GOOSE ISLAND STATE PARK STATE ISLAND GOOSE Concession Building
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PARKS TO VIEW CCC WORK Born out of the Great Depression, the Civilian Conservation Corps put young men to work in the 1930s. The jobs involved building parks and conserving natural resources across the country. Many of our state parks here in Texas display the CCC’s handiwork. Texas now has 29 CCC state parks. Some, like Garner and Palo Duro Canyon, are well known to travelers across the state. So here’s a list of some CCC parks you may not have visited … yet. By Dale Blasingame � PHOTO BY EARL NOTTINGHAM / TPWD PHOTO © LAURENCEPHOTO PARENT ABILENE STATE PARK PARKS TO VIEW CCC WORK Map and directions CCC enrollees used native limestone and 150 Park Road 32 red sandstone to build many of the park’s Tuscola, TX 79562 features, including the arched concession building (with observation tower) and the Latitude: 32.240731 water tower. The CCC also constructed the Longitude: -99.879139 swimming pool, with pyramidal poolside pergolas. Online reservations (325) 572-3204 Entrance Fees Adult Day Use: $5 Daily Child 12 and Under: Free Visit park website PHOTO BY TPWD BY PHOTO BONHAM STATE PARK PARKS TO VIEW CCC WORK Map and directions The CCC touch can be seen everywhere – 1363 State Park 24 from the earthen dam used to form the Bonham, TX 75418 65-acre lake to the boathouse and park headquarters. Visit the CCC-constructed Latitude: 33.546727 picnic area first, which houses my favorite Longitude: -96.144758 footbridge in all of Texas. Online reservations (903) 583-5022 Entrance Fees Adult Day Use: $4 Daily Child 12 and Under: Free Visit park website PHOTO BY CHASE FOUNTAIN / TPWD CHASE BY PHOTO FOUNTAIN � MORE � DAVIS MOUNTAINS STATE PARK PARKS TO VIEW CCC WORK Map and directions Indian Lodge, the pueblo-style hotel in PO Box 1707 Davis Mountains State Park, reflects the Fort Davis, TX 79734 history and culture of the region. Hand- hewn pine beams, adobe blocks and hand- Latitude: 30.599926 carved cedar furniture were all made onsite. Longitude: -103.925934 Local materials included pine from Mount Livermore and river cane. Online reservations (432) 426-3337 Entrance Fees Adult (Day Use Only): $6 Daily Adult (Overnight) : $5 Daily Child 12 and Under : Free Visit park website PHOTO BY EARL BY PHOTO NOTTINGHAM / TPWD GOOSE ISLAND STATE PARK PARKS TO VIEW CCC WORK Map and directions At Goose Island, the CCC cleared undergrowth, 202 S. Palmetto St. planted trees and protected the Big Tree, Rockport, TX 78382 Goose Island’s crown jewel. Always using local materials, the CCC used oyster shells to Latitude: 28.133503 pave roads, palmetto leaves to make thatched Longitude: -96.984280 picnic roofs and shell-crete blocks to build the concession building. Online reservations (361) 729-2858 Entrance Fees Adult Day Use: $5 Daily Child 12 and Under: Free Visit park website PHOTO BY TPWD BY PHOTO LAKE BROWNWOOD STATE PARK PARKS TO VIEW CCC WORK Map and directions Lake Brownwood is considered the most 200 ST HWY Park Rd 15 extensively developed CCC park in Texas, Lake Brownwood, TX 76801 with more than 100 projects. Most notable is the native stone refectory (built by the Civil Latitude: 31.856987 Works Administration and expanded by the Longitude: -99.028641 CCC) that now serves as a recreation hall. Two trail systems connect the CCC features and Online reservations structures. (325) 784-5223 Entrance Fees Adult Day Use: $4 Daily Child 12 and Under: Free Visit park website PHOTO BY EARL BY PHOTO NOTTINGHAM / TPWD LONGHORN CAVERN STATE PARK PARKS TO VIEW CCC WORK Map and directions Talk about a back-breaking job: The CCC hauled P.O. Box 732 2.5 tons of material out of the cavern in 1934 Burnet, TX 78611 so the public could enjoy this underground marvel. The above-ground facilities, including Latitude: 30.684441 the dramatic, arched administration building, Longitude: -98.350970 were constructed from limestone and crystals pulled from the cave. (830) 598-2283 Entrance Fees Access to cave is by tour only. Contact the park. Visit park website PHOTO BY EARL BY PHOTO NOTTINGHAM / TPWD MERIDIAN STATE PARK PARKS TO VIEW CCC WORK Map and directions The CCC World War I veterans who developed 173 Park Road #7 Meridian built a refectory above Lake Bosque Meridian, TX 76665 with arched entryways, a stone chimney, beamed ceilings and a pergola. The enrollees Latitude: 31.890791 also constructed the rock and earthen dam Longitude: -97.697566 across Bee Creek that impounded the lake. Online reservations (254) 435-2536 Entrance Fees Adult Day Use: $5 Daily Child 12 and Under: Free Visit park website PHOTO BY TPWD BY PHOTO MOTHER NEFF STATE PARK PARKS TO VIEW CCC WORK Map and directions One of the first prominent CCC features you’ll 1680 TX-236 Highway see upon visiting Mother Neff is the main Moody, TX 76557 recreation hall, but head out the Live Oak Trail to witness views from atop another Latitude: 31.321559 example of the CCC’s work — the combination Longitude: -97.469150 lookout tower and water tank. Online reservations (254) 853-2389 Entrance Fees Adult Day Use: $2 Daily Child 12 and Under: Free Visit park website PHOTO BY TPWD BY PHOTO � MORE � PALMETTO STATE PARK PARKS TO VIEW CCC WORK Map and directions You have to work a bit to find the CCC water 78 Park Road 11 South tower at Palmetto through the vegetation. Gonzales, TX 78629 The remarkable refectory building, constructed with native sandstone, seems to Latitude: 29.596906 grow right out of the ground; it originally Longitude: -97.585140 sported a roof thatched with palmettos reportedly from Huntsville State Park. Online reservations (830) 672-3266 Entrance Fees Adult Day Use: $3 Daily Child 12 and Under: Free Visit park website WANT MORE STATE PARKS? DOWNLOAD OUR APP! JANUARY/FEBRUARY JULY Parks with Parks with spectacular views swimming holes MARCH AUGUST/SEPTEMBER Best parks to learn Best parks for Texas history bicycling APRIL OCTOBER Best parks to Best parks for take kids fishing MAY NOVEMBER Best parks to Parks with view wildlife CCC work JUNE DECEMBER Best parks for Best parks for paddling hiking Get a year of Texas state parks — and a whole lot more! — when you download the Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine app..