Fairfield Lake State Park

Fairfield Lake State Park in Freestone County, northeast of Fairfield, was a 1,460-acre lakeside recreation area on a reservoir created in 1969 when Texas Power and Light dammed Big Brown Creek to cool the nearby Big Brown Power Plant. Opened to the public in 1976 under a no-cost 50-year lease, the park combined swimming, boating, fishing, camping, and trails with reminders of earlier settlement, including Chancellor Union Cemetery and an old Hill family well. Its 2023 closure followed a high-profile dispute over the sale of the larger property, ending state efforts to preserve public access and leaving the park as a symbol of conflict between recreation and private development.

Fairfield, Texas · United States