E
vant, the crossroads of Texas, is located at the junction of Highways 281 and 84, an hour from Waco, 1½ hours from Austin, and two hours from DFW. According to their chamber website, Evant, once a thriving farming community, had slowly dwindled to a passthrough town between Hamilton and Lampasas. But now, with the involvement of the entire community, Evant is becoming a full family destination. One of those community members that have taken a participation to seeing the revitalization of Evant is the Drennan family. John Drennan’s paternal great-great grandparents, Pompey and Ellen Callie Lee Burney, moved to Evant in 1884. Their son, John W. Burney, operated the Burney Hardware Store on the west side of the square until around 1950. Drennan’s maternal great-great grandparents settled in the adjoining Bee House community around the time of the Civil War. Drennan spent summers with his grandparents in Evant, and remembers the thriving town as it was in the 1970s. When the opportunity arose to purchase a former hunting preserve on the land where Coryell, Hamil24 Our Hometowns | Volume 2 Issue 3
ton, and Lampasas counties come together, the Drennans jumped on it. They bought the nearly 1,000 acres, crossfenced it, built roads, brought in more exotic animals, installed cabins and RV sites, and opened Buena Vista Wildlife Safari and RV Park on January 23, 2019. The Drennans both have fond memories of the simpler life when they visited their grandparents as children, and designed Buena Vista to have an “old home” feel. They wanted it to feel like you’ve stepped back into your grandparents time; tapping back into the idea of the letting kids use their imagination which is why there are no televisions in cabins (BUT free wi-fi is available throughout the property). They are constantly adding new amenities to the Park, which includes a petting zoo; a swimming hole and a fishing hole; an orchard and a chicken coop (guests are often treated to free eggs!); a dog run and horse pens; and a walking path with old farm implements on display. The grounds also include a beautiful Event Center, with a full kitchen, living room, and dining room that is available to rent for corporate functions, weddings, and more.
