Freestone County, Texas Places Texas House Resolution #474 R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, Proud citizens from Freestone County are visiting 1-2 Austin on March 7, 2001, to celebrate their county's many fine 1-3 attributes and its contributions to the Lone Star State, and it is 1-4 indeed a pleasure to welcome this public-spirited delegation to the 1-5 State Capitol; and 1-6 WHEREAS, From the beginning, Freestone County has maintained 1-7 its largely agricultural character, with farming and ranching both 1-8 playing an important role in its economy; in recent years the 1-9 mining of coal, the production of natural gas, and the erection of 1-10 two electricity generating plants have created an expanded and 1-11 diversified economic base; and 1-12 WHEREAS, The county seat of Fairfield is home to the 1-13 Freestone County Museum and Antique Telephone Museum; the town's 1-14 year-round calendar of special events includes the Freestone County 1-15 Fair and Rodeo, held in June, and the Peach Festival, held in July; 1-16 and 1-17 WHEREAS, Teague, settled in the 19th century, became a 1-18 shipping center for local farmers after it acquired railroad 1-19 connections in 1906; the depot of the Burlington-Rock Island 1-20 Railroad now serves as a museum of local history, and its grounds 1-21 contain a log cabin from 1850, restored and furnished; and 1-22 WHEREAS, The farming and ranching community of Wortham has 1-23 known the wild ride of an oil boom, which sent its population 1-24 soaring to 30,000 in the 1920s, and the music of legendary bluesman 2-1 Blind Lemon Jefferson, who was born in the Freestone County hamlet 2-2 of Coutchman and played his guitar as a boy in and around Wortham; 2-3 the town celebrates Jefferson, who is buried in the African 2-4 American cemetery there, with an annual blues festival featuring 2-5 local, national, and international artists; and 2-6 WHEREAS, Freestone County has long been a most productive 2-7 section of our great state, and today more and more individuals are 2-8 discovering the attractiveness of the county as they move here to 2-9 put down roots and raise their families; now, therefore, be it 2-10 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 77th Texas 2-11 Legislature hereby recognize March 7, 2001, as Freestone County Day 2-12 at the State Capitol and extend to the delegation here today 2-13 sincere best wishes for an enjoyable and memorable visit. Alexander _______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 474 was adopted by the House on March 7, 2001, by a non-record vote. _______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House