Bill Text: TX HCR79 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Introduced
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Recognizing musician Phil Collins as an honorary Texan and commending him for his donation of Alamo artifacts to the State of Texas.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2015-03-27 - Signed by the Governor [HCR79 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-HCR79-Introduced.html
Bill Title: Recognizing musician Phil Collins as an honorary Texan and commending him for his donation of Alamo artifacts to the State of Texas.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2015-03-27 - Signed by the Governor [HCR79 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-HCR79-Introduced.html
84R5241 BPG-D | ||
By: Larson | H.C.R. No. 79 |
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WHEREAS, Pop music superstar Phil Collins has donated his | ||
magnificent collection of historical artifacts to the State of | ||
Texas for display at the Alamo; and | ||
WHEREAS, Born in London in 1951, Mr. Collins became | ||
interested in the Battle of the Alamo as a boy while watching the | ||
classic Walt Disney television series Davy Crockett, King of the | ||
Wild Frontier; his interest in collecting was sparked in 1994, when | ||
his wife gave him a receipt for a saddle sold by John W. Smith, a | ||
courier who departed from the Alamo before the battle and who | ||
eventually became the first mayor of San Antonio; subsequently, he | ||
received more such presents, and he began purchasing items | ||
connected to the Alamo and early Texas history; and | ||
WHEREAS, On his second visit to San Antonio in 2004, | ||
Mr. Collins formed a friendship with the owner of the History Shop, | ||
located just a short distance from the mission; the ground under the | ||
store had never been excavated, so Mr. Collins arranged for and | ||
participated in a historical dig that recovered a host of | ||
significant objects; in addition, he made possible the installation | ||
in the History Shop of a large diorama of the Alamo compound, and he | ||
recorded narration that enhances its depiction of the positions of | ||
Texian defenders during the attack; he also recognized the | ||
importance of George Nelson's book The Alamo: An Illustrated | ||
History and funded two reprintings of the work; and | ||
WHEREAS, In 2009, Mr. Collins was named an honorary member of | ||
a chapter of the Sons of the Republic of Texas and was featured as a | ||
guest speaker at the Remembrance Ceremony hosted by the Alamo | ||
Defenders Descendants Association; he was subsequently awarded an | ||
honorary doctorate in history by McMurry University; moreover, he | ||
authored a beautifully illustrated book, The Alamo and Beyond: A | ||
Collector's Journey, which received a 2013 Publication Award from | ||
the San Antonio Conservation Society; and | ||
WHEREAS, Over the years, Mr. Collins assembled what is now | ||
considered the world's largest private collection of Alamo and | ||
Texas Revolution artifacts; it includes hundreds of documents, | ||
among them a letter from Stephen F. Austin and an 1835 grant of land | ||
to Sam Houston, as well as a rifle and leather pouch owned by David | ||
Crockett and a knife carried in battle by Jim Bowie; and | ||
WHEREAS, The donation of this phenomenal collection will | ||
greatly enhance the experience of visitors to the Alamo, providing | ||
them with a greater understanding and appreciation of the famous | ||
battle and its place in the arc of history; Phil Collins has long | ||
been admired by innumerable fans across Texas for his musical | ||
accomplishments, and by sharing his love of our frontier heritage | ||
through this superlative gift, he has earned the lasting respect | ||
and gratitude of all residents of the Lone Star State; now, | ||
therefore, be it | ||
RESOLVED, That the 84th Legislature of the State of Texas | ||
hereby recognize Phil Collins as an honorary Texan and commend him | ||
for the generous donation of his remarkable collection of | ||
historical artifacts; and, be it further | ||
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be | ||
prepared for Mr. Collins as an expression of high regard by the | ||
Texas House of Representatives and Senate. |