DUANE
Duane's take
Here's my telling of what the official marker at Crockett Park has to say — and friend, this one's worth pulling over for. Now, David Crockett. Seventeen eighty-six to eighteen thirty-six.
Colorful Tennessee pioneer. Congressman. A man who, when Texas called, answered.
Late in 1835, he made his way toward this wild country — by riverboat, by horseback, and on foot — entering Texas along the Red River, just northeast of where you're standin' now. And somewhere along that journey, about half a mile northeast of this very park, Crockett made camp. What he found there was something worth writin' home about.
Hollow trees full of wild bees. Wild bees full of honey. He liked it so much that in letters to his family and friends, he called that campsite a honey grove.
Word was, he told those same friends he planned to settle there someday. He never got the chance. In a few weeks, David Crockett died in the cause of freedom at the Alamo.
But the name lingered. And the place lingered. And in 1839, one of Crockett's old friends — Tennessee surveyor Samuel A.
Erwin, born the same year as Crockett, 1786, and who lived on until 1854 — became the first settler here. Erwin went on to serve as first postmaster in 1846. A man of firsts.
Then came Benjamin S. Walcott, arriving in 1848. He added land of his own to his wife's legacy from James Gilmer.
With Erwin as co-founder, Walcott platted the town of Honey Grove right there on the Gilmer grant. He also erected the first stone building. Two men, one town, built on a memory and a campsite.
By 1885, Honey Grove had grown into something real — many businesses, and a weekly newspaper callin' itself The Independent. In 1887, the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad reached here. And by 1890, the town hit a peak of four thousand inhabitants.
This park itself sits on land bought from W. J. Erwin in 1919 — and it carries the name of the man who camped nearby and called it beautiful before most anyone else had laid eyes on it.
David Crockett never got to settle here. But in a way, he never quite left either.
What the marker says
Named for David Crockett (1786-1836), the colorful Tennessee pioneer and congressman who rallied to cause of Texas in her war for independence. Late in 1835, Crockett traveled by riverboat, horseback, and on foot, entering Texas along the Red River (NE of here). Camping at a site half a mile northeast of this park, he found wild bees and honey in hollow trees. In letters to family and friends, Crockett called the campsite a "honey grove." It is said he told his friends he would settle here later, but in a few weeks he died in cause of freedom at the Alamo. One of Crockett's old friends, Tennessee surveyor Samuel A. Erwin (1786-1854), became the first settler here (1839) and first postmaster (1846). Benjamin S. Walcott, arriving in 1848, added land of his own to his wife's legacy from James Gilmer. With Erwin as co-founder, he platted town of Honey Grove on the Gilmer grant. He also erected first stone building. By 1885, Honey Grove had many businesses, including a weekly newspaper, "The Independent." Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railroad reached here in 1887. A peak of 4,000 inhabitants was attained in 1890. Situated on land bought from W. J. Erwin (1919) this park provides recreation for a dynamic community. (1970)