1     
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION FOR A STATUE TO

2     
RECOGNIZE FATHER DOMINGUEZ AND FATHER

3     
ESCALANTE

4     
2016 GENERAL SESSION

5     
STATE OF UTAH

6     
Chief Sponsor: Mark A. Wheatley

7     
Senate Sponsor: Luz Escamilla

8     Cosponsors:
9     Johnny Anderson
10     Stewart Barlow
11     Melvin R. Brown
12     Rebecca Chavez-Houck
13     Scott H. Chew
14     Kay J. Christofferson
15     Fred C. Cox
16     Rich Cunningham
17     Bruce R. Cutler
18     Brad M. Daw
19     Sophia M. DiCaro
20     Jack R. Draxler
21     Gage Froerer
Brian M. Greene
Stephen G. Handy
Sandra Hollins
Gregory H. Hughes
Eric K. Hutchings
Don L. Ipson
Michael S. Kennedy
Brad King
John Knotwell
David E. Lifferth
Kay L. McIff
Carol Spackman Moss
Merrill F. Nelson
Michael E. Noel
Curtis Oda
Derrin Owens
Lee B. Perry
Val L. Peterson
Dixon M. Pitcher
Angela Romero
V. Lowry Snow
Robert M. Spendlove
Keven J. Stratton
Earl D. Tanner
R. Curt Webb
John R. Westwood
22     

23     LONG TITLE
24     General Description:
25          This concurrent resolution of the Legislature and the Governor urges that a statue of
26     Father Francisco Atanasio Dominguez and Father Silvestre Velez de Escalante be
27     erected in the Utah State Capitol to recognize the life and accomplishments of Fathers
28     Dominguez and Escalante and their impact on citizens of Utah and the western United

29     States.
30     Highlighted Provisions:
31          This resolution:
32          ▸     urges that a statue of Father Francisco Atanasio Dominguez and Father Silvestre
33     Velez de Escalante be erected in the Utah State Capitol to recognize the
34     extraordinary lives and accomplishments of Fathers Dominguez and Escalante; and
35          ▸     recognizes Father Dominguez's and Father Escalante's accomplishments and impact
36     for good on Utah, its citizens, and citizens of the western United States.
37     Special Clauses:
38          None
39     

40     Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
41          WHEREAS, Father Francisco Atanasio Dominguez, a native of Mexico, and Father
42     Silvestre Velez de Escalante, born in Spain, were Catholic priests instructed by their Franciscan
43     superiors and the Spanish government in 1776 to search for an overland route between Santa
44     Fe, New Mexico, and Monterey, California;
45          WHEREAS, Fathers Dominguez and Escalante were tasked to evaluate the lives of
46     frontier priests, assess the value of the Santa Fe Archives ravaged by Pueblo Indians in the
47     1680 revolt, and inspect the New Mexico missions;
48          WHEREAS, while Spaniards had only a vague idea of the lands of Utah, the
49     Dominguez-Escalante Expedition confirmed the existence of inhabitants unconverted to
50     Christianity in Utah and established trails that benefitted traders for years to come;
51          WHEREAS, Fathers Dominguez and Escalante kept excellent records about the land,
52     plants, and animal life of Utah, and mapped many features of the Four Corners area;
53          WHEREAS, the Dominguez-Escalante Expedition provided useful ecclesiastical and
54     political information on the territory they explored, including information on the Utah Valley,
55     Spanish Fork, Cedar City, and Lake Powell areas;
56          WHEREAS, the town of Escalante, Utah, and the Escalante River are both named after

57     Father Escalante;
58          WHEREAS, history shows that the Dominguez-Escalante Expedition contacted the Ute
59     Indians living in Utah and preached Christianity to them;
60          WHEREAS, the Dominguez-Escalante Expedition paved the way for explorers and
61     settlers, informing future generations about geological information;
62          WHEREAS, even though no direct link was established between Santa Fe and
63     Monterey, the Dominguez-Escalante Expedition resulted in the establishment of the interior
64     West, which was at last explored and chronicled;
65          WHEREAS, the journals and maps of the Dominguez-Escalante Expedition became
66     invaluable tools to those who would eventually establish the Old Spanish Trail between Santa
67     Fe and Los Angeles in the 1800s;
68          WHEREAS, over 200 years ago, Fathers Dominguez and Escalante proposed Utah
69     Valley as a place where the Spanish could establish settlement;
70          WHEREAS, 50,000 Latinos now reside in and call Utah Valley home;
71          WHEREAS, Utah currently is a growing state with a changing, diverse demographic,
72     including the youth of tomorrow;
73          WHEREAS, children can make the connection that Utah is for all residents of the
74     United States and the rest of the world, not exclusively for residents of Utah, thanks to the
75     Dominguez-Escalante Expedition; and
76          WHEREAS, Utah's first connection to Latinos was through Fathers Dominguez and
77     Escalante:
78          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
79     Governor concurring therein, urges that a statue of Fathers Dominguez and Escalante be
80     erected in the Utah State Capitol in recognition of their extraordinary lives and
81     accomplishments that have bettered the lives of Utahns and many millions of other people
82     throughout the western United States.
83          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor urge that the
84     Capitol Preservation Board continue to facilitate the process of having the statue funded from

85     private sources and placed in the Utah State Capitol.
86          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Catholic
87     Diocese of Salt Lake City and the Capitol Preservation Board.