Sewell Park

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about Sewell Park, right there in Jack County. Now settle in, because this one's about a man who wore about four hats at once, and somehow kept them all on straight. His name was Dan Roland Sewell.

Born in 1872, died in 1957. The marker calls him a pioneer teacher, lumberman, rancher, and public benefactor, and friend, that is a full resume right there. Teacher AND lumberman AND rancher AND benefactor.

Most folks pick one. Dan Roland Sewell said, why not all four. Now here's where the story gets good.

Sewell served as mayor of Jacksboro, and not just for a weekend. His tenure ran from February 17, 1913, all the way to April 11, 1921. That is a stretch of time with some weight to it.

And during those years as mayor, the city got its very first waterworks installed. Running water. For the whole town.

You want to talk about leaving a place better than you found it, that's a strong argument right there. But Sewell wasn't done. When his time as mayor came to a close, he made one more move.

On June 25, 1921, he donated a tract of land right there on Lost Creek to the city of Jacksboro. And that tract became something the city had never had before. Its first park.

They named it Sewell Park. A man spends years building up a town, installs its waterworks, then on his way out the door hands the whole city a place to sit down and rest. That, right there, is how you leave a legacy.

What the marker says

This site became Jacksboro's first park after tract here on Lost Creek was donated to city on June 25, 1921, by pioneer teacher-lumberman-rancher-public benefactor Dan Roland Sewell (1872-1957). City's first waterworks were installed during Sewell's service as mayor, February 17, 1913, to April 11, 1921. (1972)