By Brandt Mannchen
Recently, I walked two local Houston parks that I’d never visited before. These two parks are the E.R. and Ann Taylor Houston Municipal Park and the Harris County Precinct 1 Hill at Sims Detention Basins Park.
The E.R. and Ann Taylor Park, 1850 Reed Road, is unique because of its history, which tells how we can make mistakes but correct them over time. Edward R. Taylor was born in 1845 and came to Houston in 1848 with his parents. In 1862, at the age of 16, he joined the Confederacy and was captured at the Battle of Vicksburg, Mississippi. He contracted tuberculosis and was discharged from service.
When back home Edward fell in love with Ann, a family slave, and even though interracial marriages weren’t legal in Texas, they married. They lived in Myrtle, where Piece Junction is now located (near the intersection of Almeda and Reed Road), and farmed about 600 acres. There were 5 surviving children from their marriage.
Later in the early 1900’s, oil deposits were found on their land. In 1921, the Piece Junction Oil Field had its first significant oil strike. Ann died in 1909 and Edward in 1924.
The E.R. and Ann Taylor Park is 27 acres and although donated in 1986 is a park in progress. The City of Houston (COH) has put a lot of effort into making this a “Nature” park with several educational signs about the native prairie, trees, and grasses in the park.
Many non-native invasive plant species like Chinese Tallow, Camphor Tree, Vasey Grass, Johnson Grass, MacCartney Rose, Elephant Ear, Crepe Myrtle, Glossy Privet, and others have been removed from the central part of this park, but additional removal is needed (a never-ending task).
The roads and trails are rough but can be used with care. There’s a 0.7-mile loop trail that can be walked at your leisure. There are no bathrooms, but the parking lot is roomy enough for several vehicles. There is an observation platform that can be used to view a freshwater wetland and a riparian forest.
Some of the native trees that reside in the park include Live Oak, Green Ash, Cherry Laurel, Sugarberry, Loblolly Pine, American Elm, Water Oak, Yaupon Holly, Sweetgum, Eastern Cottonwood, Pecan, Eastern Red Cedar, and Dwarf Palmetto.
I saw many dark swallowtail and Gulf Fritillary butterflies feeding on blooming Common Morning Glories. Some of the native plants that the COH has planted to restore native prairie include Knot-root Bristlegrass, Eastern Gama Grass, Switchgrass, Maximillian Sunflower, American Basket-flower, and Salt Marsh Mallow.
Hill at Sims Park, 11808 Scott Street, is found in a Harris County Flood Control District 100-acre detention basin complex. There are four connected detention basins which create permanent lakes that are surrounded by planted native vegetation like Bald Cypress and Black Willow.
Many birds use these detention basins. I observed Great and Snowy Egrets, cormorant species, Barn Swallows, and Anhinga as I was walking part of the 1.6-mile loop trail. There are also picnic pavilions, Nature trails, Nature center pavilion, restrooms, Sims Bayou bike/pedestrian bridge, water access pier, and a parking area.
Both parks are great places to walk with Nature planned and protected inside them. I recommend you go, walk, and see for yourself their delights.