Texas Almanac, 1947-1948 Page: 320

                                
TEXAS ALMANAC -1947-1948.

Administration of the state parks is by the
State Parks Board, consisting of six nonsal-
aried members. Management is by a salaried
director who is in charge of a staff of pro-
fessional and clerical assistants Operation of
the parks is supervised by a traveling staff.
Most of the parks are operated directly by
the board, but some are under concessions
contracts Support is by legislative appropria-
tion, which was $120,571 for the fiscal year
ended Aug 31, 1946, and $118,571 for the
fiscal year ending Aug 31, 1947. Including
the relief work expenditures of the depression
period, the Federal Government has expended
about $30,000.000 in Texas state park develop-
ment.
State and National Parks
On the present official list of the Texas
State Parks Board are thirty-seven parks.
Total registered attendance at these parks
during 1946 was 2,479,199.
These parks are listed below with brief
notations on environment and recreational
facilities Listed also are the several historic
state parks, not under State Parks Board
control, and the one national park and four
national forests.
Abilene State Park: Hilly, wooded country
of Callahan Divide, on Lake Abilene. Eleva-
tion, 2,200 feet; 507 acres, twenty miles south-
west of Abilene, near Buffalo Gap on Farm
Highway 89 to park. Swimming pool, picnick-
ing. dance terrace and playground equipment.
Balmorhea State Park: At northern en-
trance to Davis Mountains via Limpia Can-
yon. Elevation, 3.200 feet: 950 acres, four
miles southwest of Balmorhea on U.S. High-
way 290 Boating, fishing, cabin area, dining
room, dance terrace, swimming, picnicking
and playground equipment Worlds largest
walled swimming pool-fed by natural springs
-26,000,000 gallons per day
Bastrop State Park: Hilly terrain of Lost
Pines Forest, so-called because farthest west
of southern pines; 2,100 acres, one mile east
of Bastrop on U.S. Highway 290. Camping,
golfing, cabin area, dining room, swimming
pool, dance terrace, picnic area and play-
ground equipment
Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley   State Park:
Park under construction, 587 ac, res, three
miles southwest of Mission and nine miles
southwest of McAllen, on the Old Military
Telegraph Road and the Rio Grande Subtrop-
al plants, unusual birds and wildlife A typi-
cal tropical jungle.
Buescher State Park: In Lost Pines area,
companion of Bastrop State Park, 1,730 acres,
one mile northwest of Smithvllle on Texas
Highway 71. Dance terrace, camping and pic-
nicking  Connected by scenic drive, seven
miles, with Bastrop Park.
Big Spring State Park: Elevation 2,400-
2,600 feet, 363 acres on U S Highway 87, at
south city limits of Big Spring   Unusual
scenic drive and lookout point on high mesa
Picnicking
Blanco State Park: 110 acres on each side
of the Blanco River where it crosses U S
Highway 281 Camping, fishing, swimming,
picnicking and boating Unfurnished cabins
Bonham State Park: 555 acres, three and
one-half miles southeast of Bonham on coun-
ty road. Boating, fishing, swimming, dance
terrace, picnicking and playground equip-
ment.
Caddo Lake State Park: 485 acres of land
area and 15,000 or more of water surface on
Caddo Lake. Fifteen miles northeast of Mar-
shall and one mile west of Karnack on Texas
Highway 43. Boating, fishing, cabin area,
dance terrace and picnicking
Cleburne State Park: 483 acres, twelve
miles southwest of Cleburne on Texas High-
way 174 Boating, fishing, picnicking, swim-
ming camping, overnight accommodations.
Daingerfield State Park: In East Texas

Piney Woods, 581 acres, two miles southeast
of Daingerfield on Texas Highway 49. Boat-
ing, fishing, swimming, overnight accommo-
dations, dance terrace, camping, picnicking
and playground equipment.
Davis Mountains State Park: In beautiful
Daxlis Mountains country. Elevation 5.000
feet and upward. 1.540 acres, five miles west
of Fort Davis on Texas Highway 118, the
same scenic drive that leads to McDonald
Observatory. Beautiful Indian Lodge made of
adobe, sixteen rooms and apartments with
baths, dining room, dancing, riding trails,
picnicking, table tennis, croquet, badminton
and gameroom. Operated by State Parks
Board.
Fort Griffin State Park: Park to be devel-
oped, 489 acres on Brazos River, fifteen miles
north of Albany on U S. Highway 283. His-
torical site Ruins of old Fort Griffin. Camp-
ing and picnicking.
Fort Parker State Park: 1,496 acres, on
Navasota River, seven miles south of Mexia
on Texas Highway 14. Boating, fishing, din-
ing room, dance terrace, swimming, picnick-
ing, camping and playground equipment.
Old Fort Parker State Park: Six miles
north of Groesbeck off Texas Highway 14
Restored old fort, site of Indian massacre.
Frio State Park: 51 acres on Frio River.
ten miles south of Pearsall on U.S. Highway
81. Fishing, picnicking and camping.
Garner State Park: In rugged country at
edge of Edwards Plateau; 640 acres on Frio
River, twenty-six miles north of Uvalde on
U S Highway 83. Cabin area, dining room,
dance terrace, camping, fishing, swimming.
picnicking and playground equipment
Goose Island State Park: 157 acres on Co-
pano Bay, twelve miles northeast of Rock-
port on Texas Highway 35. Boating, sea
fishing, camping and picnicking. Big tree,
giant oak, largest of its kind. Its branches
spread over 6,000 square feet of ground.
Huntsville State Park: Pine forest area;
2,044 acres, six miles south of Huntsville on
U S Highway 75. Picnicking and camping.
Inks Lake State Park: Scenic hill country;
1,194 acres on east shore of Inks Lake below
Lake Buchanan, on Colorado River, ten miles
west of Burnet on Texas Highway 29. Con-
nected by scenic drive with Longhorn Cavern.
Boating, fishing, dance terrace, camping and
picnicking.
Jim Hogg State Park: Park under construc-
tion Historical area The home of Governor
Hogg One hundred seventy-seven acres. two
miles northeast of Rusk off of U.S. High-
way 84.
Kerrville State Park: Rugged terrain; 500
acres, on Guadalupe River, three miles south-
east of Kerrville on Texas Highway 16. Fish-
ing. picnicking, camping   and   horseback
riding
Lake Corpus Christi State Park: 14,111
acres on Nueces River, four miles southwest
of Mathis on U.S. Highway 59. Boating, fish-
ing, camping, swimming, picnicking    and
dance terrace
Lockhart State Park: 352 acres, two miles
southwest of Lockhart and west of Texas
Highway 29 Picnicking, lookout, dance ter-
race, golfing, swimming.
Longhorn Cavern State Park: 703 acres,
eleven miles southwest of Burnet on U.S.
Highway 281. Texas' largest underground
cavern Indirect lighting Picnicking facilities
on the surface. (A charge Is made for guide
service. Special rates for school classes,
groups, clubs, etc., given on request. Children
under 13 years of age free ) Connected by
scenic drive with Inks Lake State Park
MacKenzie State Park: 548 acres in City of
Lubbock on U S. Highways 82, 62 and 87
Golfing, swimming, picnicking, dance terrace
and amusement center
Meridian State Park: 468 acres in the
Bosque Valley, three miles southwest of