Horned Lizard Capital of Texas

Kenedy Adopted: June 15, 2001

Texas State Reptile: Texas Horned Lizard
Photographs

Straddling State Route No. 181 between Corpus Christi and San Antonio, Texas, Kenedy (Six Shooter Junction) became the Horned Lizard Capital of Texas when Governor DDDD signed House Concurrent Resolution No. 31 on June 15, 2001.

If you're looking for the official home of Old Rip, you'll have to travel almost 300 miles north of Kenedy to Eastland, Texas. You can find him resting peacefully in the Eastland County Courthouse on 100 West Main Street.

H. C. R. No. 41

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The city of Kenedy in Karnes County is a charming community that is known throughout South Texas for its colorful history and close association with the Texas horned lizard; and

WHEREAS, The town enjoys the unique distinction of having the largest known population of federally protected Texas horned lizards, and Kenedy residents have embraced the responsibilities of coexistence with this remarkable species; and

WHEREAS, To that end, they are keenly aware of landscaping, pest control, and other decisions affecting the creature's habitat and are working in conjunction with the Horned Lizard Conservation Society to conduct research on the lizard with the goal of incorporating the results of that research into an academic curriculum; and

WHEREAS, In addition, residents have formed the Horned Toad Club of Kenedy, which is open to anyone having an interest in the species; the goals of this estimable organization include promoting conservation and preservation of Texas horned lizards, establishing a habitat site and a library, erecting a museum, and conducting survey and research work; and

WHEREAS, Texas horned lizards are a part of the rich heritage and culture of Kenedy and, indeed, all of the Lone Star State, and it is fitting to accord the city official recognition of its special status; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the 77th Legislature of the State of Texas hereby declare Kenedy the Horned Lizard Capital of Texas and commend the citizens of Kenedy for their continued efforts to enhance the public's understanding and appreciation of this uniquely Texan protected species.

Texas Law

Kenedy was declared the Horned Lizard Capital of Texas by House Concurrent Resolution and is not, therefore, listed in the Texas Statutes.

Only a small number of Texas' myriad symbols have been actually adopted by an act of the legislature and written into the Texas Statutes.

Sources...

Keffer, Jim. "Bill: HCR 31 Legislative Session: 77(R)." Texas Legislature Online. Texas Legislature Online, 02 Feb 2001. Web. 5 Apr 2013.

Additional Information

View Larger Map

Kenedy, TX: Texas State Historical Association: Handbook of Texas Online.

Kenedy, Texas: Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC.

Kenedy Texas Chamber of Commerce Tourism & Visitors Center: Official website.

More symbols & emblems: Complete list of official Texas state symbols from NETSTATE.COM.

Camp Kenedy, Texas
Robert H. Thonhoff

Camp Kenedy, Texas, by Robert H. Thonhoff. 297 pages. Publisher: Eakin Press; 1st edition (April 2003)

A Small Texas town named Kenedy played a pivotal role in America's recovery from depression and at times of World War. From 1918 to 1945, five camps at Kenedy metamorphosed to meet the needs of the country. Soldiers were trained at the site during WWI, and in the wake of the Great Depression, a Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp (Camp J. M. Nichols) operated there. With the advent of a second world war, the facilities were restyled as a prison camp for alien detainees, German POWS, and Japanese POWs..

Petra's Legacy
Jane Clements Monday
Francis Brannen Vick

Petra's Legacy: The South Texas Ranching Empire of Petra Vela and Mifflin Kenedy, by Jane Clements Monday and Francis Brannen Vick. 448 pages. Publisher: Texas A&M University Press; First Edition (August 28, 2007

The matriarch of one of the most important families in Texas history, Petra Vela Kenedy has remained a shadowy presence in the annals of South Texas. In this biography of Petra Vela Kenedy, the authors not only tell her story but also relate the history of South Texas through a woman’s perspective. Utilizing previously unpublished letters, journals, photographs, and other primary materials, the authors reveal the intimate stories of the families who for years dominated governments, land acquisition, commerce, and border politics along the Rio Grande and across the Wild Horse Desert

The story of Petra,s life with Mifflin Kenedy encompasses war, the taming of a frontier, the blending of cultures, the origin of a ranching empire, and the establishment of a foundation and trust that still endure today, giving millions to Texas through charitable gifts. An attractive woman of business acumen, strong religious convictions, and intense family loyalty, Petra Vela Kenedy’s influence through her husband and her children left a legacy whose exploration is long overdue.

Life on the King Ranch
Frank Goodwyn

Life on the King Ranch, by Frank Goodwyn. 344 pages. Publisher: Texas A&M University Press (November 1, 1993)

"This is the story of me and my ranch friends, of the heritage that was ours, the way we worked, the tales we told, and the fun we had on America's largest, most progressive cattle ranch," says Frank Goodwyn. The creed of the King Ranch cattlemen was simple: "If you want to make a kid into a cowboy, start him out as soon as he can sit on a horse." Being the son of the foreman on the Norias Division of the ranch, Goodwyn started working cattle every summer at an early age. Except for the bookkeeper and the bachelor boss Caesar Kleberg, the Goodwyns were usually the only Anglos present. Goodwyn thus spent most of his time with the Spanish-speaking ranch hands, and, he writes, "among them I learned the beginnings of all I know."

Frank Goodwyn was born in South Texas in 1911 and grew up on the King Ranch. He holds degrees in English and Spanish from Texas A&I University in Kingsville and earned a Ph.D. in Spanish and Folklore from the University of Texas at Austin.