Bear Creek Pioneers Park
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Bear Creek Pioneers Park is a park located in the U.S. city of Houston, Texas at 3535 War Memorial Drive. It is sometimes called "Harris County Bear Creek Park", or simply "Bear Creek Park."
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[edit] History
Bear Creek Pioneers Park was created in the 1940s by the United States Army Corps of Engineers to prevent the repetition of flooding that occurred in Houston in 1935. Bear Creek Pioneers Park occupies a portion of the Addicks Reservoir, which was previously a land that was occupied for 100 years by farmers that were mostly German immigrants and their descendants. In 1965, Harris County leased 2,154 acres of the reservoir and started the park development.
[edit] Park Description
Bear Creek Pioneers Park is 2,168 acres in size and has paved roads and parking spaces that visitors can use. The park also has walking trail, an equestrian trail, a small zoo (including buffalos, an ostrich, and emus) and aviary, playgrounds, soccer fields, little league and softball fields, four lighted tennis courts, eight picnic pavilions, horseshoe courts, and hundreds of picnic tables and grills. Near the aviary ducks can been seen walking freely around a pond. The park also has restrooms all around the park and drinking water fountains. The park is open all week from 7:00 am until 10:00 pm (local time). There is no cost to enter the park but pavilions must be reserved before use. Picnic tables and grills do not need to be reserved. The park has no stores and visitors must bring their own food if they plan on eating or drinking.
[edit] Origin of park name
Bear Creek Pioneers Park gets its name from one of the creeks that flow through the area. Even though the park is called Bear Creek Pioneers Park, the park zoo does not have any bears in exhibition.
[edit] Harris County War Memorial
The Harris County War Memorial is found in this park, next to the Eldridge Parkway entrance. The Memorial was built in 1985 to honor known residents who lost their lives in World War I and the wars ever since. Memorial services are held at the War Memorial every Memorial Day at 2:00 p.m. (local time).
[edit] Address
3535 War Memorial Drive Houston, Texas 77084
