78R9725 MW-D By: Hughes H.R. No. 615R E S O L U T I O N WHEREAS, April 8, 2003, is Wood County Day at the State Capitol, and the Texas House of Representatives is pleased to join the citizens of Wood County in honoring their county's important contributions to our state; and WHEREAS, Located in Northeast Texas at the western edge of the pine belt, Wood County was created and organized from Van Zandt County in 1850 and named for Governor George T. Wood; hilly and heavily forested with sandy and alluvial soils, the county is drained by the Sabine River and its tributaries; and WHEREAS, Before Anglo-American civilization, the area was home to the Caddo Indians; by the 1820s and 1830s settlers began arriving, and in 1845 the village of Webster was established; the early arrivals were planters, but because it was difficult to transport cotton, ranching became the first profitable industry; and WHEREAS, Railroads came to the area in the 1870s and 1880s, bringing a growing population as well as increasing the area's lumber industry; specialized farming became a major industry after a sweet potato curing plant was established in 1913, and Christmas trees, hay, watermelons, poultry, and dairy products were soon added to the list of commodities being produced in the county; Jarvis Christian College was founded in Hawkins in 1912, and the discovery of oil near that community in 1940 brought still another lucrative business to the region; and WHEREAS, This beautiful area of the state is one of the showplaces of East Texas and is best known as a recreational and retirement county; nicknamed "Lake Country" for the numerous aquatic recreational facilities in the county, Wood County attracts sportsmen from all over the world; the gigantic Lake Fork Reservoir is known as the "Best Big Bass Lake in the State," and the state record largemouth bass was pulled from its waters in 1993; and WHEREAS, The residents of Wood County are a lively and industrious people who are proud of their county's natural beauty and in their own accomplishments in developing communities that offer residents a wonderful place to live; and WHEREAS, These communities host year-round festivities honoring the county's heritage, crops, resources, and foliage; following the seasons, the festivals include the Quitman Dogwood Fiesta in March as well as the Hawkins Pancake Festival, the Spring Trails in Winnsboro, Mineola Bluegrass & Beans Festival in March, Fourth of July FreedomFest in Mineola, Sweet Potato Festival in Golden, Old Settlers Reunion in August, Oil Festival in Hawkins in October, Mineola's Dickens in the Pines Christmas, and the Winter Trails Christmas Parade in Winnsboro; and WHEREAS, Governor Hogg Shrine State Park in Quitman recalls local and state history; it is named for the first native-born governor of Texas, James Stephen Hogg, who did much to strengthen public respect for law enforcement in the state and worked to establish the Texas Railroad Commission to enforce state antitrust laws and promote fair business practices; and WHEREAS, Wood County Day is an appropriate occasion for the Texas House of Representatives to recognize the county and its residents by commending them for their notable achievements; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 78th Texas Legislature hereby recognize April 8, 2003, as Wood County Day at the State Capitol and join its citizens as they celebrate their county's greatness.