This cache placement is part of the Garland History GeoTour v2.0. Should you wish to download the GeoTour 2.0 passport to earn our beautiful new GeoCoin, you can find the GeoTour page here. The log will contain a secret word which you must enter on your passport in the appropriate slot.
Coomer Park, located at 534 Apollo Road, was named after successful Garland insurance man, Roland E. Coomer.
Born in 1901, Roland Coomer came from a well-established Garland family with Roland Coomer’s parents Charley and Pearl Coomer were both natives of Garland, and his grandfather Fred Coomer was an early settler. He attended Garland schools and received training in the business world at an early age. He was a paperboy and worked at a local pharmacy during the summers. His business career began when he was the head cashier of First National Bank in Garland and later became the president of the Garland Federal Savings & Loan Association. He worked at First National Bank for 28 years and was a member of the bank’s board of directors for 55 years. He then started his own business, Coomer Insurance Agency, in 1947. The business was named Butler-Coomer Agency in 1964 when his son-in-law joined the firm. Coomer retired from the business in 1970.
Along with being a successful businessman, Roland Coomer was very active in the Garland community. He served on the Garland City Council for 14 years, was the president of the Rotary Club, a Mason and a member of the First Methodist Church. Coomer and his wife, Anne Shugart Coomer, had a daughter Jerry Lynn Butler and lived in Garland. Roland E. Coomer died on May 7, 1987, at age 85, and was laid to rest at Restland Memorial Cemetery in Dallas.
Coomer Park opened in the 1980s and is surrounded by the Coomer Creek neighborhood. The park features a playground, picnic tables, and a 0.5-mile trail. The Garland Parks and Recreation Administration offices are also located in Coomer Park.