89R7805 CW-D
By: Flores S.C.R. No. 3
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Cowboys, horses, and ranching are cultural icons
that have helped define the identity of the Lone Star State, and
they have played an essential role in the development and
prosperity of Bandera throughout the city's history; and
WHEREAS, Located in the Hill Country northwest of San
Antonio, Bandera was founded in the early 1850s, when the area was
part of the Texas frontier, and in its early years, the town
benefited from the presence of U.S. Cavalry troops stationed nearby
at Camp Verde; when the era of the great cattle drives dawned in the
decades after the Civil War, Bandera became a staging point for
drives up the Western Trail; with plentiful water and grass for the
herds, the town was an ideal departure point for the drives, and
during the 1870s and 1880s, residents witnessed the majestic sight
of cowboys herding several thousand longhorns northward, beginning
a long journey to destinations in Kansas and beyond; and
WHEREAS, The legacy of those epic trail drives has remained a
touchstone for area residents ever since, and today, Bandera's ties
to its Western roots remain strong; the city is a hub for modern-day
ranchers and cowpokes, who not only raise livestock but also
operate guest ranches and horseback riding businesses to serve the
legions of visitors seeking to experience cowboy culture firsthand;
in addition, the city hosts rodeo competitions throughout the year,
and Bandera is renowned for its skilled riders, having produced a
host of state, national, and world champions in the sport; and
WHEREAS, A number of Western-themed annual events take place
in the city, including Cowboy Mardi Gras, the National Day of the
American Cowboy festivities in July, and the Bandera Round-Up
Celebration, a Labor Day weekend festival that includes live music,
gunfighter reenactments, and a longhorn cattle drive and parade;
year-round, visitors can appreciate the town's vintage
architecture, learn more about local history at the Frontier Times
Museum, and go two-stepping at one of the city's honky-tonks; and
WHEREAS, By retaining a vibrant connection with its storied
past, Bandera has long been known as the Cowboy Capital of the
World, and it is indeed fitting that the city be officially accorded
this same title for the State of Texas; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the 89th Legislature of the State of Texas
hereby designate Bandera as the official Cowboy Capital of Texas;
and, be it further
RESOLVED, That, in accordance with the provisions of Section
391.003(e), Government Code, this designation remain in effect
until the 10th anniversary of the date this resolution is finally
passed by the legislature.