The 545-acre Hermann Park, which contains the zoo and public recreational facilities, was named for George Hermann, an affluent Houstonian who, in 1914, donated the land for the park. Located in it is the log house headquarters of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, San Jacinto Chapter. Reminiscent of the early log houses in Houston, the stones for the fireplace come from historic old homes throughout Texas. In another part of the park stands a statue of General Sam Houston, which was unveiled in August, 1925. Besides this, it was George Hermann who also donated land in the present City Hall area for a public square.
Memorial Park is the largest public park in Houston, stretching over a thousand acres.
The park contains the Houston Arboretum and botanical gardens and numerous recreational facilities. Tranquility Park, designed by Charles Tapley and dedicated on the tenth anniversary for the first lunar landing, is a tribute to man's achievements in space travel. The Eagle has Landed. The mounds and depressions on the parks surface represent the cratered lunar surface. Named for the founders of Houston, the Allen brothers, Allen's Landing Park is situated on Buffalo Bayou at Main Street.