88R11005 AMB-D
By: Leo-Wilson H.R. No. 151
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The 150th anniversary of the Bolivar Point
Lighthouse is being celebrated with an open house event on
February 19, 2023; and
WHEREAS, In 1872, the Bolivar Point Lighthouse was
commissioned by Congress to guide ships through Galveston Bay,
which was one of the busiest and largest ports in Texas; standing at
the western tip of the Bolivar Peninsula, the lighthouse was
equipped with a powerful Fresnel lens and painted with bold black
and white stripes; it was first lighted on November 19, 1872, and by
providing safe passage for maritime commerce, it substantially
impacted the growth of Galveston, Texas City, Houston, and various
other cities situated near the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway; and
WHEREAS, During the Great Galveston Hurricane of 1900, the
deadliest natural disaster in U.S. history, the Bolivar Point
Lighthouse acted as a sanctuary for 125 people; while more than
6,000 individuals perished, the structure withstood the storms and
all who sought shelter within its walls survived; the lighthouse
once again served as a safe haven during a hurricane in 1915, when
61 people waded through rising waters to reach its door; and
WHEREAS, The Bolivar Point Lighthouse was retired in 1933
after 61 years of faithful service, and it sat neglected until 1947,
when it was auctioned off by the government and acquired by the
Maxwell/Boyt families; although the lighthouse has suffered damage
over the years due to various hurricanes and the 1947 Texas City
explosion, it remains standing to this day; and
WHEREAS, In 2015, the Bolivar Point Lighthouse Foundation was
created in an ongoing effort to preserve and restore the
lighthouse; due to its severe state of deterioration, the Galveston
Historical Foundation placed it on its Heritage at Risk List with
critical priority in 2019; by restoring the lighthouse to its
former glory, the foundation aims to open it to visitors and save an
invaluable piece of Texas history; and
WHEREAS, Over the past century and a half, the Bolivar Point
Lighthouse has served as a beacon of strength and hope, and it is a
pleasure to join in celebrating its long and storied history; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
Legislature hereby commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Bolivar
Point Lighthouse and extend to all those in attendance at the open
house event sincere best wishes for a memorable and meaningful
celebration.