Tonkawa Park – Crawford TX

Description

The Civil Works Administration (CWA) and the National Youth Administration (NYA) were involved in the construction of the Tonkawa Park in Crawford TX. According to the  Waco Tribune-Herald, “278 NYA youth contributed to building the park.”

Excerpt from Waco History:
“During the Great Depression, the Texas Civil Works Administration funded the construction of Tonkawa Park, in an attempt to create jobs for locals. (The Civil Works Administration was a forerunner of the Works Progress Administration.) Crawford, given the choice of a city park or a city sewage system, chose the park. The close proximity of the beautiful Tonkawa Falls made their choice an easy one. The men set to work building a clubhouse and caretaker’s house, as well as stone picnic tables and barbecue pits. They cleared brush and carved out stone steps leading down to the water. All of these structures were built using stone which the workers harvested from along the creek. The workers built a concrete driveway which stretched over the falls. Locals referred to this spot as “The Dip,” and it became notorious as a lovers’ lane for young people.”

Excerpt from the Waco Tribune-Herald, Feb 1937:
“NYA workers have helped to construct roadside parks in this county. They did considerable work beautifying Tonkawa park near Crawford and they built a large number of mail box turnouts along side country roads.”