Cedar Hill State Park is located on FM 1382 and the eastern shore of Joe Pool Lake in Cedar Hill, Texas (USA), ten miles southwest of Dallas. Cedar Hill State Park has two available camping areas as well a boat ramp, a small picnic area, and a fishing jetty.
The Penn Farm Agricultural History Center is located within the park boundaries. The farm has reconstructed and historic buildings from the mid-19th century through the mid-20th century.
The DORBA Mountain Bike Trail was designed, built and is maintained by Dallas Off-Road Bike Association. This trail is 12 miles long and consists of three concentric paths—3 miles (Short), 8 miles (Middle) and 12 miles (Outer).
Official Texas State Parks Guide (español). Published by Texas Parks & Wildlife.
Cedar Hill SP
https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/cedar-hill
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cedar_Hill_State_Park
Cedar Hill State Park is located on FM 1382 and the eastern shore of Joe Pool Lake in Cedar Hill, Texas (USA), ten miles southwest of Dallas. Cedar Hill State Park has two available camping areas as well a boat ramp, a small picnic area, and a fishing jetty.
The Penn Farm Agricultural History Center is located within the park boundaries. The farm has reconstructed and historic buildings from the mid-19th century through the mid-20th century.
The DORBA Mountain Bike Trail was designed, built and is maintained by Dallas Off-Road Bike Association. This trail is 12 miles long and consists of three concentric paths—3 miles (Short), 8 miles (Middle) and 12 miles (Outer).
For assistance using this map, contact the park. For a web version of the map text, visit our Trails Information page.
For information on #TexasStateParks, visit texasstateparks.org
Sign up today for free email updates: texasstateparks.org/email
/TexasStateParks
@TPWDparks
@TexasStateParks
Sponsor: Whole Earth Provision Co.
For assistance using this map, contact the park. For a web version of the map text, visit our Trails Information page.
For information on #TexasStateParks, visit texasstateparks.org
Sign up today for free email updates: texasstateparks.org/email
/TexasStateParks
@TPWDparks
@TexasStateParks
Sponsor: Whole Earth Provision Co.
PeNn
Farm
cedar hill
state park
SELF-GUIDED
TOUR
Origin of
Penn Farm
Historically, Blackland Prairie covered the land of Cedar
Hill. Pioneer settlers moved to the Blackland Prairies in
the early 1820s when news spread about the fertile soil
and pastureland. This led to a dramatic increase in
agricultural development in north Texas.
On October 24, 1854, the Penn family
left Sangamon County, Illinois to move
to Cedar Hill, Texas in a covered
wagon. Their wagon train included
Major John Penn, his wife Nancy, their
six children, and several neighboring
families. They arrived in Cedar Hill on
December 8, 1854. The Penns created a
homestead near Wheatland (several
miles northeast of Cedar Hill) and
grew wheat, corn, oats, and barley and
raised horses, sheep, and cattle.
Major John Anderson Penn
Throughout the next decade, Major Penn acquired over 2,200
acres of land and gave 800 acres to his son, John Wesley, to raise
cattle. John Wesley’s parcel expanded to 1,200 acres and became
Penn Farm.
THINK ABOUT IT
Has your family ever moved
to a brand new place?
At the first trail split, turn left
towards the 1859 FARMHOUSE.
a working
farm
In 1859, John Wesley married Lucinda Moore and built the first
FARMHOUSE on the property, originally a single room with
front and back porches. The Penns and their five children lived
in this small one-room house. In 1911, the right addition was
constructed for tenant farmers—farmers who worked for the
Penns and were provided a room and land to grow crops.
The Penns primarily raised beef cattle, milk cows, chickens,
and pigs for food. They also had horses and mules for farm
work. The men’s responsibilities included land cultivation, the
animals, equipment repair, and farm buildings. The women’s
responsibilities included raising the children, canning food,
chopping wood, laundry, growing a heritage garden, and
cooking. Farming was predominantly completed by tenant
families and the two slaves who lived on the property. Tenant
farmers grew oats and grains and sold half their crops for profit
and gave the other half to the Penn family for rent payment.
John Wesley Penn
Lucinda Penn
The building across from the Farmhouse is the SOUTH GRANARY.
This granary is the earliest intact example of a 19th century granary
found in north Texas. Granaries were used to store grain and fodder
(animal feed) on farms.
Continue down the path to find
the SOUTH CHICKEN COOP.
This coop was built in the 1930-40s. The children collected eggs
every morning.
THINK ABOUT IT
What type of chores do/did
you do as a child?
Walk around the Farmhouse
to find the SMOKEHOUSE.
This building was built in 1920 and despite being called a Smokehouse, there is no indication that it was used as one. It was named
because of its location behind the house. It was used for food storage
and appears to have later been used as a chicken coop or rabbit hutch
for winter food.
Continue down the path
towards the WATER TANK.
This water cistern was constructed in the early 20th century to store
drinking water for cattle.
Walk down the path to find the
NORTH GRANARY on the left.
This is another fodder storage building. Notice that there is an addition to this structure with rain gutters. This extension was added in
1917 as a garage for the family’s automobile, a Ford Model T.
Proceed down the path towards the
DOUBLE CRIB BARN on the left.
The Double Crib Barn is the oldest Penn-built structure on the site,
built before 1859. It was common practice for farmers to build farm
buildings prior to domestic buildings to house and feed their livestock. Originally, the Double Crib Barn housed livestock and fodder,
then was used to store grain after the new barn was built.
In front of the Double Crib Barn is another cement WATER TANK
which was built in the late 1880s.
Across from the Double Crib Barn is the JACK BARN. This barn was
built between 1890-1900. The Penns kept donkeys (a male donkey is
called a “Jack” and a female donkey is called a “Jenny”). The interior
portion of the barn was used to store hay. The concrete was added
later during farm restoration.
Continue down the path
towards the MAIN BARN.
John wesley’s
legacy
In 1888, a western diamondback rattlesnake bit and killed John
Wesley at age 55. Lucinda inherited controlling interest of the farm
until their children, Andy and Sidney, were old enough to manage it.
Andy inherited Lucinda’s portion of the farm after she passed away in
1928 (she was 87 years old). Andy managed the farm through the
hardships of the Great Depression and, by WWII, had reduced the
number of cattle and maintained fewer acres of cultivated land.
Andy Penn
Sidney Penn
Wa
Tow
Water Tank
Double Crib
Barn
Water Tank
Main Barn
Jack
Barn
North Granary
Water
Tank
Smokehouse
1859 Farmhouse
South
Chicken Coop
South Granary
Parking Lot
& Restroom
Pump House
Garage
Windmill
ater
wer
1876 Farmhouse
Root Cellar
Farm
Office
North
Chicken Coop
Tenant’s
House
r
PeNn
Farm
START
the
20th century
Andy Pen
Come Paw Through our Pages
cedar hill state park
activity guide
Welcome
to Cedar Hill State Park and Penn Farm.
Today you’ll have the chance to learn about some local history
and natural sciences. There are many things to see, learn and do
at the park. We hope you enjoy your time here.
The Penn Farm Tour and other programs offered at Cedar Hill
State Park will open the door for enjoying the rich history in
this area and nurture an appreciation for the environment. The
games and information in this guide book are meant to enhance
your experience.
Other Programs Offered:
Penn Farm Tour
Pond Walk
Talala Trail Hike
Fuzzy and Furry Friends
Our Scaly Skinned Friends
Get To Know the Trees
Birding Basics
Kid’s Wilderness Survival
About the cover: This is a picture of a bobcat. It is rare to see a bobcat, but it isn’t impossible. Keep your eyes open and you may catch
a glimpse of some of the animals that live at Cedar Hill State Park.
Cedar Hill State
Park Pledge
I will:
• Treat all wildlife with kindness and
respect.
• Bring home only pictures and
memories.
• Do my best to have a safe and fun time.
• Stay on the trail.
• Leave no trace, by packing trash out
and throwing it in the dumpster.
• Recycle when possible.
• Be quiet and polite to others.
• Leave my area cleaner than I found it.
• Swim only in posted areas and with
an adult.
Signature of Park Protector
Witness to the Park Protector Pledge:
Signature of Parent or Participating Adult
Get t o K n o w t h e Tr ee s
The Mountain Cedar is also known as
Ash Juniper. Cedar Hill State Park got its
name from the abundance of this shrub-like
tree. It has bark that peels in strips. The
leaves are short and scale-like. Settlers used
to brew the leaves to make a tea that has
a high concentration of vitamin C. Most
people that are allergic to this tree are allergic to the male tree that produces the tiny
cones, which release pollen. The female
tree produces small blue berries.
The Cedar Elm is sometimes called the
“winged elm” due to new twig growth often
producing small wing-like scales. The elm’s
branches are very dense and grow slightly
downward. The leaves feel rough, like fine
sandpaper when rubbed. The cedar elm can
grow up to 80 feet tall.
The Post Oak got its name from farmers
and ranchers, who used its wood to make
fence posts. It can grow to 70 feet tall. The
Post oak’s leaves are leathery and deeply
lobed. This tree produces acorns, which
many animals eat. Most of the ones you see
at the Park are 100 to 400 years old.
The Mesquite, also known as the Honey
Mesquite, has become one of the most common trees in Texas. The seeds are a beanpod type fruit, that are eaten by coyotes and
some other wildlife. Native Americans used
this tree to make black dye and a cement for
mending pottery. The thorns on its branches
were used like safety pins in the Civil War.
The Honey Locust can grow over 50 feet
tall, with smooth bark. Thorns can grow
out of the trunk and branches. A bird called
the Northern Shrike will stick its prey onto
the thorns and settlers used the thorns as
sewing needles. Bobcats have been known
to eat the seed pods of the tree.
2
L e a f I l l u s t r a t i o ns
Shapes
Linear
Elliptic
Ovate
Spatulate
Margins
Simple
Undulate
Serrated
Lobed
Types
Simple
Palmate
Compound
Arrangements
Alternate
Opposite
3
A ct i v i - Tr e e
Have you ever made a leaf rubbing? All you need is a crayon, some paper,
a leaf and a hard surface. Use the space below to make a leaf rubbing. Place
the paper on the leaf, then rub it with the side of your crayon. Try different
leaves, or coins, or even old gravestones. Remember, leave whatever you find
where you found it!
Fun facts about trees!
n Moss and lichens usually grow on the north side of a tree.
n Baseball bats are often made of ash wood, because of its flexibility. These
trees grow straight most of the time.
n A gall is a tree’s reaction to an insect laying an egg on it. The outside is
actually part of the tree and in the middle is the developing egg or larva.
n The Soapberry tree has berries, and the liquid from the berry was used to
make soap.
4
Pe nn F a r m H i s t o r y L e sso n
The park has more to offer than
just the study of natural history.
It also can give a glimpse of the
past and the family who lived on
the farm.
Around 1850, John Anderson
Penn went to California and found
gold. In 1854, John Penn and his
family moved from Illinois and settled in Texas. Like many farmers,
they grew wheat, corn, oats and barley. John also managed herds of horses,
sheep and cattle with his sons. In the late 1850s, son John Wesley Penn
became sole owner of 1,100 acres, known as Penn Farm.
In 1859, John Wesley Penn married Lucinda Moore and they built a
frame house. A tool called an adz was used to shape the logs of this barn
and the jack barn. Most of their money was made by raising and selling
cattle. During the Civil War, John and two of his brothers joined the
Confederate Army where his brother
BIRDS OF THE
Oaks and Prairies
and Osage Plains
of Texas
A F I E L D C H EC K L I ST
BY BRUSH FREEMAN
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This is the fifth ecoregional bird checklist for Texas in a series initiated by Texas Partners in
Flight under the direction of Cliff Shackelford at Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The
following reviewers commented on an early version of this checklist: Fred Collins, Bert Frenz,
Cliff Shackelford, and Ken Steigman. Also of great assistance in the development of this checklist
were Keith Arnold, Kelly Cotten, Tim Fennell, Jeff Hanson, Mark Lockwood, Willie Sekula, and
Matt White. We thank the Migratory Bird Office, Region 2 of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
for support.
Cover: Illustration of Dickcissel and Red-headed Woodpecker by Rob Fleming.
This checklist is dedicated to Rob, who died before this checklist was originally printed in 2003.
His artwork has graced many of the department’s bird publications for years. He will be missed.
Birds of the Oaks and Prairies and
Osage Plains of Texas: A Field Checklist
INTRODUCTION
T
he areas covered in this checklist include a rich birdlife from the western edge of the
more eastern forested areas gradually changing to a more western grassland influence
(Fig. 1). These two ecoregions are commonly known by other names; for example, the Oaks and Prairies
refer to both the Post Oak Belt or Post Oak Savannah and the Blackland Prairie (including the Grand Prairie).
The Osage Plains is commonly referred to as the (Western) Cross Timbers. Examples of some of the subregions
in this coverage area include The Lost Pines, a variety of smaller prairies including the Grand Prairie, Fayette
Prairie, and San Antonio Prairie. For a brief yet excellent description of the major plant communities, please see
pages 14-16 in Texas Wildscapes: Gardening for Wildlife by Noreen Damude and Kelly Conrad Bender
published in 1999 by Texas Parks and Wildlife Press (ISBN: 1-885696-30-2). A total of 471 species has
been documented within the two combined areas. Since these areas lie almost in the middle of Texas and
extend mostly in a north-south fashion, the avifauna is truly diverse. This checklist is the first of its kind
for the coverage area and uses ecological boundaries instead of political ones. The checklist follows the
nomenclature and taxonomy as published in the 7th edition of the A.O.U. Check-list of North American
Birds (1998) and its supplements.
Haskell
Baylor
Archer
Throckmorton
Young
ShackelStephens
ford
Montague
Grayson
Denton
Wise
Jack
Parker
Palo
Pinto
Tarrant
Collin
Eastland
Johnson
Somervell
Erath
Ellis
Hamilton
Henderson
Anderson
Freestone
McLennan
Limestone
Leon
Falls
Robertson
Bell
Milam
Oaks and Prairies
Madison
Brazos
Williamson
Burleson
Osage Plains
Lee
Travis
Comal
Washington
Bastrop
Hays
Caldwell
Austin
Fayette
Colorado
Guadalupe
Gonzales
DeWitt
Figure 1. Coverage area of this checklist
Goliad
1
Grimes
Lavaca
Red River
Wood
Van
Zandt
Navarro
Bosque
Coryell
Adjacent ecoregions
Hopkins
Rains
Rockwall
Dallas
Hill
Brown
Hunt
Kaufman
Comanche
Coleman
Fannin
Delta
Hood
Callahan
Cooke
Franklin
Lamar
Clay
Oaks and Prairies
Waller
Osage Plains
There is no shortage of open water in the region due to a large number of manmade reservoirs. There
are dozens of such impoundments, most of which occur in the northeast part of the coverage area.
These bodies of water have produced some of the most surprising records in the region; products of an
altered ecosystem.
A number of species in this checklist are considered very local or confined to either a southern or
northern extreme. For example, Brown-crested Flycatchers will only be found in the southern portion
of the coverage area, while American Tree Sparrows or Horned Grebes are primarily found in the
northern part. It is also important to understand that most birds show preferences for specific habitat
types; a good working knowledge of these preferences will provide the observer the ability to master the
birds of the area.
A wide variety of published material was used to construct this booklet, including local bird checklists,
published materials, records published in ABA’s North American Birds (formerly Field Notes), the Texas
On-line Clearinghouse www.texasbirding.net/txclrhouse/, many personal communications with other
area-experts, and information provided by the Texas Bird Records Committee. Almost 35 years of birding
experience in the region by the author was also used to develop this checklist. The abundance codes for
some species are subjective evaluations where published data were insufficient.
LEGEND
Abundant.........................................
Common.........................................
Uncommon.....................................
Rare................................................
Very rare to casual...........................
Accidental or single occurrence......
Lingering single occurrence...........