Mother Neff State Park

When Governor Pat Neff took office in January 1921, one of the items on his agenda was the creation of a state park system. In 1923, Neff persuaded the legislature to create the State Parks Board. He later viewed this as his most important achievement as governor. With the increasing popularity of automobiles, ordinary Texans were able to travel more frequently and further from home, and it was Neff’s goal to build roadside campgrounds for their use. In a 1925 speech, he said a parks system would offer places where people “might go and forget the anxiety and strife and vexation of life’s daily grind.” He and the members of the Parks Board traveled over 8000 miles in one year to promote the idea.

Pat Neff was born in Coryell County, Texas, the son of Noah and Isabella (Shepherd) Neff. His father did not live to see his son become governor, but his mother lived with him in the Governor’s Mansion until her death in May 1921. Following the wishes of his mother, the governor’s family donated six acres in a pecan grove along the Leon River near Moody. This scenic spot was the origin of Mother Neff State Park. Native peoples like the Tonkawa likely passed through the area, attracted by the river, the grassy plains, and the rocky grottos (like Tonkawa Cave). It was used by the Neffs for camp meetings and loaned to other groups for gatherings and celebrations. The Neff family believed that spending time outdoors was beneficial, and “Mother” Neff, in particular, was a huge proponent of sharing their beautiful land.

One group, the Woodsmen of the World of the Whitson community, gathered annually since 1905 for a picnic and celebration. Mrs. Neff never accepted payment for use of the grounds, and she told the group, “As long as the Woodsmen of Whitson maintain a lodge, the picnic grounds shall be free to them, and they shall be open for song fests, revival meetings, and other meetings that have a moral and spiritual community uplift.”

As a Mother’s Day gift in 1934, Pat Neff added 250 acres to the park. It was reported that 100 acres were under cultivation to grow many of Texas’ native flowers. A Mr. F. P. Smith donated three and one-third acres to the park. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department acquired an additional 142 acres on the western edge of the park in 2012 for a total of 399 acres.

None of the sites donated to the state for parks in the 1920s received any state funding for development. Governor Miriam “Ma” Ferguson was the first governor to include state park funding in the annual budget. With the help of Pat Neff, who served on the State Parks Board, Governor Ferguson successfully obtained federal funds and Civilian Conservation Corps camps for 26 projects in Texas within days of the creation of the CCC. Fifteen of these projects created state parks.

Mother Neff State Park was developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) from 1934-1938. Employing manual labor, 200 men of CCC Company 817, quarried native limestone and milled oak, elm, juniper, and cottonwood to build the rock tabernacle, recreation hall, picnic tables, trails, fences, the stone water tower/lookout, the park residence/lodge, the drainage system, and roads throughout the park. The large dinner bell still exists.

When the CCC left, some features of architect Guy Newhall and landscape architect Stewart King’s designs remained unfinished. Many of these were addressed in the early 1940s by a nearby young women’s unit of the National Youth Administration. Closely associated with the park is the adjoining locally-known Old River Road —a federally assisted secondary road built in 1939 by the Texas Highway Department—which follows the Leon River for much of its length from the west entrance of the park to FM 107.

In 1925, the original tract of the park was dedicated; on Mother’s Day 1939, another dedication was held, drawing a crowd of 2500 people to celebrate the work completed by the CCC. Five deer kept at the Governor’s Mansion during Neff’s tenure were sent to the park to populate it. 

Heavy flooding impacted and closed the park several times over the years.To reduce the impact of flooding, the park underwent major reconstruction. The new Park Headquarters and Visitor Center opened in January 2015. The new building was designed to complement the architecture of the early CCC structures throughout the park. A full cabin and group campsite can accommodate up to 16 people. There are also 20 full hookup campsites in the upper portion of the park. Fun activities include hiking, bird watching, geocaching, biking, wildlife viewing, ranger programs, historical structures, free library, nature playscape, museum, and bird blinds. 

Mother Neff State Park has often been called Texas' first state park. Although other parks were in existence prior to its creation, it served as the inspiration for Governor Neff's plan to establish a system of parks for all to enjoy.

“Mother Neff Park Dedication Drew Big Crowd Sunday.” Corsicana Daily Sun, May 15, 1939.

“Mother Neff State Park.” Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Austin, TX.: the department, Accessed August 19, 2022.

Langland, Tom. “Mother Neff State Park: the Mother of All Texas State Parks.” RV Texas Y’all, c2022. Accessed August 19, 2022.

“Park Profiles: Mother Neff.” Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Austin, TX.: the department, Accessed August 19, 2022.

“To Love the Beautiful: The Story of Texas State Parks.” Austin, TX.: Texas State Library and Archives Commission, c2021. Accessed August 19, 2022.