| 1 | 1 | | H.R. No. 151 |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | WHEREAS, The 150th anniversary of the Bolivar Point |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | Lighthouse is being celebrated with an open house event on |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | February 19, 2023; and |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | WHEREAS, In 1872, the Bolivar Point Lighthouse was |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | commissioned by Congress to guide ships through Galveston Bay, |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | which was one of the busiest and largest ports in Texas; standing at |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | the western tip of the Bolivar Peninsula, the lighthouse was |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | equipped with a powerful Fresnel lens and painted with bold black |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | and white stripes; it was first lighted on November 19, 1872, and by |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | providing safe passage for maritime commerce, it substantially |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | impacted the growth of Galveston, Texas City, Houston, and various |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | other cities situated near the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway; and |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | WHEREAS, During the Great Galveston Hurricane of 1900, the |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | deadliest natural disaster in U.S. history, the Bolivar Point |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | Lighthouse acted as a sanctuary for 125 people; while more than |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | 6,000 individuals perished, the structure withstood the storms and |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | all who sought shelter within its walls survived; the lighthouse |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | once again served as a safe haven during a hurricane in 1915, when |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | 61 people waded through rising waters to reach its door; and |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | WHEREAS, The Bolivar Point Lighthouse was retired in 1933 |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | after 61 years of faithful service, and it sat neglected until 1947, |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | when it was auctioned off by the government and acquired by the |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | Maxwell/Boyt families; although the lighthouse has suffered damage |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | over the years due to various hurricanes and the 1947 Texas City |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | explosion, it remains standing to this day; and |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | WHEREAS, In 2015, the Bolivar Point Lighthouse Foundation was |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | created in an ongoing effort to preserve and restore the |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | lighthouse; due to its severe state of deterioration, the Galveston |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | Historical Foundation placed it on its Heritage at Risk List with |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | critical priority in 2019; by restoring the lighthouse to its |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | former glory, the foundation aims to open it to visitors and save an |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | invaluable piece of Texas history; and |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | WHEREAS, Over the past century and a half, the Bolivar Point |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | Lighthouse has served as a beacon of strength and hope, and it is a |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | pleasure to join in celebrating its long and storied history; now, |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | therefore, be it |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | Legislature hereby commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Bolivar |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | Point Lighthouse and extend to all those in attendance at the open |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | house event sincere best wishes for a memorable and meaningful |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | celebration. |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | Leo-Wilson |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | ______________________________ |
|---|
| 48 | 48 | | Speaker of the House |
|---|
| 49 | 49 | | I certify that H.R. No. 151 was adopted by the House on |
|---|
| 50 | 50 | | February 14, 2023, by a non-record vote. |
|---|
| 51 | 51 | | ______________________________ |
|---|
| 52 | 52 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
|---|