LIMESTONE COUNTY, Texas — A social media post insinuating Old Fort Parker would be turned into a trailer park has residents in Limestone County outraged and wanting answers fast.
Old Fort Parker Director Sarah McReynolds wants the Fort to become an official historical site. This has yet to happen.
McReynolds says if this is actually being considered, the county should take a step back and revaluate the impact this could have moving forward.
"They just want to know what he (the county judge) is going to do and residents want to know if they can get this historic site designation and then we make a move that's fair to everyone in the State of Texas," McReynolds explained.
The City of Groesbeck, the City of Mexia and Limestone County own Old Fort Parker collectively.
Limestone County judge Robert Duncan explained how at one point, the county filed a 501(c)(3) to make Old Fort Parker a non-profit organization.
This fell through in 2018 and the Fort could be seen visibly deteriorating.
Duncan came up with an idea to revamp the site, but that idea was misunderstood and caused serious confusion online that he later cleared up.
"There's 47 or 48 RV spots on Fort Parker. I said why don't we try to improve these? So I called McReynolds and told her about the idea and she immediately said no, we're not turning this into a trailer park. But turning this into a trailer park is not at all what I meant," Duncan explained.
Duncan says he too wants Old Fort Parker to remain in Limestone County, but just to be revamped so more people will visit the site and it can gain more revenue.
"We want an interlocal agreement to where the two cities and the county join together on their own board and go forth with the administration of the Fort," Duncan said.
Old Fort Parker only has three people on the administrative board, according to Duncan, and he hopes to create a board of about seven people from Limestone County to help make decisions surrounding Old Fort Parker.
Both Mexia and Groesbeck held city council meetings Tuesday, March 21. Groesbeck city council approved a management takeover by Limestone County of Old Fort Parker. Mexia city council did not take any action.