H.C.R. No. 79

	HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
	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.
	Larson
	Straus González Paddie
	Allen Guerra Parker
	Alonzo Guillen Paul
	Alvarado Gutierrez Peña
	Anchia Harless Phelan
	Anderson of Dallas Hernandez Phillips
	Anderson of McLennan Herrero Pickett
	Ashby Howard Price
	Aycock Huberty Raney
	Bell Hughes Raymond
	Bernal Hunter Reynolds
	Blanco Isaac Riddle
	Bohac Israel Rinaldi
	Bonnen of Brazoria Johnson Rodriguez of Bexar
	Bonnen of Galveston Kacal Rodriguez of Travis
	Burkett Keffer Romero, Jr.
	Burns Keough Rose
	Burrows King of Hemphill Sanford
	Button King of Parker Schaefer
	Canales King of Taylor Schofield
	Capriglione King of Uvalde Schubert
	Clardy Klick Shaheen
	Coleman Koop Sheets
	Collier Krause Sheffield
	Cook Kuempel Simmons
	Craddick Landgraf Simpson
	Crownover Larson Smith
	Cyrier Laubenberg Smithee
	Dale Leach Spitzer
	Darby Longoria Springer
	Davis of Dallas Lozano Stephenson
	Davis of Harris Lucio III Stickland
	Deshotel Márquez Thompson of Brazoria
	Dukes Martinez Thompson of Harris
	Dutton Martinez Fischer Tinderholt
	Elkins McClendon Turner of Collin
	Faircloth Metcalf Turner of Harris
	Fallon Meyer Turner of Tarrant
	Farias Miles VanDeaver
	Farney Miller of Comal Villalba
	Farrar Miller of Fort Bend Vo
	Fletcher Moody Walle
	Flynn Morrison White of Bell
	Frank Muñoz, Jr. White of Tyler
	Frullo Murphy Workman
	Galindo Murr Wray
	Geren Naishtat Wu
	Giddings Nevárez Zedler
	Goldman Oliveira Zerwas
	Gonzales Otto
	______________________________	______________________________
	President of the Senate	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.C.R. No. 79 was adopted by the House on March
	11, 2015, by a non-record vote.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House
	I certify that H.C.R. No. 79 was adopted by the Senate on March
	11, 2015, by a viva-voce vote.
	______________________________
	Secretary of the Senate
	APPROVED: __________________
	Date
	__________________
	Governor