81R23717 JGH-D
By: Hopson H.R. No. 1389
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Residents of Rusk County are gathering in Austin on
April 22, 2009, to celebrate Rusk County Day at the State Capitol;
and
WHEREAS, Four Spanish expeditions traveled through this
scenic region between 1691 and 1788, and Anglo settlers began to
arrive in large numbers after the Texas Revolution; in 1843, Rusk
County was formed, named for Thomas Jefferson Rusk, who had been
secretary of war in the Republic of Texas, and the new county seat
was named after James Pinckney Henderson, who soon became the first
governor of the State of Texas; and
WHEREAS, For over 90 years, Rusk County's economy depended
mainly on the growing of cotton, but in 1930, Columbus M. "Dad"
Joiner struck oil with the Daisy Bradford No. 1 well, initiating one
of the richest oil booms in American history; in three years, the
amount of oil pumped out of Rusk County grew from 27,000 barrels in
1931 to over 200 million barrels in 1933, and wildcatters and
speculators poured into the county, turning Henderson into a lively
boomtown; and
WHEREAS, Today, oil and agriculture continue to be important
to the region's prosperity, along with lignite coal and natural
gas; the county is also an important center for the lumber industry,
and the area's distinctive clays are used to manufacture some of the
best bricks in Texas; and
WHEREAS, The colorful days of the 1930s oil boom are
recreated at the Gaston Museum in Joinerville, which is only two
miles from "Dad" Joiner's East Texas Discovery Well, and the Depot
Museum and Children's Discovery Center in Henderson features a
handsomely restored Missouri Pacific Railroad depot and several
other restored historic buildings from the 1800s; and
WHEREAS, Martin Creek Lake State Park offers ample
opportunities for recreation in the area, and the annual Heritage
Syrup Festival in November and the Wildflower Driving Trails every
spring delight residents and visitors alike; and
WHEREAS, Picturesque and historic Rusk County is home to
industrious and innovative citizens who can take great pride in
their heritage even as they look forward to a bright future; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas
Legislature hereby recognize April 22, 2009, as Rusk County Day at
the State Capitol and extend to the county's visiting delegation
best wishes for an informative and enjoyable stay in Austin.