Bill Text: TX HCR130 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Commemorating the 100th anniversary of the first aircraft landing at Mineola-Wisener Field Airport in Wood County.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 2)
Status: (Passed) 2017-06-15 - Signed by the Governor [HCR130 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-HCR130-Enrolled.html
| H.C.R. No. 130 | ||
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| WHEREAS, July 4, 2017, represents the centennial of the first | ||
| landing by an aircraft at Mineola-Wisener Field Airport in Wood | ||
| County; and | ||
| WHEREAS, On the Fourth of July, 1917, Lieutenant Ralph W. | ||
| Stone of the U.S. Army Signal Corps landed his Curtiss JN-4 "Jenny" | ||
| biplane at what was then known as Massingale Meadow, proving the | ||
| field's suitability as an emergency landing site between Love Field | ||
| in Dallas and a military base in Shreveport, Louisiana; witnessing | ||
| this first landing was a 12-year-old local farm boy named Robert | ||
| Henry Wisener Jr.; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Over the next few years, the field was used by such | ||
| pioneer aviators as Wiley Post, who was the first man to fly solo | ||
| around the world, and Hollywood stunt pilot Roy Wilson, who in the | ||
| summer of 1923 taught Henry Wisener how to fly; in 1926, Mr. Wisener | ||
| leased the site, renamed it Royal Field, and began providing flight | ||
| lessons, aircraft repairs, and aircraft fuel; together with his | ||
| brother, Bryce, he also established the Royal Flying Circus, which | ||
| offered airplane rides and performed aerobatics; and | ||
| WHEREAS, In 1941, Henry Wisener bought the site and 50 | ||
| adjacent acres and lengthened the runway to accommodate newer | ||
| aircraft, and after World War II, the brothers added an aircraft | ||
| repair shop, a classroom, a flight office, and a beacon tower; from | ||
| 1963 to 1983, the airport was leased to the City of Mineola and | ||
| called Mineola Municipal Airport, and since 1983, it has been known | ||
| as Mineola-Wisener Field Airport; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Over the years, this historic airfield and the | ||
| family behind it have been honored on a number of occasions; Charles | ||
| Lindbergh presented the airport in 1928 with a certificate from the | ||
| Daniel Guggenheim Fund for the Promotion of Aeronautics, and the | ||
| Texas Historical Commission has conferred on the airport both an | ||
| Official Texas Historical Marker and a Texas Treasure Business | ||
| Award; on May 2, 1980, the city of Mineola celebrated Henry and | ||
| Bryce Wisener Day, in recognition of their contributions to | ||
| American and Wood County aviation; today, the site of the airport is | ||
| also home to the Royal Flying Circus Aviation Museum and to a | ||
| chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Still owned by the Wisener family, the | ||
| Mineola-Wisener Field Airport is the oldest privately held | ||
| public-use airport in Texas and the home base of more than 70 | ||
| aircraft, and it continues to support the local economy and to | ||
| contribute to the rich history of aviation in the Lone Star State; | ||
| now, therefore, be it | ||
| RESOLVED, That the 85th Legislature of the State of Texas | ||
| hereby commemorate the 100th anniversary of the first landing at | ||
| Mineola-Wisener Field Airport and extend to the Wisener family and | ||
| to everyone associated with the airport sincere best wishes for the | ||
| future; and, be it further | ||
| RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be | ||
| prepared for Mineola-Wisener Field Airport as an expression of high | ||
| regard by the Texas House of Representatives and Senate. | ||
| Hefner | ||
| ______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
| President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
| I certify that H.C.R. No. 130 was adopted by the House on May | ||
| 25, 2017, by a non-record vote. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Chief Clerk of the House | ||
| I certify that H.C.R. No. 130 was adopted by the Senate on May | ||
| 26, 2017, by a viva-voce vote. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Secretary of the Senate | ||
| APPROVED: __________________ | ||
| Date | ||
| __________________ | ||
| Governor | ||
