Pease Park

Historical marker location:

Kingsbury Street, Austin, Texas

( Pease Park, Kingsbury Street at Parkway)

Marker installed: 1971

Named for family of 1853-57 Texas governor, Elisha Marshall Pease (1812-83), within whose early-day plantation this area was situated. Gov. and Mrs. Pease on May 20, 1875, gave 23-acre site here on Shoal Creek to City of Austin for use as a public park. It was already a landmark, known as post-Civil War camping ground of Gen. George A. Custer (1839-76) and 200 federal soldiers. Left undeveloped until about 1913, park was nevertheless used for all sorts of celebrations such as the annual outings of volunteer firemen. It remains a spot of natural beauty. (1971).

governors parks

In the late 19th century, Texas became known for its cattle drives, in which cowboys would move herds of cattle from Texas to railheads in Kansas and other northern states. The cattle drives were dangerous and difficult work, but they played a key role in the development of the American cattle industry.