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Balmorhea State Park |
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P O Box 15
Toyahvale TX 79786
432/375-2370
History: Balmorhea State Park is located on 45.9 acres in the foothills of the
Davis Mountains southwest of Balmorhea in Reeves County. Built by the Civilian
Conservation Corps (CCC) in the early 1930s, the park was deeded in 1934 by
private owners and Reeves County Water Improvement District No. 1. The park was
opened in 1968.
San Solomon Springs has provided water for travelers for thousands of years.
Artifacts indicate Indians used the spring extensively before white men came to
the area. In 1849, the springs were called Mescalero Springs for the Mescalero
Apache Indians who watered their horses along its banks. The present name was
given by the first settlers, Mexican farmers who used the water for their crops
and hand-dug the first irrigation canals.
Situated about four miles west of Balmorhea, Texas, the 45.9-acre Balmorhea
State Park was constructed by Company 1856 of the Civilian Conservation Corps,
or CCC, between 1936 and 1941. The CCC was established as a New Deal program by
President Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Great Depression as a way to employ
people that would have otherwise been out of work. Many of the state parks in
Texas were developed during this time.
The 77,053 square ft San Solomon Spring is the focal point of Balmorhea State
Park. From 22 to 28 million gallons of water flow through the spring-fed
swimming pool each day. Other CCC structures in the park include a limestone
concession building, two wooden bathhouses, an adobe superintendent residence,
and San Solomon Courts, an early expression of the modern-day motel, constructed
of adobe bricks. All of the CCC buildings are constructed in a Spanish Colonial
style with stucco exteriors and tile roofs.
Visitors to Balmorhea State Park can enjoy a swim in the CCC-constructed pool
and, if staying overnight, may choose to relax in one of the historic rooms at
San Solomon Courts. The lobby of the park office includes several photographs of
the CCC at work in what is now Balmorhea State Park. When visiting the park,
take time to see what the park property looked like in the late 1930s and what
it looks like today. Balmorhea State Park is a substantial monument to the
construction skills and hard work of the CCC crew and their supervisors.
Activities: Along with motel-type accommodations, the park's main attraction is
a large (77,053 sq. ft.) artesian spring pool that is open daily and fed by San
Solomon Springs. The springs also fill a 'cienega' (desert wetland) and the
canals of a refugium, home to endangered species of fish, assorted
invertebrates, and turtles. The pool differs from most public pools in several
respects: the 1 3/4-acre size, the 25-foot depth and the 72 to 76 degree
constant temperature. It also has a variety of aquatic life in its clear waters.
With a capacity of more than 3 1/2 million gallons, the pool has plenty of room
for swimmers, while offering a unique setting for scuba and skin diving.
Visitors can enjoy swimming, picnicking, and camping. An honor box is located at
the park entrance for those arriving after hours. Scuba divers must meet safety
regulations. |
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