Hermann Park - Houston, TX
N 29° 43.297 W 095° 23.457
15R E 268723 N 3290332
In the 1920s-30s, Houston's Hermann Park hosted a massive auto camp serving travelers along the OST. The waymark coordinates are for the statue of Sam Houston that serves as the gateway to Hermann Park today.
Waymark Code: WMQEVN
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 02/18/2016
Views: 11
Houston's 445-acre Hermann Park is a lush expanse of green space in the heart of the city, ringed with cultural amenities, recreational opportunities, and world-class museums. Attractions include the Houston Museum of Nature and Science, the Japanese Gardens, the Miller Outdoor Theatre, Bob's Fishing Pier, and the Houston Zoo.
But in the 1920s and 1930s, much of this area served as a sprawling auto and tourist camp for travelers along the OST.
From the Drive the OST website: (
visit link)
"From Beaumont to Houston, US 90, a modern four-lane highway, has obscured much of the old trail. Houston is a city in constant flux. The current Old Spanish Trail (ALT US 90), cutting a diagonal across Houston, is a 1930s realignment of the highway. Along this stretch, dozens of 1940s and 50s motels languish until the next road widening or redevelopment snuffs them out. The earlier OST followed Navigation Boulevard to Main Street, where it turned south to move through downtown Houston. In the center of Houston is the oasis-like Hermann Park, once the site of a sprawling auto camp along the Old Spanish Trail. Containing 1,000 campsites arranged like a town site, the camp was equipped with a community house, children's playground, wash racks and long-distance telephone service."