History

In 1894 Frank Bussert homesteaded on North Table. He built a small stone house, 18 by 14 feet and they had cows, chickens, pigs and a garden. Frank worked at the Golden brick yard and eventually acquired over 600 acres on the mesa. He died in 1918 and his son, Roy continued to farm until 1922.

Subsequent owners overgrazed the grassland so that when Heine Foss purchased much of the old ranch it supported mainly cheatgrass. For 20 years Foss planted tall wheatgrass and crested wheatgrass. Foss only allowed his Polled Herfords to graze in the winter, thus making great strides in re-establishing a more balanced ecosystem.

Acreage comprising the North Table Mountain Park was acquired between 2002 and 2009, starting with a Lafarge land swap for 60 acres of Open Space land, wherein Open Space received 400 acres on North Table Mtn & rights to the tallgrass prairie acreage. The rest of the acreage was acquired through bond funding and a land exchange.