Bill Text: TX HR1183 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Recognizing May 3, 2017, as Moonlight Tower Day.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2017-04-11 - Reported enrolled [HR1183 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-HR1183-Enrolled.html
H.R. No. 1183 |
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WHEREAS, Proud residents of Austin are celebrating one of the | ||
city's distinctive features on May 3, 2017, with the observance of | ||
Moonlight Tower Day; and | ||
WHEREAS, In the late 19th century, various designs of | ||
electrical moonlight towers were erected in cities across the | ||
globe, including Detroit, New Orleans, Los Angeles, San Francisco, | ||
and London; Austin civic leaders, looking to light the city's | ||
streets with power from the newly completed Great Granite Dam, | ||
contracted with the Fort Wayne Electric Company to construct | ||
moonlight towers around the city; and | ||
WHEREAS, The company built 31 towers in 1894 and 1895, all 165 | ||
feet tall with six carbon arc lamps mounted at the top; each tower | ||
was guaranteed to provide enough light to read a watch within a | ||
1,500-foot radius of the structure; the first tower was assembled | ||
in the newly established Hyde Park subdivision, and the others were | ||
strategically placed to illuminate as much of the city as possible; | ||
and | ||
WHEREAS, Through the years, nearly half of the towers have | ||
been lost to storms, accidents, and development, but 17 of them | ||
continue to stand and to provide the city with light; officially | ||
designated as state archaeological landmarks in 1970 and added to | ||
the National Register of Historic Places in 1976, they were | ||
prominently featured in the popular film Dazed and Confused, and | ||
one of the structures serves as the pivotal center of the annual | ||
Zilker Holiday Tree; and | ||
WHEREAS, In commemoration of the centennial of the | ||
installation of the towers, Austin Energy, the municipal electric | ||
utility company, thoroughly restored the remaining towers in 1993 | ||
at a cost of $1.3 million; with extraordinary care and expertise, | ||
the company continues to keep the structures fully operational, | ||
adding to the unique spirit of the city; and | ||
WHEREAS, Today, Austin is the only city in the world to | ||
feature moonlight towers, which provide a vital link to the rich | ||
history of the community, and it is truly fitting that a day be set | ||
aside to pay tribute to these iconic local landmarks; now, | ||
therefore, be it | ||
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas | ||
Legislature hereby recognize May 3, 2017, as Moonlight Tower Day | ||
and encourage residents in Austin and across the Lone Star State to | ||
celebrate this unique element of the Capital City. | ||
Howard | ||
______________________________ | ||
Speaker of the House | ||
I certify that H.R. No. 1183 was adopted by the House on April | ||
6, 2017, by a non-record vote. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Chief Clerk of the House | ||