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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 470
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WHEREAS, Citizens of Van Zandt County are visiting the |
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State Capitol on March 13 and 14, 2007, to celebrate the |
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significant role they and their forebears have played in the |
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development of the Lone Star State; and |
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WHEREAS, Created by an Act of the Texas Legislature on |
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March 20, 1847, this Northeast Texas county was named for |
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Isaac Van Zandt, a Republic of Texas lawyer, legislator, and |
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diplomat; and |
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WHEREAS, Canton, the county seat, was laid out in 1850 and |
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incorporated in 1919; recently named a Main Street City, Canton |
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is home to the Van Zandt County Fair and First Monday Trade Days, |
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one of the country's best-known flea markets; a library of |
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genealogy and local history is also a popular attraction and |
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preserves much of the county's notable heritage; and |
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WHEREAS, The history of this area can be traced in a number |
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of other communities as well; Edgewood, settled in the 1840s, |
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boasts the Edgewood Heritage Park Museum, a facility dedicated to |
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the preservation of the rural culture and architectural history |
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of our state; and |
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WHEREAS, Edom, established in 1856, is one of the oldest |
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towns in the county, and its past is highlighted by 10 state |
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historical markers, many of them researched by members of the |
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Edom Historical Society; the residents of this small community |
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give vital support to an active civic theater; and |
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WHEREAS, Fruit cultivation prompted the naming of |
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Fruitvale, where a nursery operated as early as the 1870s; |
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several generations in this century-old town have treasured the |
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Randall Store, a local institution since 1910; and |
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WHEREAS, Grand Saline, originally called Jordan's Saline, |
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the first Van Zandt County seat, takes its name from an immense |
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dome of pure salt lying beneath the city; more than a mile and a |
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half wide and 20,000 feet thick, the deposit is presently mined |
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by Morton Salt Company; the city celebrates salt with an annual |
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Salt Festival; those exploring this 2004 Main Street City can |
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tour the Salt Palace Museum, a unique structure built with rock |
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salt crystal, stop by the historical marker that commemorates |
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native son Wiley Post, the renowned pioneer aviator, and visit |
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the new Veterans Memorial Wall Park, featuring a genuine |
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United States Army tank; and |
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WHEREAS, Van, established in 1891, remained a quiet farming |
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community until 1929, when the discovery of oil nearby transformed |
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the village into a boomtown; the Van Area Oil and Historical Museum |
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recaptures the excitement of that frenetic time and commemorates |
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the discovery with an annual Oil Festival; and |
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WHEREAS, Wills Point, settled in 1873 and originally known |
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as Iola, was renamed for William Wills, whose cabin served as a |
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stopping place for those traveling between Shreveport and Dallas; |
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the Wills cabin still stands, as does the old Texas and Pacific |
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Railroad depot, which houses the Historical Society Museum; |
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Wills Point, which is officially the Bluebird Capital of Texas, |
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hosts the annual Bluebird Festival; and |
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WHEREAS, Ben Wheeler, surrounded by natural springs and |
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rich farmland, was named for Van Zandt County's first mail |
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carrier, Benjamin R. Wheeler, in 1876; and |
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WHEREAS, Martins Mill, named for Dan R. Martin's gristmill, |
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was established in 1880 and is home to one of the largest dairies |
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in East Texas; the community survived destruction by tornadoes |
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and fires and today boasts a first-rate school district; and |
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WHEREAS, Major events in Van Zandt County include the |
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Texas State Bluegrass Festival, the Edom Arts Fair, and the |
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Van Zandt County Relay for Life; for the outdoor enthusiast, the |
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Neches and Sabine Rivers, Purtis Creek State Park, and Lake Tawakoni |
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State Park offer opportunities for fishing, boating, swimming, and |
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camping; and |
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WHEREAS, Home to nearly 50,000 people, Van Zandt County |
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relies on tourism, oil, and agribusiness; the area is a major |
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producer of hay, blueberries, sweet potatoes, and nursery crops |
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and is known for its cattle, horses, hogs, and dairy products; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, The citizens of Van Zandt County take justifiable |
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pride in their hard work and in the community endeavors that have |
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made their county strong, and it is a pleasure to join them in |
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honoring the county they call home; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, |
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80th Legislature, hereby recognize March 13 and 14, 2007, as |
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Van Zandt County Days at the State Capitol and extend sincere |
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best wishes to the Van Zandt County residents for an informative |
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and memorable visit. |
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Deuell |
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________________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that the |
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above Resolution was adopted by |
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the Senate on March 14, 2007. |
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________________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |