By Sadler H.R. No. 228 76R5779 MDM-D R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, Many proud residents of Panola County will visit 1-2 Austin February 23-24, 1999, to celebrate Panola County Days at the 1-3 State Capitol, and this festive event offers an ideal opportunity 1-4 to recognize the county's many remarkable attributes; and 1-5 WHEREAS, Situated deep in the Piney Woods of East Texas, 1-6 Panola County was formerly the home of Caddo Indians; the county is 1-7 named after the Indian word for cotton and was created in the late 1-8 1840s from Harrison and Shelby counties; and 1-9 WHEREAS, Its advantageous location and rich natural resources 1-10 have helped Panola County to flourish, and throughout its history 1-11 the area has significantly contributed to the state's prosperity; 1-12 the county enjoys a strong and diversified economic base, with gas 1-13 processing, oil-field operation, forest industries, agribusiness, 1-14 tourism, and manufacturing as its major industries; and 1-15 WHEREAS, Resplendent with lush forests and sparkling bodies 1-16 of water, the region boasts lakes Murvaul and Martin, the Sabine 1-17 River, and the Toledo Bend Reservoir, which attract nature lovers 1-18 and outdoor sports enthusiasts; additional recreational 1-19 opportunities in the area include hunting, scenic drives, historic 1-20 sites, and museums; and 1-21 WHEREAS, Carthage, named for two consecutive years by writer 1-22 Norman Crampton as one of "The 100 Best Small Towns in America," 1-23 serves as county seat with approximately 23,000 residents and home 1-24 to Panola College, the East Texas Medical Center-Carthage, and a 2-1 number of points of historic interest, several of which pay tribute 2-2 to country music favorites Tex Ritter and "Gentleman" Jim Reeves, 2-3 both natives of Panola County; and 2-4 WHEREAS, The award-winning Tex Ritter Museum highlights the 2-5 career of one of America's most beloved singing cowboys, and 2-6 "Gentleman" Jim Reeves was recently honored with a state historical 2-7 marker at his grave site, which is also distinguished by a 2-8 life-sized sculpture of the velvet-voiced singer; and 2-9 WHEREAS, In 1997, the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame opened 2-10 in Carthage with Gene Autry as its first inductee; Willie Nelson 2-11 entertained an audience of 1,000 at the grand opening celebration 2-12 in 1998, when he was inducted into the hall; the museum is a 2-13 tribute to Chet Stout and his late wife, Johnny, who were 2-14 instrumental in its creation; and 2-15 WHEREAS, Area residents and visitors alike can learn more 2-16 about the rich heritage of the region by visiting the Panola County 2-17 Historical Heritage Museum and the Panola County Historical Jail 2-18 Museum, home to the Leila B. Lagrone Family History Center and the 2-19 Mini-Law Enforcement and Pioneer Museum; a new addition to the 2-20 library at the jail museum will be the East Texas Oral History 2-21 Archive, a collection of oral history interviews, numbering in the 2-22 hundreds, by the Carthage High School and Panola College students 2-23 of Mrs. Ann Morris; and 2-24 WHEREAS, At this time it is indeed fitting that Panola County 2-25 residents receive legislative recognition for their county's proud 2-26 heritage and their citizens' many accomplishments; now, therefore, 2-27 be it 3-1 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 76th Texas 3-2 Legislature recognize February 23-24 as Panola County Days at the 3-3 State Capitol and extend warmest best wishes to all Panola County 3-4 citizens on this noteworthy occasion; and, be it further 3-5 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 3-6 prepared for the Panola Chamber of Commerce as an expression of 3-7 high regard by the Texas House of Representatives.