SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 524
WHEREAS, Preservation Month is taking place in May 2025,
providing a fitting opportunity to recognize Rio Vista Farm in
Socorro; and
WHEREAS, Rio Vista Farm was initially established in the
early 1900s to serve as a poor farm and institutional campus;
from 1951 to 1964, it served as a processing center for the
Bracero Program, an initiative established by the governments of
the United States and Mexico that brought Mexican laborers to the
U.S. to legally work in the American agricultural and railroad
industries; as one of the first and most active bracero centers
in the U.S., Rio Vista processed hundreds of thousands of workers
over the course of its operation; and
WHEREAS, Efforts to preserve Rio Vista resulted in the farm
being designated a National Historic Landmark by the Secretary of
the Interior on December 13, 2023, the first landmark established
in Far West Texas in over two decades; the revitalization process
has been guided by the City of Socorro and its historic
preservation officer, Victor Reta; the city has embarked on a
$35 million rehabilitation and capital improvement project to
restore the campus and adapt it for public use as a cultural
destination by establishing a museum and education center; and
WHEREAS, The preservation of Rio Vista Farm honors the
contributions that the braceros and other immigrant groups have
made to our state and nation, and by investing in this
historically significant site, the City of Socorro is ensuring
that it will be appreciated for generations to come; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 89th
Legislature, hereby honor the revitalization efforts at Rio
Vista Farm on the occasion of Preservation Month 2025 and extend
to all those associated with the initiative sincere best wishes
for continued success; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be
prepared for the City of Socorro as an expression of high regard
from the Texas Senate.
Blanco
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President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on May 15, 2025.
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Secretary of the Senate
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Member, Texas Senate