R E S O L U T I O N
1-1 WHEREAS, The Texas House of Representatives is proud to join
1-2 citizens of Van Zandt County, the gifted and talented program
1-3 students from Wills Point Junior High School and their principal
1-4 and advisors, the Van Zandt County Choir, and city and county
1-5 elected officials in celebrating Van Zandt County Days at the State
1-6 Capitol on March 15-16, 1999; and
1-7 WHEREAS, Van Zandt County was created in 1848 from Henderson
1-8 County and was named for Republic of Texas leader Isaac Van Zandt;
1-9 largely populated by Southerners who supported the Confederate
1-10 cause during the Civil War, it was also home to a vocal antislavery
1-11 minority of Europeans and small farmers, and their reputation as
1-12 staunch Unionists resulted in the county being nicknamed "The Free
1-13 State of Van Zandt"; and
1-14 WHEREAS, The two largest towns in the county are Wills Point
1-15 and Canton; surveyed in 1873, Wills Point was originally named
1-16 William Wills and the family's original cabin has been preserved
1-17 and is being moved to a permanent park; considered the bluebird
1-18 capitol of Texas, the town hosts a festival each April in honor of
1-19 the colorful songbird; and
1-20 WHEREAS, Mapped in 1850 and incorporated in 1919, Canton is
1-21 the county seat and home of the noted First Monday Trade Days, one
1-22 of the largest outdoor flea markets in the world, and the unique
1-23 attraction is the reason the town enjoys the lowest tax rate in the
1-24 county; and
2-1 WHEREAS, Other towns include Edom, Edgewood, Van, Fruitvale,
2-2 and Grand Saline; Edom, one of the county's oldest towns, was
2-3 established in 1856 and is known for its annual art fair, its
2-4 active historical society, and its civic theater; Edgewood,
2-5 established in 1878, draws visitors to its heritage park historical
2-6 village; and
2-7 WHEREAS, Van was established in 1891 and is noted for its oil
2-8 fields and museum of oil and natural history; Grand Saline, the
2-9 first county seat and location of the county's first post office,
2-10 was established in 1873 and is known for its salt mine and Morton
2-11 Salt facility; it is home to the only building made completely of
2-12 salt, the Grand Saline Salt Palace; and
2-13 WHEREAS, The Van Zandt County population of 40,000 plus
2-14 enjoys a diverse economy based on oil, tourism, and agribusiness;
2-15 most of the county's annual income is derived from cattle, hogs,
2-16 and dairy products and it is a major producer of hay, blueberries,
2-17 and sweet potatoes; the Sabine and Neches rivers and Purtis Creek
2-18 State Park enhance the county's recreational opportunities; and
2-19 WHEREAS, In an initiative being led by the Council of Van
2-20 Zandt County Communities, towns share events calendars and
2-21 information about regional activities, including the Van Zandt
2-22 County Fair and Parade, the East Texas State Fair, the Van Zandt
2-23 County Relay for Life, and the legislative year visit to Austin;
2-24 and
2-25 WHEREAS, The residents of Van Zandt County take pride in
2-26 their rich and colorful history and look forward to the challenges
2-27 and opportunities in the years to come; and it is indeed a pleasure
3-1 to take this opportunity to salute them and their fine county;
3-2 now, therefore, be it
3-3 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 76th Texas
3-4 Legislature recognize March 15-16, 1999, as Van Zandt County Days
3-5 at the State Capitol and extend warmest best wishes to all Van
3-6 Zandt County citizens on this noteworthy occasion; and, be it
3-7 further
3-8 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
3-9 prepared for the Van Zandt County delegation as an expression of
3-10 high regard by the Texas House of Representatives.
Glaze
_______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 322 was adopted by the House on March
16, 1999, by a non-record vote.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House