1834
The earliest white U.S. exploration of the park region was made in 1834
by a regiment of dragoons under General Henry Leavenworth and Colonel
Henry Dodge, whose mission was to make treaties with the Plains tribes.
The first Indians they met were Comanche, who guided them to a Wichita
village in what is now known as the Devil's Canyon area of the Nature
Park.
1852
The next government expedition was for the purpose of exploring the Red
River, the treaty boundary between the United States and Texas. In
1852, Captain Randolph Marcy set out to explore the upper Red River.
He followed the North Fork tributary mistaking it for the main stream,
and this error resulted in the long dispute over the ownership of
"Old Greer County".
1860
In 1860 the area enclosed by the Red River, its North Fork tributary,
and the 100th Meridian was settled by veterans of the Texas War of
Independence and organized as Greer County, Texas.
1869
General Custer marched his troops to Quartz Mountain in pursuit of
the Cheyenne who had fled from their reservation.
1874
Close to the site of the park, the Kiowas held a medicine dance, at which time Santanta resigned his chieftainship by giving
over the symbolic medicine lance.
1874 to 1886
The Western Cattle Trail, along which many thousands of Texas
cattle were driven north, ran just west of the current park boundaries.
1896
The U.S. Supreme Court held that "Old Greer County" belonged
to the United States rather than Texas. It was then assigned to
the Territory of Oklahoma.
1897
1897 Greer County was opened to homesteaders.
Features/Facilities: 6,260 Lake Acres • 4,284 Park Acres •
Resort Lodge (118 guest rooms and suites) • 8 Cabins (with kitchenettes) •
Mountainview Bunkhouse (64-person dormitory) • Performing Arts Complex •
5 Performing Arts Pavilions • Outdoor Amphitheatre (capacity of 200) •
5 Camping Areas, • 19 Full Hookups • 100 Electric/Water Hookups (5 handicap accessible) •
99 Primitive Sites • Restrooms / Showers (4 handicap accessible) • Sanitary Dump Stations •
Boat Ramps • Group Camp (capacity 125) • Nature Center • Naturalist • Hiking Trails •
Giftshop • North Shore ATV Area (Apr. 1- Oct. 31) • Sand Dunes • Swimming Beaches •
Miniature Golf • Water Skiing • Paddleboats • Grocery Store