By Breanna Sanchez, Natalie Hobbs, Timmerie Smith, Saebree Gonzales, and Kristin Rodin
A historic Texas state park struggled with reopening efforts after dealing with complications from foundational damage and COVID-19.
HISTORY
Balmorhea State Park and its water, the San Solomon Springs, had a long history before its acquisition by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1934.
Historical Marker for San Solomon Spring. Photo provided by Timmerie V. Smith.
Carolyn Rose, the park superintendent at Balmorhea State Park, said what drew her to the park was the historic, cultural, and natural resources it aims to protect.
“Balmorhea State Park has significant history because it’s a CCC park, meaning that it was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps from about 1934 to 1941,” Rose said.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt started the Civilian Conservation Corps in order to help people during the Great Depression, Rose said. The workers who built the park were able to send money home to their families.
Known in 1849 as the Mescalero Springs, the Mescalero Apache watered their horses in the area, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department website.
Mexican farmers, who hand dug irrigation canals for crops, renamed the area “San Solomon Springs.” The website indicates since the park’s development, the springs continue to support farmers through canals east of Balmorhea Lake.
As the park continued to develop, Rose said they experienced a series of closures to the San Solomon Courts, also built by the Civilian Conservation Corps.
“They had some work done on them back in the 1960s, but unfortunately it was aesthetically very unappealing.” Rose said. “They put in vinyl ceilings and did a lot of sort of modern so-called improvements, but it took away from the historic nature of the courts.”
CLOSING OF THE PARK
According to the Texas State Parks Reserve website, the park’s initial closing from 2017 to 2020 was due to numerous renovations and repairs to the campground, foundational issues with the natural pool and problems with the 80-year-old septic system.
Rose said the original septic drain fields were constructed for about 450 people each, but the park was welcoming up to 3,000 guests in a day.
According to the Texas Highways website, the overwhelming amount of waste over the years caused the septic system to be in need of repairs.
Rose said, at the park, there is a historic, adjacent motel that previously had structural issues.
Local limestone and hand-made adobe bricks were used to build the Spanish colonial-style park, Rose said, and keeping Balmorhea historically accurate has been part of the reason reopening efforts have been delayed.
“It’s a historic structure,” Rose said, “and they have to do everything under specific guidelines by the historic architects.”
COVID-19
According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department website, with COVID-19 affecting the health of construction workers and supply shortages, the adjacent motel has remained closed and will reopen once renovations are finished.
Bailey Garcia, a lifelong visitor of the park, said she and her family frequented the park every summer and spring break before the COVID-19 pandemic began.
“It’s kind of an annual thing for my family,” Garcia said. “And it’s just something that everybody looks forward to every single year – that we can count on being there.”
Garcia said the park remaining open is important to her and she hopes COVID-19 will never again prohibit their summer reunions at the park.
“You see the mountains, you see the stars and you don’t have to worry about the outside world, there’s not very good service,” Garcia said. “So you don’t really watch TV, or get on your phone or do anything like that, you’re actually enjoying each other’s presence.”
Garcia expressed she is fortunate to have grown up traveling to Balmorhea State Park and hopes other travelers are able to continue to experience it.
Although the pool section of the park reopened on June 26, 2021, Rose said there is a strictly enforced rule of only allowing 650 guests per day due to the pandemic.
Additionally, Rose said although this may seem like a small amount, it is a good number for where they are now with staff and parking. As construction within the park is completed, the number of guests allowed may be able to rise to 1,000 visitors allowed per day.
VISITATION
Visitors in the pool for the first summer of the park’s reopening. Photo provided by Timmerie V. Smith.
According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department website, it is important for potential visitors to purchase their day passes to Balmorhea State Park online. Walk-in passes may be purchased upon availability daily.
Nowadays, Balmorhea State Park can be difficult to get into due to the growing number of visitors, Garcia said.
“I remember back in the day, we would all show up the day of and everybody could get in,” Garcia said. “And now you have to sometimes reserve a month in advance in order to guarantee an entrance to the park.”
CONSERVATION AND WILDLIFE
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department website says conservation efforts have begun to keep the wetlands and endangered species of the park safe.
Since 2016, the department states it has taken steps to monitor and research the water quality and five endangered species of the park to ensure nearby oil and gas production does not harm the environment.
Among the Comanche Springs pupfish, several bird and plant species also make up the desert wetland ecosystem. Photo obtained from Balmorhea State Park website.
One of the five endangered species that resides in the park, according to the park’s website, is the comanche springs pupfish. This particular species is found only in Balmorhea State Park wetlands.
The fish were originally found in Comanche Springs near Fort Stockton, according to the department’s website. The springs went dry in 1955 and now the fish only survive near Balmorhea, where an oasis was built to protect them.
Annette Toland, a local resident, and frequent visitor of the park, said she and her family enjoy seeing the wildlife the park has to offer.
“Balmorhea State Park is just super nice and easy access and it’s fun to see the fish and the turtles,” Toland said. “And so we love going – we as a family just absolutely love going there.”
To learn more about the park and how to get involved, individuals can call Balmorhea State Park directly at 432-375-2370 or by visiting the Balmorhea section of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department website.
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