Lake Bob Sandlin

INTERPRETIVE GUIDE THANK YOU FOR VISITING! BOB SANDLIN STATE PARK! While enjoying this natural beauty, please remember that everything you see in the park is protected. Artifacts, rocks, plants, and animals (even snakes) are all part of the region’s rich cultural and natural heritage. Help us keep recreational use sustainable for the future and protect these resources by leaving things as you find them. EXPLORE OVER THREE MILES OF NEARBY STATE PARKS EAST MEETS WEST HERE AT LAKE TRAILS AS YOU STROLL BY MASSIVE TREES, OPEN POCKETS OF GRASSLAND, AND SCENIC VISTAS OVERLOOKING THE LAKE. CAST A LINE IN EITHER OF THE TWO STOCKED PONDS, FROM THE LIGHTED FISHING PIER OR FROM THE LAKE’S EDGE. YOU CAN SEARCH FOR HIDDEN GEOCACHES, RENT A KAYAK, OR GO FOR A SWIM. • Caddo Lake State Park 245 Park Road 2, Karnack, TX 75661 (903) 679-3351 • Cooper Lake State Park – Doctors Creek Unit 1664 FM 1529 South, Cooper, TX 75432 (903) 395-3100 • Daingerfield State Park 455 Park Road 17, Daingerfield, TX 75638 (903) 645-2921 Lake Bob Sandlin State Park 341 State Park Road 2117, Pittsburg, TX 75686 (903) 572-5531 • www.tpwd.texas.gov/lakebobsandlin NO MATTER YOUR INTERESTS, FUN CAN BE HAD ON BOTH LAND AND WATER HERE AT THE PARK. © 2022 TPWD. PWD BR P4508-0117L (7/22) TPWD receives funds from the USFWS. TPWD prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, age, and gender, pursuant to state and federal law. To request an accommodation or obtain information in an alternative format, please contact TPWD on a Text Telephone (TTY) at (512) 389-8915 or by Relay Texas at 7-1-1 or (800) 735-2989 or by email at accessibility@tpwd.texas.gov. If you believe you have been discriminated against by TPWD, please contact TPWD, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744, or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office for Diversity and Workforce Management, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041. This publication can be found at tpwd.texas.gov/park-pubs LAKE BOB SANDLIN STATE PARK L A K E B O B S A N D L I N S T A T E P A R K NOLA DAVIS, TPWD In the early 1800s, European settlers conflicted with Native American groups living in the vicinity. With many native Caddoan peoples already forcibly relocated out of the area, the Cherokee, Choctaw, and Kickapoo moved into East Texas in the 19th century, clashing with settlers over the rich farmlands. LIFE ON THE EDGE To prehistoric peoples and early settlers, the attraction of the natural environment of the Big Cypress Creek watershed was strong. The plentiful resources caused conflict, interspersed with periods of harmony. Prehistoric peoples camped along major streams in modern-day Titus County, leaving behind evidence in the form of stone tool debris, burned rock features and earthen middens. From A.D. 800 – 1680, permanent Caddoan groups occupied the area now known as Lake Bob Sandlin State Park. French and Spanish periodically occupied the area, establishing trade relationships with the Caddo. WHERE EAST MEETS WEST The Republic of Texas built Fort Sherman in 1838 as an outpost and to protect the Anglo-American settlers as they rapidly pushed Native American groups out of East Texas. Built along the Cherokee Trace, the fort overlooked Big Cypress Creek. A migration route established by Native Americans and used by settlers, Cherokee Trace now lies under Highway 21. By 1846, the fort fell into ruin; the only evidence of its existence is the cemetery located in the park’s day-use area. Newly established transportation routes, like the railroad, helped Titus County grow rapidly. The Great Depression caused a decline in cotton production and a shift to cattle ranching and timber production. The land stayed like this until Lake Bob Sandlin State Park opened in 1987. While the desired resources may have changed throughout the years, the diversity of resources and opportunities available continues to attract families to the area. What brought you here today? A loud wuk wuk followed by a few seconds of powerful drumming cuts through the silence. Overhead, a flash, as the Pileated Woodpecker (above) flaps and glides to a long-dead White Oak, still standing proudly. In fall, Sweetgum leaves turn scarlet and drop to the forest floor, a stark contrast to the evergreen pine needles. The bluestem grass transitions from its winter rust color to a bright blue green color come spring. Cliff Swallows and Scissor-tailed Flycatchers (cover) soar above as many other songbirds serenade nature. Here at the park, the geology and wildlife of both the Pineywoods and the Post Oak Savannah ecological regions are represented. When two ecological regions come together, biodiversity soars, like the resident bald eagles scanning for a meal. East truly meets West here, as the mosaic of habitats allows for a higher wildlife diversity. Western species, including Cliff Swallows, are found at their easternmost boundaries and eastern species, like the Pileated Woodpecker and the White Oak, are at their westernmost boundary. Combining the high biodiversity of the East/West overlap with the productivity of Big Cypress Creek, it’s easy to see why this area has a rich history of settlement.