Ratcliff Lake Recreation Area facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ratcliff Lake Recreation Area |
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Entrance to Ratcliff Lake Recreation Area
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 Ratcliff Lake Recreation Area
Location in Texas
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| Location | Houston County, Texas |
| Nearest city | Kennard |
| Established | 1936 |
| Governing body | United States Forest Service |
Ratcliff Lake Recreation Area is a fun park located inside the Davy Crockett National Forest in Texas. It's a great place for outdoor adventures near Kennard, Texas. The park is built around a pretty 45-acre lake. This lake used to be a pond for a big sawmill many years ago.
The park was created in 1936 by a group called the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). Today, the United States Forest Service (USFS) takes care of it. Ratcliff Lake Recreation Area is open all year round. It has a large campground, picnic spots, an amphitheater, a swimming area, and cool hiking trails.
Contents
A Look Back: Ratcliff Lake's History
From Sawmill to Park
Long ago, in the late 1800s, a settler named J. H. Ratcliff had a small sawmill here. He cut down trees in the huge forests of East Texas. Later, in 1899, a company from Missouri bought his sawmill. They also bought a lot of land, about 120,000 acres of trees!
This company used Ratcliff's sawmill to help build a much bigger one. By 1902, their new "Four C Mill" was huge. It could produce 350,000 board feet of lumber every single day! But by 1917, most of the really big trees were gone. The mill kept cutting smaller trees until 1920, but it wasn't making enough money. So, it closed down.
Built by the CCC
In October 1934, a special group arrived. This was Civilian Conservation Corps Company 1803. They set up camp to start building the Davy Crockett National Forest. They also began creating the Ratcliff Lake Recreation Area.
The CCC built a dirt dam to make the old sawmill pond into the 45-acre Ratcliff Lake. They also built roads and a bathhouse for visitors. Plus, they planted about 3,000,000 new trees! This helped the forest grow back strong and healthy.
Park Closures and Reopening
Sometimes, nature can cause problems for parks. Ratcliff Lake Recreation Area had to close in September 2008. This was because of damage from Hurricane Ike. It reopened in 2010, but then faced more trouble.
A tornado caused damage, and then a really bad drought hit. Because of this, the park closed again from April 2011 to September 2012. Luckily, it has reopened and continues to be a great place to visit.
Plants and Animals at Ratcliff Lake
Forest Life
The area around Ratcliff Lake is full of trees. You'll see lots of loblolly pine trees. There are also many oak trees and other types of hardwood trees. These forests are home to a wide variety of wildlife.
One special animal living here is the red-cockaded woodpecker. This bird is endangered, which means it's very rare. Protecting its home at Ratcliff Lake helps it survive.
Lake Creatures
The 45-acre Ratcliff Lake is also home to many fish. If you like fishing, you might catch some largemouth bass. You could also find bream, channel catfish, and blue catfish swimming in the lake. It's a great spot for a peaceful day of fishing!
