Along the Rio Grande in southern Texas, a family bought more than 3,000 acres of land in the late 1930s, as an old settlement in the area faded into history. Much of the property was developed, but a stretch of woodland known for its Texas ebony trees was kept intact. As reported by Texas Parks & Wildlife, in 1944, the Bentsen family transferred 586.9 acres to the state for just $1, under an agreement that the land would be used for a public park. The gift laid the groundwork for Bentsen–Rio Grande Valley State Park, which opened in 1962, preserving part of the valley’s distinctive landscape.
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