George Bush Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids George Bush Park |
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Hike/bike trail crossing Buffalo Bayou in George Bush Park.
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| Type | public park, wildlife sanctuary |
| Location | Houston, Texas |
| Area | 7,800 acres (32 km2) |
| Created | 1940s |
| Operated by | Harris County Precinct Three Commissioner - Steve Radack |
George Bush Park is a large county park in Houston, Texas, United States. It is located on the far west side of the city. The park covers about 7,800 acres (32 km2), which is a huge area! Most of the park is undeveloped forest. It is used to store floodwater when there is heavy rain.
The park is inside Barker Reservoir, a big structure built to control floods. You can find many fun things to do along Westheimer Parkway, which goes through the park. These include soccer and baseball fields, a shooting range, and a dog park. The park is named after George H. W. Bush, who was a U.S. Representative from the Houston area and later a President of the United States. Before 1997, the park was called Cullen–Barker Park.
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What Can You Do at George Bush Park?
This big park on the west side of Houston is a great place to visit and a home for wildlife. It is also a nature reserve for the Buffalo Bayou, an important waterway in the park. Since the park is inside the Barker Reservoir, it can sometimes flood and close during heavy rainfall.
Most of the fun activities are found along Westheimer Parkway. This is a main road that runs through the park. Here, you can find many different sports fields. There are large soccer fields and baseball/softball fields. The park also has a shooting range and fields for flying model airplanes. You can also find picnic areas, playgrounds, ponds, and trails for jogging. George Bush Park is also a popular spot for geocaching, which is like a treasure hunt using GPS.
A Look Back: History of George Bush Park
Before it became part of Houston, this marshy area was part of the Stephen F. Austin colony. This was an early settlement in Texas. After the first settlers moved away, much of the land was sold to ranchers.
In the 1880s, a railway called the Texas Western Narrow Gauge Railroad ran trains from Houston to nearby areas. This train line only lasted about ten years before it closed down. Even so, the park still remembers this part of its history.
Cattle grazed and farms operated in the area during the early 1900s. Then, in the mid-1940s, the land became a park.
The United States Army Corps of Engineers built the Barker Reservoir in the 1940s. This was done to help stop flooding along Buffalo Bayou in Houston. The park today covers about half of the original reservoir area.
The park was known as Cullen–Barker Park until January 1997. That's when Harris County Commissioner Steve Radack suggested renaming it George Bush Park. This was to honor the 41st President of the United States, George H. W. Bush. In May of that year, the former president came to the opening ceremony. That's when the park officially got its new name.
On September 13, 2011, during a big drought in the southern United States, a large wildfire started in the park. At its biggest, the fire was about 1 mile (1.6 km) wide. It burned over 1,500 acres (610 hectares) of grassland in the reservoir area.
Park Facilities and Fun Activities
Jogging and Biking Trails
The park has many trails for jogging and biking. Many of these trails are surrounded by swamps, forests, and bayous. A lot of the trails follow the Buffalo Bayou. Biking is very popular here all year long. The trails are great for different types of biking, including for speed bikers. The trails are similar to those in nearby Terry Hershey Park.
There is one paved trail, but it does not form a full loop. This means bikers usually have to go back the way they came.
The park also has a large wooden bridge that crosses the Buffalo Bayou. It is officially called "the Boardwalk." This bridge was built in 2004. It helps people cross the swampy Buffalo Bayou easily. The bayou flows slowly in this area. The Boardwalk also offers places to sit and enjoy the view.
Sports Fields for Everyone
George Bush Park has two large, green soccer fields. Local teams often use these fields for practice. One field is near the western entrance. The second, slightly smaller one, is close to the baseball fields.
There are six baseball fields in the park. Four of these fields are set aside for the West Oaks Little League. The other two fields are open for public use.
American Shooting Centers
The American Shooting Centers uses 563 acres (2.3 km2) of land in the park. This area is near the southeast entrance. The center offers shooting fields. They also have a shop where you can rent or buy guns. Lessons are also available there.
