Titus County, Texas History - The Cookville Roadside Park

The small roadside park and rest area located one mile east of Cookville, Texas on U.S. Highway 67 provides a glimpse into long-distance highway travel during the 1920s through 1970s.

When the park was constructed in 1935, interstate highways, or "straight" highways for that matter, would not be developed for many years. Major highways passed through, and helped create, small towns like Mt. Pleasant and Cookville.

Highway One was the major Dallas-Little Rock highway, as Interstate 30 is today. In Mt. Pleasant, Highway One was part of the Farmer's Academy road (Texas FM-899), continued generally along Ferguson Road to O'Tyson Street, where it included West First Street to the Court House Square. From the square, Highway One turned north on North Jefferson Street through Mt. Pleasant to what is now West 14th Street, then proceeded east toward Cookville. We are not sure of the entire exact route Highway One followed between Mt. Pleasant and Cookville, but about a mile west of Cookville the highway turned south and passed through the town of Cookville. Highway one passed through the south side of Cookville's business district between the current Highway 67 and the railroad. A small piece of old Highway One and early Highway 67 can still be seen in Cookville, as the original highway is currently Titus County Road 4045. Highway One continued south of the current route of U.S. Highway 67 into Morris County, but we are again not sure of the highway's entire exact route.

The times were slower, and as you can imagine, so was travel. Inter-city and inter-state trips took much longer than today. People traveling from Dallas to Little Rock had to stop at every traffic light and stop sign in every small town they passed through. If there was a local traffic jam, the traveler got to experience it.

Even when the highways left populated areas, they were much narrower and more winding than today. Highways were designed for beauty and functionality, as the young Texas Highway Department did not yet understand the mechanics of designing a highway for traffic loads, speed, and safety. One example of changing highway design are bridges. When wooden bridges were replaced by concrete, the railings and abutments were also made from steel-reinforced concrete. There were no impact-absorbing barriers, and should a car directly strike a reinforced concrete bridge abutment or railing, it would demolish the car and severely injure the occupant.

Before and during the depression years, money was scarce. By 1935, the nation was beginning to recover from the Great Depression, but lessons learned about how to "stretch a dollar" made a great impression on people who lived through the Depression. There were no fast food restaurants or clean chain motels, and travelers commonly carried food to prepare and eat en-route. Families prepared sandwiches alongside the highway and picniced during their travels. Some also slept beside the road or in park areas.

The Texas Highway Commission, which later became the Texas Highway Department and then the Texas Department of Transportation, was established to build and maintain Texas roads and highways. In the Texas Highway Department's early days, their budget did not permit them to purchase land for highway right of ways or parks. In order to obtain a highway, citizens had to donate land for the right of way. Land for roadside parks and rest areas had to be donated in the same manner.

In 1935, W. G. Farrier donated two acres of land located on the north side of Highway One, one mile east of Cookville, Texas, to the Texas Highway Department to be used to create a roadside park. He donated the land in memory of his parents F. W. and Lura Hart Farrier.

This oak-shaded land provided an excellent place for the Highway Department to construct a park for traveler's use. The state constructed brick and concrete picnic tables and barbecue pits for traveler's use, and the park provided a welcome picnic and rest area.

The state erected a Texas Historical Marker in the park which records the founding of Titus County. The Historical Marker consists of a pink granite base with a bronze plaque mounted to its top that is inscribed

"Titus County

Formed from Red River and Bowie Counties

Created May 11, 1845

Organized July 13, 1846

Named in honor of

Andrew J. Titus

18:: - 1855

Pioneer of Northwest Texas

Soldier in the Mexican War

Member of the Texas Legislature

County Seat, Mt. Pleasant"

A bronze Texas state logo and star were once attached to the front of the marker, but vandals stole it. Beside the large historical maker, the Highway Department erected a similar but smaller maker to commemorate Mr. Farrier's donation of the land. This marker reads: "This site was donated for park purposes to The State Highway Department of Texas by W. G. Farrier in memory of his parents F. W. and Lura Hart Farrier 1935"

As traffic increased, U.S. Highway 67 replaced Highway One. The two-lane U.S. Highway 67 was constructed slightly north of old Highway One, but generally followed the same route. When the new highway was built, the park sat on the south side of U.S. 67. Highway 67 was much straighter, which increased speed and traffic safety, and was adequate for the traffic load in its day.

As the highway moved, so did Cookville's businesses. Some relocated to Highway 67, but many faded into history as the new highway bypassed them.

Other new businesses sprang up to serve the traveling public. As anyone who ever passed through Texas knows, this is barbecue country. One of the new businesses along Highway 67 was Tigert's Barbecue, which faced Highway 67 immediately along the park's west property line. Tigert's was a down-home barbecue restaurant with sawdust covered floors, and made great barbecue. They had an indoor seating area, or people could buy some barbecue and take it to the roadside park to eat. From the 1950s until the 1970s, Tigert's did a thriving business while Highway 67 was the main Dallas-Little Rock highway. It was a marriage made in heaven. Tigert's was good for the park, and the park was good for Tigert's. Tigert's Bar-B-Q is long gone, but remnants of the early "take-out" restaurant building that once stood beside the park are still standing.

Over the years, traffic increased and cars were designed for much higher speeds. Highway 67 became very crowded with heavy traffic and terrible accidents along it were rather common. Highway 67 was widened to four lanes in the 1960s to accommodate the increased traffic, and remained the major east-west highway through this area until it was replaced by Interstate Highway 30 in the early 1970s.

The Texas Department of Transportation still maintains the small roadside park in excellent condition, and while there is much less traffic on Highway 67, it is still used by travelers.

Mt. Pleasant Daily Times, Mt. Pleasant, Texas

Thursday, May 13, 1937

Work in Progress Building a Park Near County Line

Maintenance Force of Highway Dept. Is Doing This Work

R. E. Sexton, section foreman for the highway department, reports that work has already started on the construction of the new roadside park near the county line, about two miles east of Cookville.

The site, which was donated by Grady Farrier of Omaha, forms a beautiful location with plenty of trees for shade during the summer months.

Mr. Sexton says that the maintenance force is now at work building a barbecue pit, constructing tables and benches, and otherwise preparing the park for use. Trees and shrubs have been trimmed, and walks and driveways are to be graveled for the convenience of tourists who wish to stop and rest while on their travels. There is plenty of room available for a large park, and Mr. Sexton says that it will be one of the most beautiful in this section when completed.

Another park was recently completed a short distance east of Naples on the same highway.

Mt. Pleasant Daily Times, Mt. Pleasant, Texas

Friday, May 28, 1937

Work Progresses Rapidly On Park East of Cookville

Will Soon Be Ready For Use of Public For Picnic Parties

A visit to the new roadside park about two miles east of Cookville on Highway One Thursday afternoon disclosed the fact that this park will soon be available to the public for use in picnic parties and similar functions.

On a beautifully shaded tract, 150x330 feet, the park will soon be very attractive. There are several varieties of native trees, all of which have been properly trimmed to allow sufficient sunshine for the growth of bermuda grass, with which it has been liberally sprigged.

A rock fence has been constructed between the park and the roadway, with gravel drives entering the park. Two barbecue pits of native rock, lined with fire brick have already been constructed, and four concrete tables with native rock benches are to be advantageously placed so that there will be no crowding when more than one party wants to use the park. One of these tables has already been finished.

A strong fence has been placed around the park, and large stones are to be placed along the driveways to keep cars from being driven on the grass. The land is practically level, but it has been scientifically drained to prevent any washing.

The local maintenance force of the Highway Department, under the direction of Section Foreman R. E. Sexton, is handling the construction work, and they are making a beautiful job. A smaller park was recently completed a mile east of Naples.

Mr. Sexton announces that as soon as this park is completed work will start on another on Highway 49, about eight miles southeast of Mt. Pleasant.

About a mile east of the intersection of Highways 1 and 49, on the north side of the former road, is the location of the historical marker placed by the Highway Department during the first part of 1934, for the information of tourists passing through Titus County.

Although the plot of ground which forms the park is a small one, it has been beautified by the Department until it is very attractive.

The marker, pictured above, is of mottled granite and has a bronze plaque on top, with this inscription:

"Titus County, formed from Red River and Bowie Counties, created May 11, 1846; organized July 13, l846; named in honor of Andrew J. Titus, 1814-1885, pioneer of Northwest Texas, soldier of the Mexican War, member of the Texas Legislature. County Seat, Mt. Pleasant."

A cobblestone walk leads from the highway to the monument, which is surrounded by a well kept lawn, and under the trees are benches made of large logs sawed in half lengthwise and tables of the same material for the comfort of travelers who wish to eat their lunch or rest for a while after a long ride.

It is one of the beauty places of the county, and the highway maintenance force keeps it in excellent condition at all times.