SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 344

	WHEREAS, Many citizens of Van Zandt County have come to the 
State Capitol on March 9, 2005, to celebrate the significant part 
they and their forebears have played in the development of the 
Lone Star State; and
	WHEREAS, Created by an Act of the Texas Legislature on 
March 20, 1847, this Northeast Texas county was named for
Isaac Van Zandt, a Republic of Texas lawyer, legislator, and 
diplomat; and
	WHEREAS, Canton, the county seat, was laid out in 1850 and 
incorporated in 1919; recently named a Main Street City, it is 
home to the Van Zandt County Fair and First Monday Trade Days, one 
of the country's best-known flea markets; a library of genealogy 
and local history is also a popular attraction and preserves much 
of the county's notable heritage; and
	WHEREAS, The development of this fascinating area can be 
traced in a number of other communities as well; Edgewood, settled
in the 1840s, boasts the Edgewood Heritage Park Museum, a 
facility dedicated to the preservation of the rural culture and 
architectural history of our state; and
	WHEREAS, Edom, established in 1856, is one of the oldest 
towns in the county, and its past is highlighted by 10 state 
historical markers, many of them researched by members of the 
Edom Historical Society; the residents of this small community 
also give vital support to an active civic theater; and
	WHEREAS, Fruit cultivation prompted the naming of Fruitvale,
where a nursery operated as early as the 1870s; several generations
in this century-old town have treasured the Randall Store, a 
local institution since 1910; and
	WHEREAS, Grand Saline, originally called Jordan's Saline, 
the first Van Zandt County seat, takes its name from an immense 
dome of pure salt lying beneath the city; more than a mile and a 
half wide and 20,000 feet thick, the deposit is presently mined 
by Morton Salt Company; the city celebrates salt with an annual 
Salt Festival; those exploring this 2004 Main Street City can 
tour the Salt Palace Museum, a unique structure built with rock 
salt crystal, stop by the historical marker that commemorates 
native son Wiley Post, the renowned pioneer aviator, and visit 
the new Veterans Memorial Wall Park, featuring a genuine
United States Army tank; and
	WHEREAS, Van, established in 1891, remained a quiet 
farming community until 1929, when the discovery of oil nearby 
transformed the village into a boomtown; the Van Area Oil and 
Historical Museum recaptures the excitement of that frenetic time 
and commemorates the discovery with an annual Oil Festival; and
	WHEREAS, Wills Point, settled in 1873 and originally known 
as Iola, was renamed for William Wills, whose cabin served as a 
stopping place for those traveling between Shreveport and 
Dallas; the Wills cabin still stands, as does the Texas and 
Pacific Railroad depot, which houses the Historical Society 
Museum; Wills Point, which is officially the Bluebird Capital of 
Texas, hosts the annual Bluebird Festival; and
	WHEREAS, Ben Wheeler, surrounded by natural springs and 
rich farmland, was named for Van Zandt County's first mail 
carrier, Benjamin R. Wheeler, in 1876; and

	WHEREAS, Martins Mill, which got its name from Dan R. Martin's
gristmill, was established in 1880 and is home to one of the 
largest dairies in East Texas; the community survived 
destruction by tornadoes and fires and today boasts a successful 
school district; and
	WHEREAS, Major events in the county include the Texas State 
Bluegrass Festival, the Edom Arts Fair, and the Van Zandt County 
Relay for Life; for the outdoor enthusiast, the Neches and
Sabine Rivers, Purtis Creek State Park, and Lake Tawakoni State 
Park offer wonderful opportunities for fishing, boating, 
swimming, and camping; and
	WHEREAS, The home of nearly 50,000 people, Van Zandt County 
relies on tourism, oil, and agribusiness; the area is a major 
producer of hay, blueberries, sweet potatoes, and nursery crops, 
in addition to cattle, horses, hogs, and dairy products; and
	WHEREAS, Present with us today in the Capitol are numerous 
residents of Van Zandt County, including the Van Zandt County Choir,
city and county officials, members of Vision 2005, and members of the
board of the Council of Van Zandt County Communities, the sponsors
of the biennial visit to the state legislature that provides an 
occasion for focusing on legislation affecting Van Zandt County 
citizens; and
	WHEREAS, The citizens of Van Zandt County take justifiable 
pride in the hard work and ready cooperation that have made their 
county strong, and it is a pleasure to join them in honoring the 
county they call home; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
79th Legislature, hereby recognize March 9, 2005, as Van Zandt 
County Day at the State Capitol and extend sincere best wishes to the
visiting Van Zandt residents for an informative and memorable day.
                                                                          Deuell




________________________________ 
    President of the Senate
 
    I hereby certify that the 
above Resolution was adopted by 
the Senate on March 9, 2005.



________________________________ 
    Secretary of the Senate



________________________________ 
     Member, Texas Senate