1-1                                     1
 1-2                          SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 345
 1-3           WHEREAS, Loyal citizens of Hunt County will journey to the
 1-4     State Capitol on Wednesday, March 10, 1999, to pay tribute to
 1-5     their beloved county and to share with state leaders their vision
 1-6     of Hunt County's unique role in Texas; and
 1-7           WHEREAS, The first legislature authorized the organization
 1-8     of Hunt County at its first meeting in Austin on April 11, 1846;
 1-9     Hunt County was created with five men as town commissioners; and
1-10           WHEREAS, With the establishment of Greenville as the county
1-11     seat, Hunt County began to experience dynamic growth during the
1-12     1840s; Ben and Hamilton Oldham founded the first store in the
1-13     community; and
1-14           WHEREAS, Following the leadership of Judge O. M. Roberts,
1-15     the first courthouse was built under the old oak tree, and justice
1-16     was dispensed beneath a canopy until the permanent structure was
1-17     constructed in 1859; and
1-18           WHEREAS, With continuing growth and pioneering spirit,
1-19     Hunt County's first paper, The Gladiator, was founded by
1-20     J. M. Porter; next, J. C. Bayne established the two newspapers
1-21     which later merged into The Greenville Herald-Banner; and
1-22           WHEREAS, The community's first church, Wesley Methodist
1-23     Church, was established in 1852 and it was manned by circuit
1-24     riders; and
 2-1           WHEREAS, The church building was used as the town
 2-2     hall, courthouse, and school, as well as a place where other
 2-3     denominations could meet for church services; and
 2-4           WHEREAS, Many civic organizations began to come to
 2-5     Hunt County in the late 1800s, and among them were Knights of
 2-6     Honor, Odd Fellows, Woodmen of the World, Knights of Pythias,
 2-7     Masons, and the Good Templar Society; and
 2-8           WHEREAS, Commerce burgeoned in the region, requiring the
 2-9     establishment of several commercial banks and lending institutions;
2-10     in 1910, the Greenville Area Chamber of Commerce was organized; and
2-11           WHEREAS, East Texas Normal College was instituted in 1889
2-12     as growth continued in the area; graduates of the college became
2-13     highly qualified teachers, and the school became East Texas State
2-14     University in 1965; finally, in September, 1996, it became
2-15     Texas A&M--Commerce; and
2-16           WHEREAS, The citizens of Hunt County are to be commended
2-17     for their industriousness and for their gracious hospitality
2-18     toward those who visit the beautiful county; now, therefore, be it
2-19           RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
2-20     76th Legislature, hereby declare March 10, 1999, Hunt County Day
2-21     at the State Capitol and extend best wishes to its citizens for a
2-22     most memorable and joyous celebration; and, be it further
2-23           RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be presented as a
2-24     memento of this grand day.
2-25                                                                    Cain
2-26                                  ______________________________________
2-27                                          President of the Senate
 3-1                                       I hereby certify that the above
 3-2                                  Resolution was adopted by the Senate
 3-3                                  on March 4, 1999.
 3-4                                  ______________________________________
 3-5                                          Secretary of the Senate
 3-6                                  ______________________________________
 3-7                                           Member, Texas Senate