History:
From the American Indians to frontiersmen to ranchers, this area has a rich history and unique story to tell. Because the land has not been grazed or cultivated for a long period of time, it represents what the land looked like prior to frontier and ranching settlements.
Spanish expeditions had established settlements and missions in South Texas in the 16th century, but settlers did not reach North Texas until the 1840′s. Once here they encountered American Indian tribes who were attracted to the area because of the bountiful supply of water, shelter from the elements and plentiful wild game, including the great buffalo herds of the plains.
In the 20th century, the land was used for grazing livestock. Remnants of that area are still visible today through the preservation of some farm structures near the park entrance. The windmill and barn were erected in 1938 after Fort Worth icon Kay Kimball moved a house to the property from downtown Fort Worth and brought Collin Martins cultivated gardens, plants and shrubs near the home, including orchards along the recently built Eagle Mountain Lake. Many of the non-native plants you will see around the lake originated during that time.
Here is a cool video we made with some of the wonderful views from Eagle
