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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, In the 1930s, the Texas Centennial Commission |
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| 6 | 7 | | selected Dallas as the site for the celebration of the 100th |
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| 7 | 8 | | anniversary of the state's independence from Mexico; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, The event was designed to draw the world's attention |
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| 9 | 10 | | to the Lone Star State, and Dallas was chosen over other cities |
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| 10 | 11 | | because of its central location for out-of-state visitors and the |
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| 11 | 12 | | availability of Fair Park, home of the State Fair of Texas; civic |
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| 12 | 13 | | leaders committed themselves to the $25 million project, and in |
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| 13 | 14 | | under a year, dozens of buildings were renovated or constructed |
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| 14 | 15 | | under the direction of famed Dallas architect George Dahl, who |
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| 15 | 16 | | fused southwestern themes and contemporary styles to tell the |
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| 16 | 17 | | stories of the state's history, culture, natural beauty, economy, |
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| 17 | 18 | | and innovation; and |
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| 18 | 19 | | WHEREAS, On June 6, 1936, the exposition opened to large |
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| 19 | 20 | | crowds; more than 6 million people visited Fair Park over the next |
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| 20 | 21 | | six months, among them President Franklin Delano Roosevelt; with |
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| 21 | 22 | | nationwide publicity, the event established Dallas as a modern, |
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| 22 | 23 | | dynamic destination and helped lift the city out of the Great |
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| 23 | 24 | | Depression; the business leaders who organized the fair went on to |
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| 24 | 25 | | form the Dallas Citizens Council, which continues to wield |
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| 25 | 26 | | tremendous influence in the civic sphere; moreover, the event |
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| 26 | 27 | | increased tourism beyond Dallas and provided nationwide publicity |
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| 27 | 28 | | for Texas as an exciting place to live; and |
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| 28 | 29 | | WHEREAS, Fair Park is admired today as one of the world's |
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| 29 | 30 | | largest and loveliest collections of art deco architecture and art, |
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| 30 | 31 | | and it stands as the nation's only intact, unaltered world's fair |
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| 31 | 32 | | site from the early 20th century; choosing Dallas as the site for |
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| 32 | 33 | | the 2036 Texas Bicentennial Exposition would energize renovation |
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| 33 | 34 | | efforts and also spur infrastructure improvements in South Dallas |
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| 34 | 35 | | and other areas of the city; and |
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| 35 | 36 | | WHEREAS, The Centennial Exposition played a pivotal role in |
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| 36 | 37 | | the evolution of Dallas as a major metropolis, and it would be most |
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| 37 | 38 | | fitting for the next such celebration to take place at historic Fair |
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| 38 | 39 | | Park; now, therefore, be it |
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| 39 | 40 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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| 40 | 41 | | Legislature hereby express its support for the selection of Dallas |
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| 41 | 42 | | as host of the 2036 Texas Bicentennial Exposition. |
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