Moffett Park

Missouri native Ned Moffett, Sr., who owned 90 acres in this vicinity, married Mary Stone on April 19, 1866. They had nine children, and early census records listed the family as Mulatto. The Moffetts allowed local African American citizens to use this property along Elm Creek for celebrations, and in 1943 the City of Gainesville bought the land from their heirs to create Moffett Park. The first large social event there was the 1944 Juneteenth celebration. Recreational facilities later included playground equipment and a pool. After nearby Leonard Park was integrated in the mid-1960s, the site declined in use, but it remains an important reminder of the city's past.

Gainesville, Texas · United States