TITLE: Designating Bandera as the official Cowboy Capital of Texas for a 10-year period ending in 2035.

SUMMARY: Designating Bandera as the official Cowboy Capital of Texas for a 10-year period ending in 2035.

FULL TEXT:
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. President of the Senate Speaker of the House President of the Senate Speaker of the House I hereby certify that S.C.R. No. 3 was adopted by the Senate on May 1, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. Secretary of the Senate I hereby certify that S.C.R. No. 3 was adopted by the House on May 28, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 102, Nays 19, five present not voting. Chief Clerk of the House Approved: Date Governor