Dinosaur Highway: A History of Dinosaur Valley State Park

Chapter Eight: To Capture a Park—Landscape and Riverscape and Trailway

107 CHAPTER EIGHT To Capture a Park— Landscape and Riverscape and Trailway November 1967 loomed over Somervell County’s dreams of preserving its dinosaur tracks as part of a park. While the option deadline for purchasing the land marched closer, residents looked for a champion to come forward. They would find two. Landowners Mr. and Mrs. Whitaker extended the Chamber of Commerce’s option, just before its expiration date of November 3, 1967, to January 3, 1968. Citizens collectively breathed a sigh of relief. The following week, Texas voters passed the bond issue. With the hope of future funding on the way, in January 1968 the Whitakers extended the land option on a month-to-month basis, and park supporters donated money to a Dinosaur Park Option Fund to make the monthly payments.1 A final option date was set for October 3, 1968, but as the bonds that would enable the State to buy the real estate remained unsold through much of 1968, Chamber of Commerce members recognized that they could not hang on to the option forever. Somehow, they would have to act on the now $88,000 price tag if state funds did not come through.2 “Where is the fiscal cavalry? It’s crisis time again for the dinosaurs,” wrote Jerry Flemmons, travel writer for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram: What will happen if the Chamber committee fails to acquire the land[?] One of two things may occur. The property may be sold to a person who will rope off the existing tracks and be more interested in charging admission to all comers than preserving that horseshoe treasure for everyone to enjoy. Or a land speculator will buy the acreage, and inflate the cost, guessing that the state will pay a high price for the tracks. The taxpayers are the losers if this happens. Anyway, a rescue is needed before Oct. 3. If you know of any U.S. Cavalry troops with $88,000 tell them to make tracks for Glen Rose.3 The fiscal cavalry did finally come to the rescue. On September 27, 1968, Texas Parks and Wildlife Deputy Director Robert G. Mauermann executed a sales contract with the Whitakers to buy their property for Dinosaur Valley State Park. Money from more than $5 million in sold park bonds had finally enabled the State to make this purchase. Local residents were elated. The Glen Rose Reporter triumphantly announced the happy event and thanked the many supporters, especially the Chamber of Commerce and its park committee: This group spent endless hours of their time and their own personal finances and maintained a “never-say-die” spirit to keep the movement going when everything appeared to be lost.4 Another hero of the hour was Winston Whitaker himself. “Winston Whitaker is probably as responsible as anyone anywhere for that park,” Dan McCarty commented. Dorothy Leach agreed, “He could have sold the land to somebody else, maybe even made more money, but Whitaker was interested in seeing that it became a park.”5 108 DINOSAUR HIGHWAY On December 31, 1968, the State of Texas officially bought the Whitaker land. A resurvey showed that the “347 acres” actually totaled 383.35 acres. The sale included the tract tucked inside the bend of the river, with the old Martin homestead, now abandoned, as well as acreage across the river that the Whitakers had leased to local rancher Andy Wood on which to run cattle. This was the State’s first purchase of parkland with money out of the passed bond issue. The federal government supplied matching funds for the acquisition under the Federal Land and Water Conservation Act.6 The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department quickly conducted hiring for the park. Local citizen Ed West became the first paid employee at Dinosaur Valley State Park in February 1969. As a guide and seasonal worker, he oversaw fencing the area. Lanham Mill resident Charlie Moss and other local men, Zollie Wilkins and Roy “Bummy” Garner, continued to keep an eye on the place and serve as informal guides. During those early days the regional game warden periodically checked on things and secured the area.7 In March 1969 the U.S. Department of the Interior approved the dinosaur tracks of the Paluxy River for recognition as a registered Natural Landmark. Though this status acknowledged the great significance of the footprints as natural features, it did not place them...