Fisches Park occupies part of the original land grant to Frederich Ernst, known as "The Father of German Immigration to Texas." Industry, the oldest permanent German settlement in Texas, 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 part of Ernst's land grant to farm in 1866. One of his sons, Willie, later took over the family farm. As automobiles emerged and better roads were needed, the new route of Texas Highway 159 passed by the Fisches farm in 1931. Willie's wife, Annie, an automobile enthusiast, supported the 1939 Roadside Park Program to beautify Texas roads, and after Willie Fisches died, she deeded land to the State Highway Commission in 1939 to create Fisches Roadside Park. For more than 75 years, the park has served the community and travelers as a place of rest and enjoyment, while Industry's historical background has also drawn many visitors of German descent. In 2008, the park closed because of financial constraints, deeply affecting the community, but after a town hall meeting the city agreed to maintain it, and it remains open as a reminder of the area's German heritage and settlement.