towers in 1894 and 1895, all 165
feet tall with six carbon arc lamps mounted at the top; each tower
was guaranteed to provide enough light to read a watch within a
1,500-foot radius of the structure; the first tower was assembled
in the newly established Hyde Park subdivision, and the others were
strategically placed to illuminate as much of the city as possible;
and
WHEREAS, Through the years, nearly half of the towers have
been lost to storms, accidents, and development, but 17 of them
continue to stand and to provide the city with light; officially
designated as state archaeological landmarks in 1970 and added to
the National Register of Historic Places in 1976, they were
prominently featured in the popular film Dazed and Confused, and
one of the structures serves as the pivotal center of the annual
Zilker Holiday Tree; and
WHEREAS, In commemoration of the centennial of the
installation of the towers, Austin Energy, the municipal electric
utility company, thoroughly restored the remaining towers in 1993
at a cost of $1.3 million; with extraordinary care and expertise,
the company continues to keep the structures fully operational,
adding to the unique spirit of the city; and
WHEREAS, Today, Austin is the only city in the world to
feature moonlight towers, which provide a vital link to the rich
history of the community, and it is truly fitting that a day be set
aside to pay tribute to these iconic local landmarks; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas
Legislature hereby recognize May 3, 2017, as Moonlight Tower Day
and encourage residents in Austin and across the Lone Star State to
celebrate this unique element of the Capital City.
Howard
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 1183 was adopted by the House on April
6, 2017, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House