Sign Up  /  Login

Gerault Park (Out for now..) LbNA #13040

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:Jan 1, 2005
Location:
City:Flower Mound
County:Denton
State:Texas
Boxes:1
Planted by:Woodwoses
Found by: Puddle-Splasher
Last found:Oct 18, 2005
Status:FFFFFFF
Last edited:Jan 1, 2005
Background Info: In 1946 Andre and Levenia Gerault bought a parcel of land and created their family homestead on it. Andre had always shown a sense of service in his character, so when the area was going to being annexed by a local community, Andre pulled together with his neighbors to help create the town of Flower Mound. For 39 years, the land where park is located stayed in the Gerault family. They raised crops, livestock, and their four children (not to mention various cousins, friends, and finally 2 grandsons.) on the 40 acre farm until they sold it in 1983. The land passed through many owners without development, while Andre continued his lifetime of service on many Committees and Boards for Flower Mound. Not the least of which was eight years on Parks and Rec. In the 90’s the land came into possession of the town, and a plan was started to create the park and honor it’s longtime resident and example of quiet leadership by naming it after him. Of course, Andre would have none of this, preferring that the distinction go to the family as a whole. So the real honor comes with being their grandson, growing up on the property and being filled with memories whenever I visit. So let me take ya on a little tour….

Directions: The farm…uh...park, is located on Gerault Rd. in Flower Mound. (That’s right, when they went to name the road in the late 40’s they just used the current residents) Pull in and park near the giant pecan tree on the left. Stretch your legs and look around and I will take you back in time abit….Where you are standing was the bottom end of our main yard. Look across the road and see the low gray house, that’s the original home. It’s a renter now and Gerault Rd. has been rerouted to run behind instead of in front. There are still bits of chain hanging from the tree next to the house that held a swing. Long nights of hand-turning ice cream and stargazing beneath that one. To the right there was the main vegetable garden with orchard trees that were Andre’s joy. Then there was the long concrete area, gone now, that was the shuffleboard/skating court. And just past where the road is now, was the fence line marking the bottom of the yard. Then there was a long row of old farm machinery, broken down trailers, and assorted junk that any working farm accumulates. These provided hours of entertainment for this grandson. Becoming rocket ships, race cars, and army tanks in my imagination. Then there’s that tree. Take a moment to appreciate the size. I think it must be one of the biggest pecans in the county by now. Long hours beneath and among its branches. The red angus cattle, an ever present fact on the farm, lazing away hot afternoons in the dust beneath, flicking away the flies. A boy up the tree in the first fork, a copy of “Lord of the Rings” in his lap, reading it to the end, and starting right back over again…...Ok, back to the future. The tree was preserved by the park board and a local boy scout did a project to create a Liberty Garden around it. I do believe it is my favorite part of the park, so take some time to enjoy it. I searched hard to find a spot for the box here, but just didn’t find the right spot where it would be safe. So visit the play pavilion now. You’ll find a bronze plaque for the dedication in 1998, and it mentions all the kiddies who were once here. One of the best things is that kids will use this place to play for years to come. My son had his 5th birthday party on the dedication day and we continue to visit the park for fun. Pass through the pavilion and follow the paved path between the two fields…..on the right there was a lone tree with an old well at it’s base. I climbed down in it once. Don’t tell my grandma!....continue down on to the back of the park. A row of trees will start on your right….These marked the edge of the pond. A wonderful place full of turtles and even an occasionally fish. A small “island” marked the edge connected by a thin strip of land. Long oaks once grew on it, one stretching out horizontally over the water. Sitting astride it, riding dragons to far off lands….Now the path comes to a fork, bear right, pass over a culvert, and then once more on your right is the object of your quest. A doubled tree with a hollow at it’s base contains the box. Please be careful retrieving and re-hiding as the park can be quite busy on weekends. Make sure to recover with some leaf debris so the when a kid looks inside, as they surely will, the box will not be immediately evident. Thanks for enjoying this trip on memory lane with us and I hope you have hunted our other Flower Mound boxes.
Much Peace and Happy Trails,
Papa Woodwose,
“Tanglefoot’s” Grandson