1-1 1 1-2 SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 490 1-3 WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas takes pleasure 1-4 in joining the residents of Wood County in declaring Tuesday, 1-5 March 27, 2001, as Wood County Day; and 1-6 WHEREAS, Wood County was named in honor of 1-7 Governor George T. Wood and was created from Van Zandt County 1-8 in 1850; the area was home to the Caddo Indians until the 1820s 1-9 and 1830s when settlers began arriving; the first village in the 1-10 area, Webster, was established in 1845, and the first profitable 1-11 industry was ranching; and 1-12 WHEREAS, Located in Northeast Texas at the western edge of 1-13 the pine belt, Wood County is hilly and heavily forested and is 1-14 drained by the Sabine River and its tributaries; and 1-15 WHEREAS, In the early 1870s, railroads such as the Texas 1-16 and Pacific and the International-Great Northern arrived in the 1-17 area, and with the advent of railroad transportation, the lumber 1-18 industry began to thrive; and 1-19 WHEREAS, In 1913, a sweet potato curing plant was 1-20 established, and specialized farming became a major industry; 1-21 by 1935, Christmas trees, hay, watermelons, poultry, and dairy 2-1 products were being produced, and oil was discovered at Hawkins 2-2 in 1940; and 2-3 WHEREAS, Communities throughout the county host year-round 2-4 festivities in honor of the county's heritage and its foliage; 2-5 the festivals include the Alba-Golden Sweet Potato Festival, the 2-6 Quitman Dogwood Fiesta, the Hawkins Pancake Festival, the Mineola 2-7 May Days Bean Festival, the Spring Trails in Winnsboro, the Winter 2-8 Trails Christmas Parade in Winnsboro, and the Oil Festival in 2-9 Hawkins; and 2-10 WHEREAS, Nicknamed "Lake Country" due to its aquatic 2-11 resources, Wood County is visited by sportsmen from all over 2-12 the world and is noted for its year-round trophy bass fishing 2-13 at Lake Fork Reservoir, known as the "Best Big Bass Lake in the 2-14 State"; the state's record largemouth bass was caught in the 2-15 reservoir in 1993; and 2-16 WHEREAS, While Wood County offers the opportunities 2-17 generated by fast growing communities, its natural beauty and 2-18 rural charm have been retained, and the residents of Wood County 2-19 deserve to be proud of their efforts and planning; now, therefore, 2-20 be it 2-21 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 2-22 77th Legislature, hereby extend best wishes to the people of 2-23 Wood County for a joyous and celebratory Wood County Day; and, 2-24 be it further 3-1 RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for 3-2 the residents of Wood County as an expression of esteem from the 3-3 Texas Senate. 3-4 Cain 3-5 ______________________________________ 3-6 President of the Senate 3-7 I hereby certify that the above 3-8 Resolution was adopted by the Senate 3-9 on March 27, 2001. 3-10 ______________________________________ 3-11 Secretary of the Senate 3-12 ______________________________________ 3-13 Member, Texas Senate