Penn Farm Agricultural History Center

Tucked in the southwest corner of Dallas County and nestled along the east shore of Joe Pool Lake, Cedar Hill State Park’s primary purpose is serving neighboring communities as a recreational spot. It offers 15 miles of biking trails, boating on the 7500 acres of lake via the park’s ramps, and plenty of hiking opportunities along interpretative nature trails. There is also a swimming area, fishing opportunities, waterskiing, picnic areas, and camping facilities for tent or recreational vehicles with hookups. We've enjoyed hiking, camping, and sailing on Joe Pool Lake. We even took sailing lessons through a private teacher on a 26 footer. Historically, Cedar Hill State Park now occupies much of what was the Penn Farm. In 1859, John Wesley Penn established his farmstead among the Blackland Prairie grasslands that flanked Mountain Creek and the family continued to farm there for more than a century. Much of the original prairie remained untouched by farmers due to the heavy outcropping of limestone and Eagle Ford shale which made it too rocky to plow under for crops. Much of that prairie land now lies under Joe Pool Lake, but Cedar Hill State Park was created to preserve the remnants left on the Penn family’s land where they grazed horses and cattle on the natural grasses. Many of the original farm structures were restored, the buildings incorporating the changes made over their 100-year existence. The farmstead is open daily for self-tours of the Penn Farm Agriculture History Center.