SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 303
WHEREAS, Citizens of Van Zandt County are gathering at the
State Capitol on March 5, 2019, to commemorate Van Zandt County
Day and to celebrate the significant role their home has played
in the story of the Lone Star State; and
WHEREAS, Created by an Act of the Texas Legislature on
March 20, 1848, this county in the northeast region of Texas was
named for Isaac Van Zandt, a lawyer who served as a legislator and
diplomat for the Republic of Texas; and
WHEREAS, Canton, the county seat, was laid out in 1850 and
incorporated in 1919; designated a Main Street City in 2001, it
is home to the Van Zandt County Fair and Rodeo, as well as one of
the nation's best-known flea markets, First Monday Trade Days;
the city is also the location of the Library of Genealogy and
Local History, which preserves the county's heritage and draws
researchers from far and near; and
WHEREAS, The county's other notable communities include
Ben Wheeler, which was named in 1878 for Benjamin F. Wheeler, an
early mail carrier in Van Zandt County; and
WHEREAS, Edgewood, which was first settled in the 1840s,
hosts the Edgewood Heritage Festival every November at the
Heritage Park Museum; this popular attraction is dedicated to the
preservation of rural culture and architecture; and
WHEREAS, Named after a figure from the Bible, Edom is one
of the oldest towns in the county, and it is home to 11 state
historical markers, many of them researched by members of the
Edom Historical Society; the residents of this small community
also give hearty support to an active civic theater and popular
arts fairs; and
WHEREAS, A 1901 petition by local fruit growers prompted
the renaming of Bolan Switch to Fruitvale; the town had boasted a
fruit nursery as early as the 1870s and also had a lumber shipping
business by the second decade of the 20th century, but Fruitvale
was not incorporated until the 1960s; and
WHEREAS, Originally called Jordan's Saline, Grand Saline
was the first county seat, and it takes its name from an immense
dome of pure salt that lies beneath the city; more than a mile and
a half wide and 16,000 feet thick, the deposit is now mined by the
Morton Salt company; named a Main Street City in 2004, the
community celebrates its heritage with the Salt Palace, a house
built out of salt blocks, and an annual Salt Festival; the town is
also the birthplace of pioneer aviator Wiley Post, whose life is
commemorated with a historical marker; and
WHEREAS, Martin's Mill was established in the valley of Cream
Level Creek before the Civil War; it got its name from Daniel
G. Martin, who opened a gin and gristmill there in 1875; and
WHEREAS, The community of Van was established in 1894, and
it remained a quiet farming community until 1929, when the
discovery of oil in the area transformed the village into a
boomtown; the Van Area Oil and Historical Museum and the annual
Oil Pageant & Festival recapture the excitement of that time; and
WHEREAS, Wills Point was named for William Wills, who
settled in the area in the 1840s and whose homestead became a way
station for travelers; his original cabin still stands in Bruce
Park, and the old Texas and Pacific Railroad depot features
exhibits of local history; as the official Bluebird Capital of
Texas, Wills Point hosts the annual Bluebird Festival every
April; and
WHEREAS, Major events in the county include the Western
Swing Valentine Party in Canton, the Edom Festival of the Arts,
and the Relay for Life of Van Zandt County; for the outdoor
enthusiast, the Neches and Sabine Rivers, Purtis Creek State
Park, and Lake Tawakoni State Park offer fine opportunities for
fishing, boating, swimming, camping, and hiking; the county
prospers thanks to agriculture, oil and gas, and recreational
opportunities, and the region is a major producer of hay, sweet
potatoes, beef cattle, and nursery crops; and
WHEREAS, The people of Van Zandt County take great pride in
their rich history as they work together to build an even
brighter future, and it is indeed fitting to honor them and their
unique contributions to the story of the Lone Star State; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 86th
Legislature, hereby recognize March 5, 2019, as Van Zandt County
Day at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation
sincere best wishes for an informative and enjoyable stay in
Austin.
Hall
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President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on March 5, 2019.
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Secretary of the Senate
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Member, Texas Senate