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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, The San Elizario Genealogy and Historical Society is |
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| 6 | 7 | | presenting the first annual Rio Grande Festival in San Elizario on |
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| 7 | 8 | | April 28-30, 2017; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, This free celebration commemorates the arrival of |
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| 9 | 10 | | the Oñate expedition in the El Paso area in the late 16th century; |
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| 10 | 11 | | Don Juan de Oñate was commissioned by King Philip II of Spain in |
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| 11 | 12 | | 1595 to settle the New Mexico region in the name of the crown; in |
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| 12 | 13 | | January 1598, Oñate embarked on that mission from Santa Barbara, |
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| 13 | 14 | | Mexico, leading a group of 400 men and their families across the |
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| 14 | 15 | | Chihuahuan Desert; they reached the present-day site of San |
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| 15 | 16 | | Elizario three months later, and on April 30, Oñate issued an |
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| 16 | 17 | | official proclamation, known as La Toma, claiming the land for |
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| 17 | 18 | | Spain; and |
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| 18 | 19 | | WHEREAS, In addition to a reenactment of that momentous |
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| 19 | 20 | | event, the three-day festival will feature a special dinner with |
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| 20 | 21 | | entertainment, as well as a host of other family-friendly |
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| 21 | 22 | | activities, including daily cultural presentations, live music, |
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| 22 | 23 | | and arts and crafts; another major component of the festival is a |
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| 23 | 24 | | three-day history conference, the 26th such annual meeting the |
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| 24 | 25 | | society has sponsored; more than 30 speakers will be addressing a |
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| 25 | 26 | | range of topics, among them such subjects as the Oñate expedition, |
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| 26 | 27 | | historical preservation, and UNESCO World Heritage sites along the |
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| 27 | 28 | | Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, the Royal Inland Road, which passed |
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| 28 | 29 | | through El Paso del Norte and stretched some 1,600 miles, linking |
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| 29 | 30 | | Mexico City with Santa Fe; and |
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| 30 | 31 | | WHEREAS, The Rio Grande Festival offers local residents and |
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| 31 | 32 | | visitors alike the opportunity to learn more about a significant |
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| 32 | 33 | | milestone in the history of Mexico and the American Southwest, and |
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| 33 | 34 | | it is a pleasure to pay tribute to this outstanding celebration and |
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| 34 | 35 | | the dedicated individuals who have brought it to fruition; now, |
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| 35 | 36 | | therefore, be it |
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| 36 | 37 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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| 37 | 38 | | Legislature hereby commemorate the first annual Rio Grande Festival |
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| 38 | 39 | | and extend to the organizers and attendees sincere best wishes for a |
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| 39 | 40 | | memorable and enjoyable occasion; and, be it further |
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| 40 | 41 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 41 | 42 | | prepared for the San Elizario Genealogy and Historical Society as |
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| 42 | 43 | | an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. |
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