A 650-Acre Ranch on Lake Palestine will Become Texas’ Next State Park

by Alejandra Martinez, The Texas Tribune

A 650-acre ranch on Lake Palestine in Henderson County is on its way to becoming Texas’ next state park. But it will be years before visitors can pitch a tent or launch a kayak there.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation sealed the deal on the property Thursday for more than $10 million, securing one of the largest remaining contiguous tracts of land on the lake, according to the nonprofit's press release.

The foundation will hold the property until the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department can purchase it, likely in late 2027. The extra time will allow the state to earn more interest on money in the voter-approved Centennial Parks Conservation Fund, a $1 billion investment passed by lawmakers in 2023 to purchase and develop parks, before tapping the fund to develop the property into a park, said Madelon Allen, a public information officer at TPWD's State Parks office.

“Opportunities to protect a property like this don’t come along very often, and when they do, timing is critical,” said Anne Brown, executive director of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation. “TPWF was able to step in and secure this land now so it can ultimately become a place where generations of Texans can enjoy the outdoors.”

At the Texas Tribune Festival last week, Brown said this type of philanthropy “brings creativity to the table” because the foundation is able to buy land and temporarily hold it until the state is able to buy it — and not miss opportunities to conserve land for public use.

The property sits about 18 miles west of Tyler and 20 miles east of Athens, with roughly 2,000 feet of frontage on Lake Palestine. It includes pine forest, native grasses, a pecan orchard, a 58-foot-deep lake and roughly 10 ponds. It also provides habitat for white-tailed deer, bobcats and waterfowl.

“We are excited to add this East Texas gem to the Texas State Park system,” said Rodney Franklin, director of Texas State Parks at TPWD. “Families will be able to enjoy lake recreation on Lake Palestine, along with the pecan trees that are a signature of the property. We are grateful to our partners, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation, and to owner Sam Pollard and his family who have generously allowed this special slice of the Pineywoods to be accessible for generations of Texans."

The Pollard family has owned the land since 1940. For decades, it was part of Texas Pecan Nursery, the family’s pecan business. The property has also been a place for hunting, fishing and family gatherings.

“This land is part of my soul,” said Sam Pollard, president of Texas Pecan Nursery. “It means a lot to me that we can leave a legacy for people to enjoy.”

The sale was brokered by TexasLand, which represented the Pollard family.

“The first time that I went out there, I thought, this place looks like a state park,” said Josh Smith, a co-founder of the brokerage. “It just had that look.”

Smith said the parks department was looking at East Texas sites and reached out about the property, which was on the market. There were extensive site visits and evaluations involving agency leaders, park planners and wildlife biologists.

“They wanted to look at every little thing and kind of inspect every part of the property,” he said.

The property remained under contract for nearly a year while the state completed studies.

For TPWD, Smith said, the land offers a public foothold on a popular East Texas lake.

Visitors eventually could have access to boating, paddling, swimming and fishing, as well as trails, campsites, day-use areas and opportunities to enjoy the scenic blufftop lake views.

The park will not open all at once after the state purchases it. TPWD plans to begin with guided access before eventually adding day use and overnight opportunities. The agency also plans habitat restoration and will seek public input on the park’s future.

This article first appeared on The Texas Tribune.