1 State of Arkansas
2 94th General Assembly
3 Regular Session, 2023 SCR 6
4
5 By: Senator Rice
6 By: Representative Beck
7
8 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
9 TO RECOGNIZE ONE HUNDRED (100) YEARS OF ARKANSAS
10 STATE PARKS AND PROCLAIM 2023 AS ARKANSAS STATE PARKS
11 CENTENNIAL YEAR.
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14 Subtitle
15 TO RECOGNIZE ONE HUNDRED (100) YEARS OF
16 ARKANSAS STATE PARKS AND PROCLAIM 2023 AS
17 ARKANSAS STATE PARKS CENTENNIAL YEAR.
18
19 WHEREAS, one hundred (100) years ago, Governor Thomas Chipman McRae
20 signed into law an act authorizing the acceptance of land for parks and state
21 reservations in Arkansas and through the founding vision of Dr. T.W.
22 Hardison, House Bill 873 passed without a dissenting vote and was signed into
23 law as Act 276 of 1923; and
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25 WHEREAS, Act 276 of 1923 designated land for the establishment of Petit
26 Jean State Park and included Arkansas as a party to the state park movement
27 in America; and
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29 WHEREAS, later legislation would provide for creation of the initial
30 State Park Commission, now known as the State Parks, Recreation, and Travel
31 Commission and charge the commission with the duty to select, acquire, and
32 oversee lands entrusted to its care; and
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34 WHEREAS, through the passion and pursuit of Dr. T.W. Hardison, the
35 state park idea, originating in the 1920s, is a legacy that Arkansans
36 appreciate and enjoy today, and in the words of Dr. Hardison “State parks are
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 SCR6
1 first and primarily conservation areas. That concept is not in conflict with
2 their use for recreation, and, properly administered, state parks can provide
3 the best type of recreation for the population without impairing their
4 natural beauty”; and
5
6 WHEREAS, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt created the Civilian
7 Conservation Corps (CCC), and the work of the CCC began in 1933 in Arkansas
8 with the goal of providing access for all to nature; and
9
10 WHEREAS, the investment by the CCC created the following state parks in
11 Arkansas: Petit Jean State Park; Mount Nebo State Park; Crowley’s Ridge State
12 Park; Devil’s Den State Park; Lake Catherine State Park; and the Buffalo
13 River State Park; and
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15 WHEREAS, the enduring works of the CCC, built with dedicated labor and
16 detailed craftsmanship, using timber and stone that blend perfectly with
17 their surrounding landscapes, are still a part of the Arkansas State Parks
18 essential experience, and these legacies can be seen in our parks’ roads,
19 trails, lakes, beaches, and facilities; and
20
21 WHEREAS, Governor Dale Bumpers invested more in Arkansas State Parks
22 and the number of state parks doubled; and
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24 WHEREAS, the importance of Arkansas State Parks to its citizens was
25 displayed in 1996, when voters approved an amendment to the State’s
26 Constitution for the collection of a one-eighth of one cent ($.00125) tax to
27 support State Parks, Arkansas Game and Fish, Arkansas Heritage, and Keep
28 Arkansas Beautiful and this measure was strongly supported by Governor Mike
29 Huckabee and First Lady Janet Huckabee; and
30
31 WHEREAS, with fifty-two (52) state parks and fifty-five thousand
32 (55,000) acres, the various landscapes found in parks in forty-nine (49)
33 counties are the perfect setting for trails, campsites, cabins, lodges,
34 recreation areas, where citizens and guests connect with our state’s beauty
35 and history; and
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1 WHEREAS, each state park is a significant part of the fabric of
2 Arkansas, and the Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism is charged with
3 an important role in interpreting, maintaining, and protecting some of the
4 most cherished natural, historical, and cultural resources found in Arkansas;
5 and
6
7 WHEREAS, the state parks of Arkansas have impacted and enhanced the
8 quality of life of Arkansans and served guests from around the world and
9 collectively the Arkansas State Park system is one of the state’s largest
10 tourism and economic drivers, adding over one billion dollars
11 ($1,000,000,000) each year to the state’s economy; and
12
13 WHEREAS, last year over eight million (8,000,000) guests visited
14 Arkansas’s parks and museums and support for Arkansas State Parks is at an
15 all-time high,
16
17 NOW THEREFORE,
18 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE
19 STATE OF ARKANSAS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN:
20
21 THAT the Senate and the House of Representatives concurring, recognize
22 and commemorate the one hundredth anniversary of Arkansas State Parks and
23 proclaim 2023 as Arkansas State Parks Centennial Year.
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