Lest We Forget!!!

Lest We Forget!!!. The History of this Park. , 1766: The Governor of Spain gave a large parcel of land to the Indians of Mission San Jose. It was later conveyed to John McMullen, becoming known as the "McMullen Grant"., 1800: The land, including what is now the Castroville Regional Park, came into the possession of the Gerhardt Ihnken family, who built a home on Gentilz Street, just a few blocks from the park. The Ihnken family cemetery is located just across Alsace Street from the park, and the Renken family cemetery is located within the park boundary. The histories of both cemeteries are recorded on historical markers., 1912: Medina Dam and a 29-mile irrigation canal system was constructed, a mile of which is located in the hills, above the park. This park is the only public property through which the canal runs on its way south., February 6, 1950: The 126 acres, which now comprise the Castroville Regional Park, were purchased by Joe and Gertrude Hoog from the estate of Louisa Ihnken for $6,155., Sometime between 1950 and 1968, the Hoog property, including the Castroville Regional Park, and the Kempf property across the river became a gravel pit; a low-water crossing through he river connected the two properties. , 1968: The City of Castroville needed property...not for a park, but for a sewer plant, now known as the waste water treatment plant. Other properties considered by the City were too expensive, so Joe and Gertrude Hoog offered to sell their acreage to the City for $44,180 (a fraction of its value at that time) with the stipulation that the City use the land to establish a park for all the people. The City paid $4,180 in cash and gave the Hoogs a promissory note for the balance on August 16, 1968. The City then used proportionate values of the property to apply for grants from the government for a sewer plant and from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for a park., June 2, 1974: Castroville Regional Park opened to the public, with Mr. Jerald "Foxy" Foxworthy its first manager.