Morris Sheppard Dam and Possum Kingdom Lake
Graford, Palo Pinto County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Built in response to disastrous Brazos River flooding, Morris Sheppard Dam and Possum Kingdom Reservoir were early attempts at water conservation and flood control in Texas. The U.S. Government funded $4,500,000 of the three-year, $8,500,000 project through the Works Progress Administration, a Depression era recovery agency. Named for U.S. Senator Morris Sheppard and completed in 1941, the dam is 2,740 feet long and 190 feet high. Nine spillway gates allow for the passage of flood waters and drift material. Power generating facilities consist of two 11,250-killowatt units which serve much of the surrounding area. The creation of Possum Kingdom Lake from the impounded waters of Morris Sheppard Dam sent bridges, roads and an entire town underwater. Recovery was initially slow, but quickly picked up after World War II with the establishment of major fishing lodges, camping areas and other recreational facilities. The growth and success of the area is a tribute to the spirit of the surrounding communities which continue to benefit from the project's original purposes of water conservation and supply, and hydroelectric power generation. (1983)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Built in response to devastating Brazos River floods, Morris Sheppard Dam was an early Texas experiment in flood control, water conservation, and hydroelectric power. The federal government financed much of the three-year, $8.5 million project through the Depression-era Works Progress Administration, completing the 2,740-foot dam in 1941. Its reservoir, Possum Kingdom Lake, drowned bridges, roads, and an entire town but later blossomed into a recreation destination after World War II.
Why it matters
The dam captures the New Deal's transformation of American rivers, trading a submerged town for flood control, electricity, and a new economy of recreation.
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Related people
- · Morris Sheppard
Related events
- · Works Progress Administration
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
Civilian Conservation Corps at Possum Kingdom State Park
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In May 1941 the Civilian Conservation Corps' Company 2888 arrived to build Possum Kingdom State Park, clearing land and shoreline, laying waterline, raising campsites and picnic tables, and grading more than seven miles of park road. Their camp held barracks for 200 men plus mess hall, library, shops, classroom, and infirmary. When it closed in July 1942, it was the last CCC camp in Texas—shuttered as the nation turned to World War II.
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