|
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
WHEREAS, Proud residents of Upshur County are gathering in |
|
Austin on April 28, 2009, for Upshur County Day at the State |
|
Capitol; and |
|
WHEREAS, This wooded, rolling region of East Texas was first |
|
inhabited by the Caddo people; during the early 19th century the |
|
Cherokee passed through the area on the Cherokee Trace, and the |
|
first Anglo inhabitant, Isaac Moody, settled near West Mountain in |
|
1836; and |
|
WHEREAS, The 1st Texas Legislature established Upshur County |
|
on April 27, 1846; the county was named after Abel P. Upshur, |
|
secretary of state under President John Tyler, and Gilmer was |
|
established as the county seat in 1848; and |
|
WHEREAS, Corn, cotton, and cattle were the foundations of the |
|
county's economy, while the region's virgin forest made it an |
|
important center for the lumber industry; the arrival of the |
|
railroad in the 1870s linked the area to national markets and drew |
|
in more residents; and |
|
WHEREAS, Today the county is a leading producer of broiler |
|
chickens and dairy products; the reseeding of the forests between |
|
the end of World War II and the 1980s has helped to maintain the |
|
county's primacy as a lumber producer, and ceramics and vegetable |
|
processing have also become important industries; and |
|
WHEREAS, Gilmer is the site of the East Texas Yamboree, one of |
|
the oldest continuing festivals in East Texas; first held in 1935, |
|
this celebration of the sweet potato draws 100,000 visitors every |
|
October with a parade, cooking contests, live music, livestock |
|
exhibits, and an antique and classic car show; and |
|
WHEREAS, Visitors and residents alike enjoy the fine |
|
recreational opportunities offered by the county; Lake Gladewater |
|
is popular with boaters, fishermen, swimmers, and picnickers, and |
|
the county's wide variety of game make it a destination for hunters; |
|
and |
|
WHEREAS, With its scenic beauty, abundant natural resources, |
|
and lively cultural traditions, Upshur County celebrates its rich |
|
history while looking forward to a bright future, and it is |
|
appropriate to celebrate the past, present, and future of this |
|
unique region of the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it |
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
|
Legislature hereby recognize April 28, 2009, as Upshur County Day |
|
at the State Capitol and extend best wishes to the visiting |
|
delegation for an informative and enjoyable stay in Austin. |