Moffett Park

The owner of 90 acres in this vicinity, Missour native Ned Moffett, Sr., (1842-1924) wed Mary Stone on April 19, 1866. The couple had nine children, and early census records listed the family as Mulatto. The Moffetts permitted use of this property along Elm Creek for celebrations by local African American citizens, and in 1943 the City of Gainesville bought the land from heirs to form Moffett Park. The first large social event in the new park was the 1944 Juneteenth celebration. Recreational facilities eventually included playground equipment and a pool. Following integration of nearby Leonard Park in the mid-1960s, the site declined in use, but it remains an important reminder of the city's past. (2005)

Moffett Park is a historical marker in Gainesville, Cooke County, dedicated in 2005. It is one of 44 historical markers documented in Cooke County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 59 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 33.6245, -97.1544 near Gainesville. The nearest cataloged historic site is Cooke County C.S.A. (2nd Frontier Regiment) (historical marker), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include Cooke County, Gainesville Community Circus, and Booker T. Washington School.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5507013812. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.