SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 174
WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to
recognize the many citizens of Van Zandt County who have come to
the State Capitol on February 15, 2011, to celebrate the
significant part they and their forebears have played in the
development of the Lone Star State; and
WHEREAS, Created by an Act of the Texas Legislature on
March 20, 1847, this Northeast Texas county was named for Isaac
Van Zandt, a Republic of Texas lawyer, legislator, and diplomat;
and
WHEREAS, Canton, the county seat, was laid out in 1850 and
incorporated in 1919; recently named a Main Street City, it is
home to the Van Zandt County Fair and First Monday Trade Days, one
of the country's best-known flea markets; a library of genealogy
and local history is also a popular attraction and preserves much
of the county's notable heritage; and
WHEREAS, The development of this fascinating area can be
traced in a number of other communities as well; Edgewood,
settled in the 1840s, boasts the Edgewood Heritage Park Museum, a
facility dedicated to the preservation of the rural culture and
architectural history of our state; and
WHEREAS, Edom, established in 1856, is one of the oldest
towns in the county, and its past is highlighted by 10 state
historical markers, many of them researched by members of the
Edom Historical Society; the residents of this small community
also give vital support to an active civic theater; and
WHEREAS, Fruit cultivation prompted the naming of
Fruitvale, where a nursery operated as early as the 1870s;
several generations in this century-old town have treasured the
Randall Store, a local institution since 1910; and
WHEREAS, Grand Saline, originally called Jordan's Saline,
the first Van Zandt County seat, takes its name from an immense
dome of pure salt lying beneath the city; more than a mile and a
half wide and 20,000 feet thick, the deposit is presently mined
by Morton Salt Company; the city celebrates salt with an annual
Salt Festival; those exploring this 2004 Main Street City can
tour the Salt Palace Museum, a unique structure built with rock
salt crystal, stop by the historical marker that commemorates
native son Wiley Post, the renowned pioneer aviator, and visit
the new Veterans Memorial Wall Park, featuring a genuine United
States Army tank; and
WHEREAS, Van, established in 1891, remained a quiet
farming community until 1929, when the discovery of oil nearby
transformed the village into a boomtown; the Van Area Oil and
Historical Museum recaptures the excitement of that frenetic
time and commemorates the discovery with an annual Oil Festival;
and
WHEREAS, Wills Point, settled in 1873 and originally known
as Iola, was renamed for William Wills, whose cabin served as a
stopping place for those traveling between Shreveport and
Dallas; the Wills cabin still stands, as does the Texas and
Pacific Railroad depot, which houses the Historical Society
Museum; Wills Point, which is officially the Bluebird Capital of
Texas, hosts the annual Bluebird Festival; and
WHEREAS, Ben Wheeler, surrounded by natural springs and
rich farmland, was named for Van Zandt County's first mail
carrier, Benjamin R. Wheeler, in 1876; and
WHEREAS, Martins Mill, which got its name from Dan R.
Martin's gristmill, was established in 1880 and is home to one of
the largest dairies in East Texas; the community survived
destruction by tornadoes and fires and today boasts a successful
school district; and
WHEREAS, Major events in the county include the Texas State
Bluegrass Festival, the Edom Arts Fair, and the Van Zandt County
Relay for Life; for the outdoor enthusiast, the Neches and Sabine
Rivers, Purtis Creek State Park, and Lake Tawakoni State Park
offer wonderful opportunities for fishing, boating, swimming,
and camping; and
WHEREAS, The home of nearly 53,000 people, Van Zandt County
relies on tourism, oil, and agribusiness; the area is a major
producer of hay, blueberries, sweet potatoes, and nursery crops,
in addition to cattle, horses, hogs, and dairy products; and
WHEREAS, The citizens of Van Zandt County take justifiable
pride in the hard work and ready cooperation that have made their
county strong, and it is a pleasure to join them in honoring the
county they call home; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 82nd
Legislature, hereby recognize February 15, 2011, as Van Zandt
County Day at the State Capitol and extend sincere best wishes to
the visiting residents of Van Zandt County for an informative and
memorable day; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared as a
memento of this special occasion.
Deuell
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President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on February 7, 2011.
________________________________
Secretary of the Senate
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Member, Texas Senate