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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 353

	WHEREAS, March 9, 2005, is Wood County Day at the
State Capitol, and the Senate of the State of Texas 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, 
contributing to a growing population, as well as increasing 
demands on 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 a record-breaking 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 assets and of 
the communities they have built while maintaining the county's 
natural beauty; and

	WHEREAS, These communities host year-round festivities 
honoring the county's heritage, crops, resources, and foliage; 
the festivals include the Quitman Dogwood Fiesta in March, as 
well as the Hawkins Pancake Festival, the Spring Trails in 
Winnsboro, the Fourth of July FreedomFest in Mineola, the Sweet 
Potato Festival in Golden, 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 Senate to recognize the county and to commend its residents 
for their achievements and the preservation of the county's many 
amenities; now, therefore, be it

	RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
79th Legislature, hereby recognize March 9, 2005, as Wood County 
Day at the State Capitol and join its citizens as they celebrate 
their county's valuable assets; and, be it further

	RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in 
honor of this occasion.
                                                                          Eltife




________________________________ 
    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