By: Ratliff S.C.R. No. 107 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-1 WHEREAS, On March 29, 1995, the first annual Hopkins County 1-2 Day will be celebrated by the proud citizens of Hopkins County in 1-3 recognition of their illustrious county and its contributions to 1-4 the State of Texas; and 1-5 WHEREAS, Hopkins County is an area of 793 square miles; the 1-6 soil in the region ranges from black waxy in the west to light 1-7 sandy loam in the east; an average rainfall of 39.6 inches per year 1-8 produces many kinds of trees, including short leaf pine, red cedar, 1-9 black walnut, hickory, oak, and pecan; and 1-10 WHEREAS, The area of Hopkins County was originally occupied 1-11 by tribes of the Caddo confederacy; the first permanent 1-12 Anglo-American settlement was made in the eastern part of the 1-13 county by William and Harvey Hargrave in December, 1842, and was 1-14 named Sulphur Bluff; and 1-15 WHEREAS, On May 25, 1846, the county was created out of Lamar 1-16 and Nacogdoches counties and was named for the David Hopkins 1-17 family; and 1-18 WHEREAS, Known as the Dairy Capital of the Southwest, Hopkins 1-19 County is home to 490 dairies and boasts the Southwest Dairy 1-20 Center, a white stone facility with a five-story silo which houses 1-21 a conference room and a library; the center has dioramas and 1-22 vignettes of early-day dairying as well as many artifacts and 1-23 historical documents on exhibition throughout the center; and 2-1 WHEREAS, Hopkins County is a prosperous region with an 2-2 economy based primarily on agriculture; cotton, corn, and oats are 2-3 the principal crops; vegetables and fruits, especially 2-4 strawberries, are produced in the eastern part of the county; and 2-5 WHEREAS, On July 1, 1870, the government officially made 2-6 Sulphur Springs the county seat; the Hopkins County Courthouse, 2-7 built in 1895 of Texas red granite and limestone, is one of 13 2-8 designed by architect J. Riley Gordon; and 2-9 WHEREAS, The three-story structure is a Greek cross with a 2-10 square central staircase and quarter circular entrance porches in 2-11 each corner of the front with massive archways; the building was 2-12 adapted to the Romanesque Revival style favored by the architect, 2-13 and the edifice was included in the national register of historic 2-14 places in 1976; and 2-15 WHEREAS, The Hopkins County Museum and Heritage Park are 2-16 exhibitions that cause the past to come alive; they are a 2-17 collection of early day Hopkins County buildings and memorabilia 2-18 unique to the local area; the museum is open on weekends and 2-19 several annual events such as Civil War Days, a folk festival, and 2-20 Christmas arts and crafts are held here each year; and 2-21 WHEREAS, Proud of its colorful history, residents of the 2-22 county will celebrate their rich heritage on March 29, 1995; now, 2-23 therefore, be it 2-24 RESOLVED, That the 74th Legislature of the State of Texas 2-25 hereby congratulate the residents of Hopkins County on the grand 3-1 occasion of Hopkins County Day; and, be it further 3-2 RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be prepared for 3-3 Hopkins County Day in recognition of this momentous event and as an 3-4 expression of appreciation from the Texas Legislature.