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78R9725 MW-D

By:  Hughes                                                       H.R. No. 615



R 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.