Presenter: Walt Dabney

Commission Agenda Item No. 10
Action
Naming State Parks and Historic Sites
March 2008

I. Executive Summary: TPWD staff will be seeking approval from the Commission to change the name of Goliad State Park to Goliad State Park and Historic Site and to include Mission Espiritu Santo State Historic Site as part of Goliad State Park and Historic Site, rather than a separate unit within the site. In a related recommendation, staff will also be requesting that the name of Hueco Tanks State Historic Site be changed to Hueco Tanks State Park and Historic Site. In addition, staff will request that the Commission update the list of TPWD historic sites to reflect the changes made by the 79th and 80th Texas Legislatures.

II. Discussion: Sections 13.0053 and 13.001(b), Parks and Wildlife Code, as added by the 2001 Sunset Bill, (Senate Bill 305), required the Parks and Wildlife Department to cease using the term "historical park." As a result, TPWD presented a list of renamed sites to the Commission in 2002. Since that time, 19 historic sites have been transferred to the Texas Historical Commission; one park has been transferred to the Texas State Railroad Authority.

Goliad State Park contains significant historical resources, including Mission Espiritu Santo. Currently, Mission Espiritu Santo State Historic Site is listed as a separate unit, although the site is within the boundaries of Goliad State Park and managed as part of Goliad State Park. Hueco Tanks State Historic Site is a well-known recreational destination, as well as a historically significant site. Therefore, staff recommends as follows: that the name of Goliad State Park be changed to Goliad State Park and Historic Site; that Mission Espiritu Santo State Historic Site be considered a part of Goliad State Park and Historic Site, rather than a separate unit; and, that the name of Hueco Tanks State Historic Site be changed to Hueco Tanks State Park and Historic Site. With these changes, the following show the designated State Historic Sites and those that are designated as both a State Park and Historic Site in TPWD's inventory.

TPWD State Historic Sites:

TPWD State Parks and Historic Sites:

III. Recommendation: TPWD staff recommends that the Commission adopt the following motion:

"The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission adopts by resolution (Exhibit A), the naming of TPWD State Historic Sites and combined State Parks and Historic Sites."

Attachments - 1

  1. Exhibit A – Resolution Adopting State Historic Site Names

Commission Agenda Item No. 10
Exhibit A

A Resolution by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission Adopting State Historic Site Names

Whereas, in 2002, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) modified the names of TPWD historic sites to cease using the term "historical park" as required by the 77th Texas Legislature in TPWD's 2001 Sunset Bill (Senate Bill 305);

Whereas, since 2002, 19 TPWD State Historic Sites have been transferred to the Texas Historical Commission and the Texas State Railroad has been transferred to the Texas State Railroad Authority;

Whereas, Goliad State Park includes significant historical resources, including Mission Espiritu Santo State Historic Site, located within the boundaries of Goliad State Park and managed as part of Goliad State Park;

Whereas, Hueco Tanks State Historic Site is a well-known recreational destination, as well as a historically significant site;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission that the name of Goliad State Park shall be changed to Goliad State Park and Historic Site; that Mission Espiritu Santo State Historic Site be considered a part of Goliad State Park and Historic Site, rather than a separate unit; and, that the name of Hueco Tanks State Historic Site shall be changed to Hueco Tanks State Park and Historic Site;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission that the following is the list of TPWD State Historic Sites and TPWD sites that are both a State Park and a State Historic Site:

TPWD State Historic Sites:

  • Battleship Texas State Historic Site
  • Fanthorp Inn State Historic Site
  • Fort Leaton State Historic Site
  • Kreische Brewery State Historic Site
  • Lipantitlan State Historic Site
  • Mission Rosario State Historic Site
  • Monument Hill State Historic Site
  • Port Isabel Lighthouse State Historic Site
  • San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site
  • Sebastopol House State Historic Site
  • Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site
  • Zaragoza Birthplace State Historic Site

TPWD State Parks and Historic Sites:

  • Fort Richardson State Park and Historic Site
  • Goliad State Park and Historic Site
  • Hueco Tanks State Park and Historic Site
  • Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site
  • Seminole Canyon State Park and Historic Site

In official recognition hereof, we hereby affix our signatures this 27th day of March 2008.

  • Peter M. Holt, Chairman
  • T. Dan Friedkin, Vice-Chairman
  • Mark E. Bivins, Member
  • J. Robert Brown, Member
  • Ralph H. Duggins, Member
  • Antonio Falcon, Member
  • Karen J. Hixon, Member
  • Margaret Martin, Member
  • John D. Parker, Member
The State Of Texas
County Of Travis

I, the undersigned Executive Director of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, do hereby certify that the foregoing resolution is a true, full, and correct copy of a resolution adopted by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission of the State of Texas on the 27th day of March 2008.

Executed Under My Hand and seal of said Commission on this the 27th day of March 2008.

Carter P. Smith
Executive Director
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department