Friends of Fort Parker State Park

Friends of Fort Parker State Park The Friends of Fort Parker State Park is a 501c3 non-profit organization What cause does the Friends of Fort Parker State Park Inc support?

The Friends of Fort Parker State Park Inc supports Fort Parker State Park to educate visitors about the outdoors, such as wildlife, conservation, and outdoor recreational activities....

What are our goals and how do we plan to achieve them? Our goal is to have the financial resources to assist Fort Parker State Park in enhancing visitor experiences. We achieve our goals through donations, and sal

es of firewood, kayak vending, etc....

"Enhance visitor experiences", what does that even mean? The State Park is not allowed to purchase refreshments for any of their events or programs. Our organization enhances the event/program by purchasing items needed such as:

• Food for Dutch Oven Demo Events
• Supplies for Cemetery Clean Up Events
• Worms for Fishing with a Ranger Events
• Supplies needed for the Story of Ice Cream Events
• Items needed for the Butterfly Garden at the Park Office
• Refreshments & Decorations for the Lakeside Christmas Events
• Refreshments for the New Years’ Midnight Trail Walk
• Flashlights for the Midnight Trail Walks
• Refreshments for the River Clean Up Events
• Kid Fish event supplies, including fishing poles given to children
• Purchase Playground Equipment
• Lakeside Legacy event supplies

02/23/2026
 Lots of families braved the rainy weather to participate in the Fort Parker State Park Annual Kid Fish today!
02/14/2026

 Lots of families braved the rainy weather to participate in the Fort Parker State Park Annual Kid Fish today!

02/13/2026

Dam Footing, Fort Parker State Park, circa 1935

CCC Company 3807 pose for a photograph as they work to build a dam on the Navasota River. Ezekiel Rhodes Sr. was a part of Company 3807 in 1935 when this photo was taken. His son Ezekiel Rhodes Jr. also worked in the same CCC Company in 1941. Decades later, Ezekiel Jr. recorded an oral history with us so we can have an insight to their life and work with the CCC. We celebrate Black History month knowing that these hard-working men built the dam that gave us a wonderful recreational lake for everyone to enjoy. When you visit the park, take a stroll through the Springfield Cemetery and salute Ezekiel Rhodes Sr. whose final resting place is there.

02/13/2026

In August 1935, construction began on Fort Parker State Park in Mexia, Limestone County, under the direction of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The group assigned to build the park was Company 3807(C), an African American CCC camp.

Most of the members of Company 3807(C) were local young men, sons of area sharecroppers. From 1935 to 1942, they constructed park buildings, roads, and facilities, erected a dam across the Navasota River, and reconstructed old Fort Parker, an 1830s frontier outpost.

The dam that created Lake Fort Parker required breaking and hauling rock for cement, digging out the dam footings, spillway, and wing walks, and pouring cement. It was one of the most ambitious projects at Texas’ CCC-built parks.

Creating the park facilities also included clearing and building five miles of roads, constructing a bath house, drinking fountains, and cement picnic tables. Former Texas Governor Pat Neff dedicated Fort Parker State Park in May 1941.

Today, visitors to Fort Parker State Park - Texas Parks and Wildlife can go camping, fishing, hiking, paddling, and more.

📸: In 1993, members of Company 3807(C) gathered for a reunion at Fort Parker State Park / Texas Parks and Wildlife

02/06/2026

🎣 Hooked on Fun this Valentine’s Day! 💞
Our annual Kid Fish event has been rescheduled to Saturday, February 14th!!

01/31/2026

National Trivia Day......

How much were the Civilian Conservation Corps workers who built Fort Parker State Park paid?

In 1935, when construction began on Fort Parker State Park, each CCC enrollee made a whopping $30 a month!

01/31/2026

Meet the three-toed box turtle 🐢
It gets its name from the three toes on each of its hind feet (most turtles have four or five!).

01/31/2026

Look what's coming!!! Sneak Peek for my 55+.
Registration Opens Feb 1st!!

Kid Fish is officially cancelled...... but we’re hoping to reschedule—please keep an eye on the Fort Parker State Park -...
01/22/2026

Kid Fish is officially cancelled...... but we’re hoping to reschedule—please keep an eye on the Fort Parker State Park - Texas Parks and Wildlife social media pages or the FPSP event page for updates. Thanks for understanding!

Kid Fish Update🎏

❗1/21/26: Well friends, we held out as long as we could, but the weather channel has issued a winter advisory for this weekend, and safety has to come first. 😭

Kid Fish is officially cancelled...... but we’re hoping to reschedule—please keep an eye on our social media pages or the FPSP event page for updates. Thanks for understanding!

10/07/2025

Looking for a winter park host! ❄️
Mow, weed-eat, clean restrooms, and help with special events in exchange for a FREE full-hook up site.

Apply online here: https://tpwd.samaritan.com/custom/1353/opp_details/179972

OR go to TPWD.texas.gov and click on "Volunteer" in the top right corner.

Address

194 Park Road 28
Mexia, TX
76667

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