1-1 1 1-2 SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 545 1-3 WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas takes pleasure 1-4 in joining the residents of Van Zandt County in declaring 1-5 Tuesday, April 22, 1997, as Van Zandt County Day; and 1-6 WHEREAS, Van Zandt County was carved out of Henderson County 1-7 and was created by an enactment of the Texas Legislature on 1-8 March 20, 1848; the county was named in honor of Isaac Van Zandt, 1-9 an early pioneer who was a candidate for governor of Texas, but who 1-10 was stricken by yellow fever and died in 1847; and 1-11 WHEREAS, The two largest towns in the county are Wills Point 1-12 and Canton; Wills Point was mapped out in 1873 and originally named 1-13 Iola; it was later renamed in honor of one of its early citizens, 1-14 William Wills; the Wills Cabin has been preserved and is now the 1-15 site of community meetings; Wills Point is considered the Bluebird 1-16 Capitol of Texas; and 1-17 WHEREAS, Canton was mapped out in 1850 and was incorporated in 1-18 1919; it is the county seat and is home of the World Famous First 1-19 Monday Trades Day, one of the largest outdoor flea markets in the 1-20 world; First Monday Trades Day allows Canton to have the lowest 1-21 tax rate in the county; and 1-22 WHEREAS, Other towns include Edom, Edgewood, Van, and 1-23 Grand Saline; Edom, one of the county's oldest towns, was 2-1 established in 1856 and is known for the annual Edom Art Fair; 2-2 Edgewood was established in 1878 and is known for its Edgewood 2-3 Heritage Park Historical Village; and 2-4 WHEREAS, Van was established in 1891 and is noted for its 2-5 oil fields and for the Van Area Museum of Oil and Natural History; 2-6 Grand Saline, the first county seat and post office, was established 2-7 in 1873 and is known for Morton Salt and its salt mine; it is home 2-8 to the only building made completely of salt, the Grand Saline Salt 2-9 Palace; and 2-10 WHEREAS, Van Zandt County has a population of over 39,000, 2-11 and its economy is based on oil, tourism, and agribusinesses; 2-12 most of the county's annual income is from cattle, hogs, and dairy 2-13 products; it is also a major hay and sweet potato producer; the 2-14 county is fortunate to have the Sabine and Neches rivers and is 2-15 home to Purtis Creek State Park; now, therefore, be it 2-16 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 2-17 75th Legislature, hereby express appreciation to the people 2-18 of Van Zandt County for the county's many amenities and its 2-19 contributions to our state and extend best wishes for a joyous 2-20 Van Zandt County Day; and, be it further 2-21 RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for 2-22 Van Zandt County as an expression of esteem from the Texas Senate. 2-23 Cain 2-24 Armbrister Harris Patterson 2-25 Barrientos Haywood Ratliff 2-26 Bivins Lindsay Shapiro 2-27 Brown Lucio Shapleigh 2-28 Carona Luna Sibley 3-1 Duncan Madla Truan 3-2 Ellis Moncrief Wentworth 3-3 Fraser Nelson West 3-4 Gallegos Nixon Whitmire 3-5 Galloway Ogden Zaffirini 3-6 Bullock, President of the Senate 3-7 ______________________________________ 3-8 President of the Senate 3-9 I hereby certify that the above 3-10 Resolution was adopted by the Senate 3-11 on April 22, 1997. 3-12 ______________________________________ 3-13 Secretary of the Senate 3-14 ______________________________________ 3-15 Member, Texas Senate