August 24, 1903 Houston Highland Park

Houston Daily Post
The vast crowd which attends Highland park every Sunday afternoon and night was entertained for the first time yesterday with music from the pavilion built on the island. Water is a natural sounding board and the fine music of the band was greatly enhanced by the background of water. Seats were placed on the incline to the bayou and these were occupied by men, women and children, who were enjoying the refreshing breeze wafting up from the lake. Among the entertainments were skiff rides, dancing and refreshments. Fully 5,000 people were out during the afternoon and evening.
This is by long odds the prettiest site for a park in the South and it is the intention of the management to make it the greatest pleasure resort of the South.... So far many thousands have been expended upon the site and buildings. There is an artesian well and a complete system of water works connecting the cafe and theater.
The cafe building is a model of architecture for the purpose for which it was constructed. The upper story has twenty-four rooms, baths and toilets, while there are balconies on each side. On the lower floor there is a large dining hall and buffet, kitchen, pantry, toilets, and a private retiring room for the ladies. The entire lower floor is skirted with a balcony. The scene from the balconies, both upper and lower, is inspiring.
Surrounding the artificial lake, the banks of the bayou form a natural amphitheater skirted with majestic pines whose tops so closely entwined weave a natural canopy which shades from the sun...
A strict watch will be kept to see that no dissolute characters get in and the management assures the people of Houston that they can come out with their families without the least fear that they will be thrown in company with questionable characters.
Source: Houston Electric - The Street Railways of Houston, Texas, by Steven Baron.