The park's genesis was in 1955, when Elsa Scherer Burrows, owner of the South Creek Ranch, died.
In September 2008, in recognition of National Public Lands Day, Lee Wetherington, a local developer and long-time park supporter, donated an additional of land to the park, including the buffer property adjacent to the Willowbend subdivision (a Wetherington development), bringing the total park size to 1400acre [REF].