Texana Thursday: Three Counties in One Park

The tri-county monument in Thomas Park in Katy (George Slaughter photo)

Harris County has plenty of parks. This is understandable, given that the fourth-largest city in the country, Houston, is the county seat.

Some of these parks are historical in nature, such as the Sam Houston Park in downtown Houston, which features historic homes from bygone eras. But only one park can put you at a spot where Harris County meets two other counties.

Thomas Park, which is near the center of Katy and within walking distance of its new City Hall, enjoys this distinction.

A small tri-county monument, located on the northern end of the park, signifies where Harris County meets Fort Bend County and Waller County. The small marker atop the monument served as the original tri-county marker.

The monument itself, however, isn’t obvious. It’s small, triangular, and if you’re not looking for it, the monument is easy to miss, or to be mistaken for a barbecue grill. Part of this inconspicuous quality comes from the fact that the monument has been worn down by weather over the years.

One might think of Thomas Park as the Texas equivalent of the Four Corners Monument, which is the spot where the states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah meet. Or, for that matter, the marker where the states of Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia meet.

For its part, Katy recognizes that it is part of all three counties. The Katy city seal reflects as much, though the City Hall and town square are in Harris County.

Thomas Park is both lush and serene. It features a gazebo, park benches, paved walkways, picnic tables, and lots of trees. It a nice place to relax, no matter the county. The park is named in honor of Oliver Thomas, who was one of the city’s founding fathers.

Yet, like the monument, the park is inconspicuous. Despite its location in a quickly growing community, the park is quiet enough that there’s a chance you’ll miss it if you’re not looking for it.

The park is well worth a visit.