Fisches Park
Posted by: Raven
N 29° 58.289 W 096° 31.198
14R E 739299 N 3318213
One of two markers by a rest area on TX St Hwy 159 about 1 mile West of the the small town of Industry, TX (Austin County), denoting how this location came to being and how is was ultimately donated to the Texas State Highway Department.
Waymark Code: WMZAH1
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 10/09/2018
Views: 5
Marker Number: 17941
Marker Text: Fisches Park is part of the original land granted to
Frederich Ernst, known as “The Father of German
immigration to Texas.” Industry is the oldest permanent
German settlement in Texas and was settled by J.F. Fisches,
who came to Texas from Wuerttemberg, Germany. The
Fisches and Ernst families were joined through marriage
and J.F. Fisches bought a piece of Ernst’s land grant to
farm in 1866. One of J.F. Fisches’ sons, Willie, took
over farming the family land.
At the turn of the century, automobiles were on the
forefront of new technology and better roads were
needed throughout the country for this growing form of
transportation. In 1931, the new route for Texas Highway
159 passed by the Fisches farm. Willie’s wife, Annie, was an
automobile enthusiast and supported the 1939 roadside
park program that sought to beautify Texas roads. When
Willie Fisches died, Annie deeded land to the State Highway
Commission to create the Fisches Roadside Park in 1939.
The park has served the community and traveling public
with an area of rest and enjoyment for over 75 years. The
historical background of Industry also attracts many
visitors of German descent. In 2008, the park was closed
due to financial constraints, which deeply affected the
community. A town hall meeting was held and it was
decided that the city would maintain the park. It now
remains open for all visitors and community citizens and is
a reminder of German heritage and settlement of the area.
Marker is Property of the State of Texas
(2014)
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Visit Instructions: Please include a picture in your log. You and your GPS receiver do not need to be in the picture. We encourage additional information about your visit (comments about the surrounding area, how you ended up near the marker, etc.) in the log.
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