Moffett Park
Gainesville, Cooke County, Texas
Marker Inscription
The owner of 90 acres in this vicinity, Missour native Ned Moffett, Sr., (1842-1924) wed Mary Stone on April 19, 1866. The couple had nine children, and early census records listed the family as Mulatto. The Moffetts permitted use of this property along Elm Creek for celebrations by local African American citizens, and in 1943 the City of Gainesville bought the land from heirs to form Moffett Park. The first large social event in the new park was the 1944 Juneteenth celebration. Recreational facilities eventually included playground equipment and a pool. Following integration of nearby Leonard Park in the mid-1960s, the site declined in use, but it remains an important reminder of the city's past. (2005)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Ned Moffett, Sr. (1842–1924), a Missouri native whose family was recorded in early census records as Mulatto, owned 90 acres along Elm Creek that he opened for celebrations by Gainesville's African American community. In 1943 the city bought the land from his heirs to create Moffett Park, and the following year it hosted a major Juneteenth celebration. Though use declined after nearby Leonard Park was integrated in the mid-1960s, the park endures as a monument to the city's African American community life.
Why it matters
Moffett Park marks a rare space where Black Texans could gather and celebrate freedom in the era of segregation, and its story bridges Juneteenth tradition and the coming of integration.
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Related people
- · Ned Moffett, Sr.
- · Mary Stone
Related events
- · 1944 Juneteenth celebration
Themes & tags
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