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