TITLE: Recognizing February 24, 2015, as Viva San Antonio Day.

SUMMARY: Recognizing February 24, 2015, as Viva San Antonio Day.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, The Texas Senate is pleased to recognize February 24, 2015, as Viva San Antonio Day at the State Capitol and welcome the visiting delegation from the Alamo City; and WHEREAS, The history of San Antonio can be traced back to 1691, when a group of Spanish explorers and missionaries came upon a river and named it San Antonio, in honor of Saint Anthony, whose feast day was being celebrated; and WHEREAS, The city was founded in 1718 by Father Antonio Olivares; he established Mission San Antonio de Valero, which would become etched in the annals of history in 1836 as the Alamo, the site where 189 brave individuals held the mission for 13 days against an army of some 4,000 Mexican soldiers; and WHEREAS, The cry "Remember the Alamo" became the rallying point of the Texas Revolution; today, the Alamo is a shrine and museum and is widely recognized as the cradle of Texas liberty; and WHEREAS, San Antonio became formally incorporated in 1837, when the fledgling Republic of Texas granted the city a charter; the city has since retained its sense of history and tradition while carefully blending in cosmopolitan progress; it has served and continues to serve as a crossroads and a meeting place, where the rich sounds and cultural influences of Native Americans, Old Mexico, Germans, the Wild West, African Americans, and the Deep South mingle and merge; and WHEREAS, Millions of visitors a year delight in the discovery of San Antonio; in addition to the Alamo, highlights include La Villita, San Fernando Cathedral, San Antonio Missions Trail, and the famed Paseo del Rio, better known as "The Riverwalk"; among the other attractions that make San Antonio one of the top tourist destinations in the country are SeaWorld San Antonio and the Six Flags Fiesta Texas theme park as well as the PGA Tour Valero Texas Open, the Alamo Bowl, and the five-time world champion San Antonio Spurs; and WHEREAS, In April 2015, the city will once again celebrate Fiesta San Antonio, the biggest 11-day party in the state; first held 124 years ago, the event was founded by a group of ladies who decorated horse-drawn carriages for a parade in front of the Alamo and battled with flower blossoms instead of bullets to honor the heroes of the Alamo and the Battle of San Jacinto; and WHEREAS, San Antonio is truly one of the treasures of the Lone Star State, and Viva San Antonio Day provides a welcome opportunity to honor the city and its many fine residents; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 84th Legislature, hereby recognize February 24, 2015, as Viva San Antonio Day at the State Capitol and extend to the members of the visiting delegation best wishes for an enjoyable visit. Uresti, Campbell, Van de Putte President of the Senate I hereby certify that the above Resolution was adopted by the Senate on February 24, 2015.