Lake Brownwood State Park Improvements – Brownwood TX

Description

Pecan Bayou flooded the city of Brownwood in late September of 1900 causing considerable damage to the business district and washing away the train track that served the city. The citizens of Brown County looked for a way to control Pecan Bayou. They voted in 1926 to create the Brown County Water Improvement District. The water district acquired seven tracts of land for the purpose of building a dam on Pecan Bayou. The water district completed the dam in 1932 just before another flood swept down the Bayou quickly filling the reservoir.

The Texas State Parks Board acquired 538 acres of land by deed from the Brown County Water District in 1933 to establish a state park on Lake Brownwood. The Civil Works Administration (CWA) began work on the park in 1933. Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) Company 872 arrived in November 1934 and continued the unfinished work of the CWA. Company 872 transferred out in November 1935. CCC Company 849 arrived in October 1936 and remained until February 1942.

United States Senator from Texas Tom Connally visited the CCC Camp in 1935 and sought that New Deal work continue to be done at the state park. He stated:
“The men in the camp have been employed in improving and beautifying a state park site, title to which was secured by the people of Brownwood and donated as a park.” (The Collegian)

The CWA Built the park’s combination building which the CCC remodeled and expanded. The CCC also built entrance portals, Park Road 15, cook’s quarters, guest cottage, caretaker’s house, Game Warden’s cottage, seventeen cabins, lookout house-grand staircase, pier, fishermen’s barracks, bath house, stone boat docks, trails, trail side rests, picnic facilities, and concessionaire’s residence.

During World War II, the park served as a recreational site for soldiers stationed at Camp Bowie in Brownwood.

Cabins are still in use today and each contains a folder full of historical information about life at the camp, the history of the CCC in Texas state parks, The table in the cabin was built by the CCC.