Marion County Depression Era Roadside Park
Jefferson, Marion County, Texas
Marker Inscription
This roadside park was constructed by the National Youth Administration (NYA) with the support of President Roosevelt’s Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the Great Depression. Development began in 1935, after the Mary Louise Hussey family conveyed the land upon which the park would be located. Following its completion in 1938, the park provided residents and travelers a pleasant venue for resting and picnicking. The park eventually fell into disrepair. In 2008, attentive citizens and organizations, the Marion County Historical Commission, and state agencies cooperated in the park’s restoration and its listing in the National Register of Historic Places. 175 Years of Texas Independence 1836 - 2011
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
This roadside park was built during the Great Depression by the National Youth Administration with support from President Roosevelt's Works Progress Administration. Work began in 1935 after the Hussey family conveyed the land, and the finished park of 1938 gave residents and travelers a shaded place to rest and picnic. After falling into disrepair, it was restored in 2008 by local citizens and agencies and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Why it matters
The park is a tangible relic of New Deal public works, which put young people to work building the small civic amenities that still dot America's roadsides.
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Related events
- · Great Depression
Themes & tags
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