Board Members &
Committee Chairs
History of the Bluebird Festival
Bluebird Antique Car & Tractor Show
History of the Bluebird Festival
The First Bluebird Festival was held in April, 1993.
In February, 1995 a number of
Wills Point residents traveled to Austin
to witness, then Texas Governor, George W. Bush sign the proclamation
officially designating Wills Point the "Bluebird Capital of Texas", Standing,
left to right
around the governor are Flora Wilson, former Senator David Cain, the late mayor
Bobby Springer, Karen Springer, Buz Craft, Billy Mark Kinney, former
Representative Bob Glaze, Brexton Collins, Theta Martin and Precinct 3 Justice
of the Peace W. Ozelle Wilcoxson.
The Texas Legislature declared Wills Point the Bluebird Capital of Texas on February 7, 1995.
Nine Wills Point residents made the trip to Austin including "Mr. Bluebird" himself.
Former District Representative Bob Glaze and former District 2 Senator David Cain sponsored the concurrent resolution.
The resolution came after the Annual Audubon bird count revealed that Wills Point was host to more bluebirds than any other area in Texas for 11 consecutive years.
The resolution noted that "the heroic efforts of the Wills Point Wilderness Society; working with the National Bluebird Recovery Program, were successful when the National Audubon Society recently determined that the community has hosted more bluebirds that any other area in Texas.
It went on to say "the Wills Point Community's efforts to preserve the bluebird population in Northeast Texas is truly commendable, and the annual bluebird festival festival is a splendid addition to the state's roster of recreational opportunities.
The discovery was a serendipitous one for members of the Wills Point Wilderness Society, a group of nature lovers who came together in 1993 to explore mutual interests about nature, wildlife, and especially, birding.
The group's founder Bill Mack Kinney set out on mission to save bluebirds from what could have been a serious decline in population.
The Society then turned to local farmers and ranchers asking to place bluebird boxes on area fences.
Today, the Wilderness Society continues to maintain bluebird boxes dispersed throughout the area.
