Lake Bruin State Park

Lake Bruin State Park
Picnic tables and fishing pier at Lake Bruin State Park
Map of Louisiana, United States of America Show map of Louisiana Lake Bruin State Park (the United States) Show map of the United States
Location	Tensas Parish, Louisiana, USA
Nearest city	St. Joseph, Louisiana
Coordinates	31°57′30″N 91°12′02″W
Area	53 acres (21 ha)
Established	1956
Visitors	41,545 (in 2022)[1]

Lake Bruin State Park is a state park in Louisiana located on the shore of Lake Bruin, an oxbow lake near the town of St. Joseph in Tensas Parish.

History

Lake Bruin was originally part of the Mississippi River before it changed its course. The lake gets its name from Peter Bryan Bruin who owned a plantation next to the lake. During the 1920s, the lake and the area around it was sold to the state by the Debusant family.

The park itself was initially a fish hatchery operated by the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries from 1928 until 1956. The fish hatchery had not been used for about 15 years^[2] when it was added to the State Parks System as Lake Bruin Wayside Park, the name was later changed to just Lake Bruin State Park.^[3][4]

Improvements began February 1, 1957, and including clearing, cleaning, and sodding about 40 acres of the park for "concessions and recreational purposes."^[2] Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts contributed volunteer hours to the project.^[2]

Activities and facilities

Activities at the park include fishing, boating, swimming, camping, and birding.^[5] The park features picnic tables, three fishing piers, a playground, a bathhouse, washrooms, boat rentals, a boat launch, rentable cabins, and campsites with electricity and running water.^[6]

Ecology

The park is home to many species of birds, including Red-bellied woodpecker, Wood duck, Pied-billed grebe, American coot, Swamp sparrow, and Belted kingfisher. Lake Bruin features largemouth bass, white crappie, bluegill, longear sunfish, and redspotted sunfish. Baldcypress is the major tree in the park.

References

1. "Dept of Audit Services. Office of State Parks" (PDF). 2023.
2. "Progress". Tensas gazette. 1993-04-28. p. 35. Retrieved 2024-08-14.
3. Ann, Jackie (27 November 2023). "There Is A Unique Man-Made Wonder Hiding In This Small Town In Louisiana". Only in Your State. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
4. "Louisiana State Park History". Louisiana State Parks. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
5. "Lake Bruin State Park". Louisiana State Parks. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
6. Smilanic, J. "Lake Bruin State Park". Outdoor Project. Retrieved 26 February 2024.