DENISON, TX - Eisenhower State Park has been a relaxing escape for fifty years and Saturday, people gathered in Denison to celebrate the anniversary with a day full of events.

The celebration kicked off around 10 Saturday morning with events for the whole family to help honor the park.

In a busy world, it's sometimes hard to get away from the hustle and bustle. But just a few miles from highway 75, many locals and tourists find peace at Eisenhower State Park and state Representative Larry Phillips says most people don't take time to relax.

"They don't get the chance to come out and enjoy places like this to have recreation and it's really important for us to preserve state parks in Texas, to give people an opportunity to get out and have recreation and spend time together as a family," says Phillips.

For some people, they spend their life at the park, working and serving the community. Former park manager Mike Gaddis says it really shaped his live.

"Best part of my life up until that point,” says Gaddis. “We raised our kids here, going through all levels of school here, and just a lot of good memories.”

But it's not just park staff who pitch-in, making it a nice place for visitors. Boy scouts from Troop 611 spend each spring cleaning up the seven mile walking trail. Scoutmaster David Hawley says the clean-up isn't just another service project; it has a deeper meaning, because it's a place they cherish and are proud of.

"Great gratitude for them to ask us to come out and post the colors because this is our community, this is our park and we show pride in it by trying to help them," says Hawley.

The boy scouts and park staff say they are proud to be part of the facility, where they enjoy serving the community and look forward to the next fifty years.