Purtis CreekInterpretive Guide |
Interpretive Guide of Purtis Creek State Park (SP) in Texas. Published by Texas Parks & Wildlife.
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INTERPRETIVE GUIDE
As in seasons past, young and old will make lasting memories
while enjoying Purtis Creek State Park.
THANK YOU FOR VISITING!
OFFERING
MORE
THAN
JUST
GREAT BASS, PURTIS CREEK STATE
PARK
IS
THE
PERFECT
PLACE
FOR AN OUTDOOR ADVENTURE.
RESPITE IS A SHORT DRIVE AWAY,
ONLY AN HOUR SOUTHEAST OF
DALLAS.
HIKING
AND
BIKING
OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND, OR IF
WATER IS YOUR THING, WET A
LINE OR PADDLE ON THE 355-ACRE
NO-WAKE LAKE. NO MATTER HOW
YOU SPEND YOUR TIME, YOUR
MEMORIES ARE SURE TO GROW
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. Help us protect this beautiful park for many years to come by keeping it safe and clean.
We hope you will visit these other state parks while visiting
North Texas:
Lake Tawakoni State Park 10822 FM 2475 Wills Point,
TX 75169; (903) 560-7123
Cedar Hill State Park 1570 West FM 1382 Cedar Hill,
TX 75104; (972) 291-3900
Fairfield Lake State Park 123 State Park Road 64
Fairfield, TX 75840; (903) 389-4514
Visit www.tpwd.texas.gov for more information on these
and other Texas state parks and historic sites.
Purtis Creek State Park
14225 FM 316 N. Eustace, TX 75124
(903) 425-2332 • www.tpwd.texas.gov/purtiscreek
Cover photo: ©Tom Hadley
(JUST LIKE THE STORIES OF THE
FISH YOU’VE CAUGHT!).
© 2019 TPWD. PWD BR P4508-0105J (7/19)
In accordance with Texas State Depository Law, this publication is available at
the Texas State Publications Clearinghouse and/or Texas Depository Libraries.
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.
Texas State Parks is a division of the
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
PURTIS
CREEK
S TAT E PA RK
P U R T I S
C R E E K
S T A T E
P A R K
A CYCLE OF SETTLEMENT
A FAMILY TRADITION
I place my kayak in the water, and gaze out across the
lake. It’s an early morning, and the sun is only just
beginning to rise; the sky is streaked pink and gold. The
water is glass, and my boat glides across the surface, the
line on my fishing pole whistling in the breeze. I take a
moment and close my eyes; the lake is empty except for
me and a Great Blue Heron, who’s here for the same
reason I am – the fish.
P
urtis Creek State Park has been a camping destination for several thousand years, long before anyone
dreamed of creating a park here. Prehistoric peoples
likely camped in the upland flats and utilized the natural
resources for temporary hunting/collecting camps. The
lowland areas along Purtis Creek were rich with hunting
and gathering opportunities, but would not have made for
successful long term settlements due to the small size of the
creek itself.
Generations of us have called Purtis Creek State Park
our fishing spot. Bass fishing is a family tradition. As I
cast my spinnerbait into the water, I hear a slapping in
a nearby cove. I look up, startled, and see a beaver
warning I’m too close. A final splash and he’s back
under the water.
I paddle across to another spot on the water, catching
a whiff of wild plum flowers in bloom. I cast again,
dragging the lure across the surface, and I hook a fish.
After a short tug-of-war, I reel in the biggest largemouth I’ve ever caught! I hear the Pik-chicka-weew call
of the White-eyed Vireo and I feel he’s sharing in my
victory. A huge smile on my face, I paddle towards
shore, ready to share pictures of my catch with my
daughter. When she’s a little older, I can’t wait to share
From about 1,200 years ago to the early 1800s, Caddo
Indians would have settled in this region, though outside
of today’s park boundaries, along the banks of the Trinity,
Sabine and Neches rivers, raising subsistence crops and
hunting wild game.
this tradition with
her. How will you
share Purtis Creek
State Park with
your family?
Great Blue Herons
and beavers call Purtis
Creek State Park home.
When the railroad came to town in 1880, it brought
economic stability after the Civil War, and led directly to
the development of Eustace a decade later. Fast forward
to 1975, and the idea for the park was beginning to grow
roots. By 1981, the twelfth and final land tract was acquired
and construction could begin on the park. November 9,
1988, Purtis Creek State Park opened its doors to the first
campers. Now it’s your turn to follow in their footsteps.