Downtown's Sam Houston Park Getting $2 Million Facelift

Photo courtesy GHCVB

Sam Houston Park -- often forgotten, but it's there, dammit

​Sam Houston Park -- come on, it's that picturesque if undervisited piece of grass and historic homes just outside of downtown -- is about to get a makeover.

The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department and the city's Capital Improvement Project fund are kicking in $1 million each to the project, which will expand usable space, create "gateways" to the park and -- and we have to quote this directly -- "provide a coherent presentation of the eclectic collections of memorials."

There's nothing worse than an incoherent presentation of an eclectic collection of memorials -- just ask Astro fans before the team finally went on its rebuilding project.

"Sam Houston Park is one of the most beautiful and historic parks in our system," Mayor Annise Parker said in a release. "We are thankful to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for awarding us this grant which, in combination with existing CIP funding, will help us create more usable park space for visitors while preserving and enhancing the natural environment and historic significance of the park."

Here's the official description of improvements:

The master plan will help unify the three separate sections of the park, improve way-finding and circulation, develop gateways to define the edges and entries to the park, create more usable space for every day activities, preserve and enhance the natural environment of the park, provide a coherent presentation of the eclectic collections of memorials, create a prominent central gathering place for visitors seeking information about Houston's history, enhance the park for children and families, improve parking, and maintain the park's ability to stage large events throughout the year.

The 20-acre park was opened in 1899.