Passport to Texas

This is a Passport to Texas State Park Getaway

Texas parks that have amazing geology, abundant wildlife, outstanding fishing, and plentiful campsites, stay packed, right? Our state park guide, Bryan Frazier, says Meridian State Park has all that and more… but without the crowds.

It’s kind of an overlooked park for its scenic beauty. It’s northwest of Waco—between Waco and Granbury.

It’s CCC built park in the 1930s from the Civilian Conservation Corps. It’s got a large group dining hall that was built back in the 1930s, and that beautiful stone work that the CCC is known for. But Meridian State Parks is a jewel, a little off the beaten path, that people might want to check out.

Thanks, Bryan!

Find more state park information at the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

That’s our show … For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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This is Passport to Texas

From World War II transport vessel…to luxury liner…to floating classroom…the Texas Clipper’s career above water spanned six decades. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Television series airs a special half-hour program this month about the Clipper’s new life as an artificial reef. Producer, Bruce Biermann.

On November seventeenth in 2007, the Texas Clipper went to its final port of call—seventeen miles off the coast of South Padre Island.

It not only helps the ocean, the ecosystem out there, it also encourages activities and fun for man: scuba diving, sport fishing…and just the knowledge that we’re helping increase the ecological life in the ocean.

Thanks, Bruce.

Find a list of stations that air the series on the Texas Parks and Wildlife Website.

That’s our show… we receive support from the SFWR Program…For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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This is Passport to Texas outdoor Stories

Paul Dockery, from San Antonio, emailed his outdoor story to us through our website: passporttotexas.org.

He told us he’s an avid outdoorsman and a member of the Christian Outdoor Alliance. He shares his favorite times spent in the outdoors.

You know, it’s not that any one in particular thing happens. It’s just the fact that we get to get to get away and spend some quality time together. And we’ll be out on God’s front porch enjoying the beautiful weather and just enjoying each other. My favorite times in the outdoors are when I get to load up with my wife and the kids. And we’ll have an ice chest and some goodies in it, and some folding chairs and a portable grill, and we’ll drag our boat out to a riverbank somewhere in the Hill Country. And just spend the day getting by on what we didn’t forget to bring. We’ll have some fishing rods, and things like that, and probably take the dog with us, and spend the day out enjoying the Hill Country.

Visit passportotexas.org and send us your outdoor story. We may invite you to tell it to Passport to Texas listeners, like Paul did.

That’s our show for today… Remember: Life’s Better Outside…For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti

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This is a Passport to Texas State Park Getaway

With summer on the way, lots of us are thinking about ways to get out on the water. Bryan Frazier, our State Park guide, says parks offer plenty of opportunities for water-borne fun and learning.

One of the great things about being in Texas is the warm weather that we have, and then the water recreations that goes along with it. It’s just something that people look forward to every year—as being able to get out onto the water.

So, it’s something that families can do, or groups can do…and it’s something that we’re proud to do… and a great experience for folks to get out on the water this summer.

Thanks, Bryan!

Find more state park information at the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

That’s our show … with support form the SFWR program…For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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This is Passport to Texas

If you can’t visit your mother this Mother’s Day—spend time with ours: Mother Neff State Park, near Waco—Texas’ first official state park—named for Isabella Neff.

:08—She came to this area as a pioneer, and her youngest son, Pat Neff, went on to become the governor of Texas.

Leah Huth, park superintendent, says Mrs. Neff inspired her son to join with the national State Park movement.

:11—And she donated six acres down on the river for public use. That was the beginning of the land donation that later created the state park system.

Today the park, which sits on the banks of the Leon River, is 259 acres, and features structures built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Huth says spending time in the park gives her a sense of continuity and hope.

:26—The fact that a state park can still be just as beautiful today as it was when our settlers first came here…that gives me hope that in the future it’s going to continue. That’s what we’re here for. We’re here to preserve the 259 acres so it can be here another 50, 100, 150 years for the people that are living at that point in time to enjoy just as well as the people that are enjoying it today, as well as they enjoyed it when Mother Neff was here.

Learn more about the woman behind Mother Neff SP when you attend the presentation: Noble Woman, Worthy Cause at the park May 8th and 9th.

That’s our show for today. For Texas Parks and Wildlife, I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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