BONHAM STATE RECREATION AREA. Bonham State Recreation Area, four miles southeast of Bonham on Farm Road 271, was established in 1934 on 261 acres of land donated by the city of Bonham to the State Parks Board. The National Park Service drew up the plans for the park, and Civilian Conservation Corps workers carried out the construction. Like most CCC-built parks, Bonham State Recreation Area includes a small lake surrounded by shelters, a bathhouse, and a swimming beach. Fishing and low-speed boating are allowed on the lake. The park is less heavily wooded than many other state parks in East Texas. Its flora includes oak, cedar, cottonwood, black willow, and green ash trees, and part of its area is grassy prairie. Park facilities include lakeside campsites, some with electrical outlets, picnic sites, and a group picnic shelter, barracks, and mess hall.
BIBLIOGRAPHY: Mildred J. Little, Camper's Guide to Texas Parks, Lakes, and Forests (Houston: Pacesetter, 1978; 2d ed., Houston: Lone Star, 1983). Ray Miller, Texas Parks (Houston: Cordovan, 1984).
