By: Holt H.R. No. 98
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Proud residents are gathering in Austin on February
18, 2025, 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; 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 recreation and
under the natural beauty of the Big Thicket National Preserve and
Village Creek State Park.
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 House of Representatives of the 89th Texas
Legislature hereby recognize February 18, 2025, as Hardin County
Day at the State Capitol and extend a warm welcome to the visiting
delegation.