History

History lives at Scrappin’ Valley

Scrappin’ Valley gets its name from the contentious folk who settled here in the nineteenth century. Once considered the badlands of Texas, The thick forest provided cover for backwoods stills and outlaws on the run. Plenty of fighting’ and shooting’ – even among kinfolk – helped solidify the area’s name.

Places of historic interest dot the forest of Scrappin’ Valley. Dees’ Cave, a sandstone overhang with a natural spring-fed waterfall, is located along a one-time wagon trail. Here, the Dees, a family of pacifists, hid from Confederate sympathizers during the Civil War. In addition, artifacts from a WWII German POW camp and another site that housed a turpentine operation have been discovered.

Temple-Inland has managed a successful deer program on the land since the 1960s, introducing exotic deer in 1963 and relocating hundreds of whitetail deer from other company property in the 1970s. In partnership with Texas Parks & Wildlife, Eastern Wild Turkeys were introduced in the 1980s. The managed ecosystem of Scrappin’ Valley is a superb habitat for these birds, which have multiplied since their release.

Scrappin’ Valley was once a demonstration area for Temple-Inland forest management practices, where visitors learned about native plants firsthand in an arboretum by the lake. 

The original lodge building was constructed by craftsmen from the Pineland Mill in the late 1940s and has undergone three significant renovations. Today the facility maintains its rustic roots, but boasts modern conveniences and a staff of hospitality professionals who cater to Scrappin’ Valley’s guests.

As Scrappin’ Valley moves into its next sixty years, we remain committed to protecting this beautiful environment and maintaining it for the exclusive use of our customers and guests.