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Friends of Castroville Regional Park

FCRP History Lesson No. 1 - Park Builders

Published 12 days ago • 1 min read

The story of the Friends of Castroville Regional Park (FCRP) doesn’t just start with a legal document in 2007—it starts with a shared love for the land that dates back decades.

A Vision for the Region

In 1968, the City of Castroville and Texas Parks and Wildlife partnered to purchase 126 acres from the Joe Hoog family. While a small portion was reserved for city infrastructure, 113 acres were dedicated to creating a Regional Park—a natural sanctuary designed to serve not just our town, but neighbors across the state.

When the gates officially opened on June 4, 1974, the park included the swimming pool, RV park, the original poolhouse, two restrooms and pavilions. The limestone facing exterior is featured on these buildings.

Rising from the Flood

History took a dramatic turn in July 2002. Catastrophic flooding tore through the RV park, the Rec Hall, restrooms, and our trail systems. But where the water left damage, the community found a new sense of purpose.

In the aftermath, a dedicated group of neighbors rolled up their sleeves. Working alongside the American Youth Works -Texas Conservation Corps and these volunteers provided the physical labor needed to bring the park back to life.

Turning Passion into Purpose

Those who showed up day after day to rebuild realized that the park needed a permanent "guardian." In 2007, that core group officially formed Friends of Castroville Regional Park as a 501(c)3 non-profit, so we could install the Back Country Hiking Trails, which we continue to maintain to this day.

Current Efforts

Today the FCRP supports many service and education opportunities in the Regional Park including:

We hope you enjoyed this history lesson! Look for the other history lessons for more history about the FCRP and the Regional Park!

Contact us if you have questions at info@castrovilleparkfriends.org​

Friends of Castroville Regional Park

PO Box 173

Castroville, Texas 78009

​https://castrovilleparkfriends.org/​

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