TITLE: Congratulating the City of Bowie on the Guinness World Records' certification of its Bowie knife sculpture as the world's largest Bowie knife.

SUMMARY: Congratulating the City of Bowie on the Guinness World Records' certification of its Bowie knife sculpture as the world's largest Bowie knife.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Many proud residents of Bowie gathered on June 8, 2017, to celebrate the certification by Guinness World Records of the world's largest Bowie knife, located in Pelham Park; and WHEREAS, Installed by crane on a concrete base, the giant knife weighs more than 3,000 pounds and measures over 20 feet in length; the stainless steel, 14-foot-5-inch blade remains unsharpened, in case someone should try to climb on it; the handle is made out of an enormous limb pruned from a nearby bodark tree; to ensure safety and comply with local ordinances, the monument was made to withstand normal seismic activity, 90-mile-per-hour winds, and as much as an inch of ice; and WHEREAS, The idea for the record-setting knife originated with Bob Hadley, an accomplished sculptor; following his untimely death in 2013, his friend Van Baize took up the cause, joining forces with a fellow member of the board of the chamber of commerce, Bryan Brown; as co-chairs of the Bowie Knife Project Committee, they raised $150,000 from private sources and contracted with an engineering company, A.S.A.P. Waterjet Cutting Services, whose Bobby Pennartz, Albert Schlabs, and Larry Hartmangruber fabricated the monument; and WHEREAS, Sharing a namesake with the iconic knife, the city of Bowie is a fitting location for a monument to the blade made famous by the Alamo hero, and this attraction is sure to prove popular with visitors and local residents for years to come; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas Legislature hereby congratulate the City of Bowie on the installation of a Bowie knife sculpture in Pelham Park and the sculpture's certification by Guinness World Records as the world's largest Bowie knife; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for the city as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Springer Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 855 was adopted by the House on April 5, 2019, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House