89R18258 BPG-D
By: Metcalf H.C.R. No. 107
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The Texas Almanac has informed and enlightened
residents of the Lone Star State for nearly 170 years; and
WHEREAS, First published by The Galveston News in 1857, the
almanac initially focused on the workings of government and the
history of Texas; the 19th-century editions of the book featured
numerous first-person accounts of the still-recent Texas
Revolution and the transition to statehood; and
WHEREAS, The almanac was published in Houston and then Austin
during the Civil War-era blockade of Galveston's port; following
the 1873 edition, The Galveston News let the publication lapse, but
its sister paper, The Dallas Morning News, released five editions
between 1904 and 1914; World War I occasioned another hiatus, but
publication resumed in 1925, and during the Great Depression, the
almanac shifted to a biennial cycle, which has been only rarely
interrupted in the decades since; and
WHEREAS, By 1950, the Texas Almanac had taken its modern form
as a reference book covering resources, industries, commerce,
history, government, population, and other subjects relating to the
state's political, civic, and economic development; The Dallas
Morning News donated the Texas Almanac to the Texas State
Historical Association in 2008, a gift that encompassed the
publication's archives, trademark, inventory, and other assets;
dedicated to fostering appreciation and understanding of the
state's rich heritage, TSHA is also the publisher of the widely
circulated Southwestern Historical Quarterly and the popular
Handbook of Texas online encyclopedia; and
WHEREAS, Today, the Texas Almanac remains an indispensable
information resource, featuring a wealth of comprehensive and
readily accessible data and an engaging style that appeals to its
diverse audience of readers and researchers; and
WHEREAS, Since 1857, the Texas Almanac has served as an
essential guide to the Lone Star State, and its continued existence
is a testament to the commitment of its staff, the utility of its
contents, and the enduring fascination that Texas holds for both
its citizens and for readers beyond its borders; now, therefore, be
it
RESOLVED, That the 89th Legislature of the State of Texas
hereby designate the Texas Almanac as the official State Book of
Texas.