- City:
- Lampasas, TX
- Site Type:
- Parks and Recreation, Infrastructure and Utilities, Forestry and Agriculture, Campgrounds and Cabins, Picnic and Other Facilities, Roads, Bridges, and Tunnels, Dams, CCC Camps
- New Deal Agencies:
- Work Relief Programs, Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)
- Started:
- 1933
- Completed:
- 1934
Description
In 1933, the Lampasas Chamber of Commerce raised $2,500 to buy 154 acres of land along Sulphur Creek and presented the land to the State of Texas as a site for a state park. Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Company 896 arrived the same year, set up Camp Miriam (in honor of Miriam “Ma” Ferguson, the Governor of Texas) and began development of the park. The CCC cleared brush and cactus, built gravel roads, a native stone entrance, a concession house, a low water dam, native stone picnic tables, barbecue pits, native stone cabins, a baseball field, and a polo field. Lampasas State Park opened in 1934.
The state conveyed the land to the City of Lampasas in 1937. In 1941, the city sold the park to Margaret Griffin. Leo K. Gunderland bought the land from her the same year. The now privately owned park was renamed “Gunderland Park” and later renamed “Horseshoe Falls.” Horseshoe Falls was converted to a private exotic game ranch and fishing resort in June 1995.
Source notes
Steely, James Wright (1999). Parks For Texas: Enduring Landscapes of the New Deal (First ed.). Austin: University of Texas Press. p. 215. https://www.horseshoefalls.net/History.phpSite originally submitted by Larry D. Moore on April 5, 2015.
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Jimmy Anderson
Gabriel Milner
Glen M. Chadwick
Born and Raised in Lampasas
Are there any photos of the old park.We had many family reunions there.
We’re always looking for photos! Does anyone have any they could share?
I remember growing up in the 70’s. This was my favorite place to go as a child. My mother being a single parant would loved bringing us there to fish, swim, camp and play. The owner was so nice to all of our family. She was a lady in her grandmother years running that place by herself. It was $1 a car load for daytime, $2 a car load if you camped overnight in a tent. You had to put your money in a little yellow envelope and write your cars licence plate number on it. The owner would drive around every so often in her pickup truck checking the licence plates to make for sure you paid. I remember an old metal merry-go-round and swing set. Her house sat on a hill. Right below was the water. A long rope hung from a huge tree by the dam that you could swing out and land into the water. We caught two good size catfish there while we camped out at one of the lovely campsites. Back in the 70’s there was not alot for kids to do and this place was always a blessing to us especially during the summer time. My mother would load up the station wagon, take us out there with the tent, fishing poles, Bbq stuff. Badmitten equipment, swimming suits and it was like a vacation everytime.
Yes this was the spot for locals. The memories here are priceless. This park brought lots of families together far and near. It’s just sad that our kids are not able to enjoy it and make memories like we had the opportunity to. Because this land is a perfect destination that locals would of loved to be able to enjoy and here at home. Outsiders that have no idea what this land is all about get to enjoy it but I’m sure not like we did back in the 70’s. Talking about the good ol’ Days.