88R11417 CW-D
By: Nichols S.R. No. 155
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Proud residents are gathering in Austin on
February 13, 2023, to celebrate Hardin County Day at the State
Capitol; and
WHEREAS, Situated northeast of Houston, Hardin County is
predominantly made up of pine and hardwood forests in the East Texas
Timberlands region; attracted by the mineral waters of Medicine
Lake, Native Americans visited the area long before it became part
of the Atascosito District of Spanish and Mexican Texas; attempts
at colonization began in earnest in 1834 when the Mexican
government made land grants, and in 1835, Stephen Jackson founded a
settlement at Sour Lake; and
WHEREAS, Following the Texas Revolution, the area was split
between the jurisdictions of Liberty and Jefferson Counties; in
1858, the State Legislature established Hardin County, drawing
territory from both parent counties; under state law, the county's
name honored the Hardin family of Liberty, and the county seat also
bore that name; in 1881, the Sabine and East Texas Railroad bypassed
Hardin in favor of its own newly established town, Kountze, which
ultimately became the county seat; and
WHEREAS, Early farmers in Hardin County raised corn, sweet
potatoes, hogs, cattle, sheep, and horses; as early as 1878,
loggers were floating cut timber to the Neches River and on to
Beaumont, and by 1881, at least two lumber-processing mills were
operating in the county; the subsequent arrivals of other railway
companies further stimulated the lumber industry; a big economic
boost came with the discovery of oil at Saratoga and Batson and the
development of the Sour Lake oil field in 1903; today, chambers of
commerce in Kountze, Lumberton, Silsbee, and Sour Lake promote
economic development in their communities; and
WHEREAS, Hardin County is further buoyed by its robust
ecotourism, which offers ample opportunities for camping,
paddling, fishing, hiking, biking, and wildlife viewing; a major
attraction is the Big Thicket National Preserve, where visitors can
explore nine different ecosystems; moreover, Village Creek State
Park sits along one of the few free-flowing creeks in Texas, and the
Roy E. Larsen Sandyland Sanctuary protects diverse plant
communities; and
WHEREAS, Residents of Hardin County are working together to
build an even brighter future, and this special day provides a
fitting opportunity to pay tribute to the county and its people;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 88th Texas Legislature
hereby recognize February 13, 2023, as Hardin County Day at the
State Capitol and extend a warm welcome to the visiting delegation.