I lived at Abilene Texas State Park as a child. Here is the story. My father, Lester T. Harris was superintendent of the Abilene State Park from 1941 to 1945. We lived on the park property in a house that was a converted barracks that had been moved from nearby U.S. Army Camp Barkeley. I was 2 years old when we moved from Abilene to the park. Military personnel from Camp Barkeley would come to the park after practice maneuvers for a day of R&R. My father gave them access to the swimming pool free of charge. One time my older brother and I were standing beside the road as the troops came to the park. They would be driving all of there equipment, tanks, jeeps, half-tracks, duce and a half trucks. They would line all of the vehicles up in a field just north of the main pavilion. One time a tank pulled up and stopped where my brother and I were, the top popped open and the soldier ask us if we wanted a ride. I really wanted to ride in that tank, but my brother, being a bit shy and older than I, refused so I didn't get to go. I was so disappointed. My sister who was in high-school and the oldest of us three children, was a licensed life guard at the pool. One day a soldier made a running dive into the pool and hit his head was was knocked unconscious. My sister dove in and another soldier helped her get the soldier out of the pool and she gave him artificial respiration until he came too, saving his life. Years later after the war, she was able to get into contact with this soldier who remembered her. The outside area where there are now picnic tables is where people would come to play the Wurlitzer Juke Box and dance. Glenn Miller's "In The Mood" was so popular then that it would be played so many times a record would be quickly worn out. My father had to keep several on hand for replacement. The area inside is where one paid to go swimming in the pool. You were handed a wire basket that had a number tag and a large safety pin that also had a number tag. You went into the restroom where there where showers, you undressed, put on you bathing suit and attached the safety pin, put your clothes in the basket, yes even you purse or wallet, it was safe (different time then) and took the basket back out and it was placed on a shelf. When finished swimming you used the safety pin to reclaim you clothes. My grandfather (my mother's father) was the caretaker of a boy scout camp, Circle 10 Camp Tonkawa, whose property adjoined the park. My grandmother like to bake and always had a pie and or cake or two in her pie cabinet. Word would get around from one bunch of soldier boys to another that if they went to my grandmother's they could get coffee, fresh milk and desert, so they would ask my mother for directions. She would say, "get Butch (me) and he will show you". So one would put me on his shoulders and I would point the way over to the the Scout Camp. The large water tower is where my father kept his tools, lawn mowers and other things for maintenance. I was always afraid of that place, it really looked spooky to me. The pool was fed from deep wells and fed with an 8 in pipe. The water was really cold. I used to help my father throw chunks of chlorine disinfectant into the pool to keep the water safe. We left the park when my father took the assignment of superintendent of Possum Kingdom State Park near Breckenridge, Texas.
I lived at Abilene Texas State Park as a child. Here is the story.
My father, Lester T. Harris was superintendent of the Abilene State Park from 1941 to 1945. We lived on the park property in a house that was a converted barracks that had been moved from nearby U.S. Army Camp Barkeley. I was 2 years old when we moved from Abilene to the park. Military personnel from Camp Barkeley would come to the park after practice maneuvers for a day of R&R. My father gave them access to the swimming pool free of charge. One time my older brother and I were standing beside the road as the troops came to the park. They would be driving all of there equipment, tanks, jeeps, half-tracks, duce and a half trucks. They would line all of the vehicles up in a field just north of the main pavilion. One time a tank pulled up and stopped where my brother and I were, the top popped open and the soldier ask us if we wanted a ride. I really wanted to ride in that tank, but my brother, being a bit shy and older than I, refused so I didn't get to go. I was so disappointed.
My sister who was in high-school and the oldest of us three children, was a licensed life guard at the pool. One day a soldier made a running dive into the pool and hit his head was was knocked unconscious. My sister dove in and another soldier helped her get the soldier out of the pool and she gave him artificial respiration until he came too, saving his life. Years later after the war, she was able to get into contact with this soldier who remembered her.
The outside area where there are now picnic tables is where people would come to play the Wurlitzer Juke Box and dance. Glenn Miller's "In The Mood" was so popular then that it would be played so many times a record would be quickly worn out. My father had to keep several on hand for replacement.
The area inside is where one paid to go swimming in the pool. You were handed a wire basket that had a number tag and a large safety pin that also had a number tag. You went into the restroom where there where showers, you undressed, put on you bathing suit and attached the safety pin, put your clothes in the basket, yes even you purse or wallet, it was safe (different time then) and took the basket back out and it was placed on a shelf. When finished swimming you used the safety pin to reclaim you clothes.
My grandfather (my mother's father) was the caretaker of a boy scout camp, Circle 10 Camp Tonkawa, whose property adjoined the park. My grandmother like to bake and always had a pie and or cake or two in her pie cabinet. Word would get around from one bunch of soldier boys to another that if they went to my grandmother's they could get coffee, fresh milk and desert, so they would ask my mother for directions. She would say, "get Butch (me) and he will show you". So one would put me on his shoulders and I would point the way over to the the Scout Camp.
The large water tower is where my father kept his tools, lawn mowers and other things for maintenance. I was always afraid of that place, it really looked spooky to me. The pool was fed from deep wells and fed with an 8 in pipe. The water was really cold. I used to help my father throw chunks of chlorine disinfectant into the pool to keep the water safe.
We left the park when my father took the assignment of superintendent of Possum Kingdom State Park near Breckenridge, Texas.
Abilene State Park looks like a nice campground! Thanks for sharing! ~ Shion and Matthew
It’s a great campground, I suggest you put it on your list to visit. It won’t disappoint!