Meridian State Park celebrates their 100th year anniversary

IMG_4582

Meridian State Park is a 505-acre park near Meridian in Bosque County. The state acquired the land from private owners in 1933 to1935, and the park opened in 1935.

Before then, the Ton­ka­wa Indians lived in this area before Anglo settlers arrived. Tawa­koni Indians also occupied the area prior to 1841. The Texas-Santa Fe expedition of 1841 passed near the present site of the park in Bosque Valley.

The Civilian Conservation Corps built a rock and earthen dam on Bee Creek to form the park’s 72-acre lake.

Read more: Meridian State Park celebrates their 100th year anniversary

From the depths of the Great Depression came one of the greatest investments in the American landscape. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was one of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal work programs. It enlisted unemployed men to work on land conservation and park development projects.

More than 50,000 CCC enrollees served in Texas. They worked six days a week under National Park Service and Army supervision. The CCC constructed parks from the ground up across the state, creating the Texas State Park system.

Today, TPWD manages 29 CCC-built parks, which includes Meridian State Park. They strive to tell park stories and preserve their historic architecture. The cabins, shelters, trails, bridges, and refectories create these parks’ distinctive character. CCC parks offer more than beauty and recreation, they stand as a reminder of the men and conditions that built them.

For their 100th Anniversary they celebrated by allowing free day entry into the park. A basic angler education course was held after freshly stocking over 2,000 Rainbow Trout on January 12th. An afternoon dance was held that afternoon at the park’s Lakeside Refectory Building. They ended the evening with a Night Sky Program with a professional volunteer “Chris” there to point out what the stars and planets were doing that evening.

Meridian State Park is also home to over 5 miles of hiking trails that offer stunning views of limestone outcroppings and overlooks.

Camping, kayak/canoe rentals, fishing and swimming are among  some of the other family fun things to do in the park.

 

If you’d like to learn more about the park or get more information on the ever changing programs, check them out online at https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/meridian. Give them at call (254) 435-2536, or just come out and see the beauty for yourself 173 Park Road #7, Meridian, TX 76665.

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest