On-line Book



A Study of the Park and Recreation Problem of the United States


MENU

Cover

Contents

Foreword

Supplemental Foreword

Introduction

Recreational Habits and Needs

Aspects of Recreational Planning

Present Public Outdoor Recreational Facilities

Administration

Financing

Legislation

A Park and Recreational Land Plan


A Study of the Park and Recreation Problem of the United States
National Park Service Arrowhead


A Park and Recreational Land Plan for the United States (continued)

TEXAS

TEXAS, the largest State in the Union, extends 801 miles from southeast to northwest and 783 miles from east to west. The major portion of the population live in the eastern half of the State, where there are five cities of 100,000 or more. Large sections of the western half are sparsely settled; 41 percent of the total population was urban in 1930.

The State's recreational resources vary from the swamps, lowlands, forests and Gulf coast in the east to the deserts, mountains, and high plains cut by spectacular canyons in the west.

The State has developed parks within 50 miles of 57 percent of the population and has carried on an extensive program of wayside development. Several of the cities have established park systems. Future park planning should include consideration of recreation areas for the unserved portion of the population with particular attention to the creation of day-use areas near urban communities and local areas for the State's 850,000 Negroes. Consideration should also be given to the setting aside of outstanding scenic, historic, and scientific areas before they are injured by the rapidly advancing development of the State.

map
(click on image for an enlargement in a new window)



FEDERAL

National park project:
6. Big Bend
1788,700

National forests:
67. Sam Houston154,563
70. Davey Crockett162,634
80. Sabine184,812
81. Angelina136,443
     Total
2638,452

National wildlife areas:
7. Muleshoe Migratory Waterfowl Refuge5,809
36. Aransas Migratory Waterfowl Refuge53,917
     Total
59,726

Soil Conservation Service land development projects:
8. Rita Blanca Creek900
9. Tierra Blanca Creek3,824
10. Tule Creek323
12. Wolf Creek326
13. Boggy Creek388
14. McClellan Creek649
75. Northeast Texas714
     Total
37,124


STATE

State parks:
3. Balmorhea960
4. Davis Mountains2,130
5. Big Bend225,000
11. Palo Duro15,103.8
15. Mackenzie547.6
16. Big Spring363
19. Lake Abilene507
20. Garner640
21. Frio County51
22. Kerrville500
23. Lake Brownwood537.5
26. Longhorn Cavern636.5
27. Blanco110
30. Beeville120
31. Lake Corpus Christi12,831
35. Goose Island157
41. Palmetto320
42. Lockhart352.2
43. Bastrop-Buescher3,830.4
45. Mother Neff256
46. Clifton104
47. Meridian582
48. Cleburne508
49. Stephenville297
50. Mineral Wells70
57. Fort Parker1,496
58. Normangee504
69. Huntsville2,044
73. Loves Lookout20
74. Tyler985
76. Bonham532
78. Daingerfield580.6
79. Caddo Lake35,432
     Total
308,107.6

Proposed state parks:
2. McKittrick
1,400
24. Fort Griffin
500
25. Inks-Buchanan Lakes
1,000
33. Padre Island

34. St. Joseph Island

53. Possum Kingdom

61. San Felipe
650
62. Freeport

82. Big Thicket

86. McFadden Ranch

     Total
3,550

State monuments:
28. The Alamo3.1
37. Kings1.3
38. Goliad315.8
39. Fannin Battlefield13
40. Gonzales99
60. Washington71
64. San Jacinto352
68. Sam Houston15
     Total
870.2

State forests:
66. Conroe1,713
71. San Francisco117
72. Maydelle2,400
83. Kirbyville1,700
84. Kirby600
     Total
6,530


LOCAL

County parks:
1. El Paso County—Asearate Park349
52. Tarrant—Eagle Mountain Lake346
55. Grayson County—Loy Park350
88. Harris County (2 areas)18
89. Galveston County (1 area)86
     Total
1,149

Municipal parks:
17. Ballinger (2 areas)20
18. Sweetwater—Sweetwater Lake1,700
29. San Antonio—Almos Basin1,010
44. Austin—Lake Austin1,004
51. Fort Worth (3 areas)8,458
56. Dallas—Whiterock2,780
59. Mexia (2 areas)26
77. Paris—Lake Crook3,592
85. Beaumont (6 areas)961
87. Lufkin (1 area)47
90. Midland (2 areas)17
91. Big Spring (1 area)548
92. Pampa (1 area)162
93. Wichita Falls (1 area)270
94. Mineral Wells (1 area)56
95. Weatherford (1 area)25
96. New Braunfels (5 areas)15
97. Uvalde (1 area)50
98. Ennis (1 area)23
     Total
20,764

Proposed metropolitan parks:
32. Brownsville
1,000
54. Wichita Falls
1,000
63. Galveston
1,000
65. Houston
2,000
     Total
5,000

1 Includes acreage now in Big Bend State Park.

2 Area under Federal administration June 1938.

3 Portion of project areas being developed for recreation.

NEXT >>>




online book Top




Last Modified: Mon, Aug 9 2004 10:00:00 pm PDT
http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/park_recreation/texas.htm
National Park Service's ParkNet Home