Freestone County, Texas
Reflections


Freestone-Past/ Present
J.R. “Sonny” Sessions

Springfield = Fort Parker State Park

 Fort Parker State Park and Lake Springfield opened officially in the spring 
of l941; Texas Governor Coke Stevenson attended and spoke at this well 
attended dedication. This the first State Park in our area and located in the 
old Springfield area. The beautiful new lake located on the Navasota River 
with a concrete dam near the highway from Mexia to Groesbeck on Texas 
14 and its one-way traffic bridge across the River.
  This public project done with CCC labor. If not familiar with the Civilian 
Conservation Corps this an emergency program created during the terrible 
depression of the l930’s. The CCC gave young men employment and 
income for their family’s at home. Many good projects were done all over 
the nation and greatly assisted
 many young people. The headquarters for this group is now the Texas 
Highway Dept. offices and equipment buildings located near the State Park 
entrance. I believe all this group were young black men. I knew many of 
them personally and proud to call them friends. Some are still living in our 
area.
  As a teenager some friends and I attended this dedication. Not sure whether 
school let out or we played hooky and went. We hitch hiked to Mexia and 
then to the State Park to join in the festivities. (Hitch hiking very common 
then and rides usually came easily and safely.)
  Some time later our FFA class camped out near the dam in an old building 
used during the construction. The pavilion and open-air terrace visited many 
times when could find transportation. It was a well-regulated fun place. Also 
swam in the designated lake area and years later water-skied on the lake.
  Springfield was Limestone County’s first County seat (also what is now 
Freestone co. before it separated from Limestone in l851. Springfield like 
many other places missed by the coming of the railroad it dwindled and 
nothing remains today but the old Springfield Cemetery where many early 
citizens lie. Have heard the County records were loaded on wagons in the 
middle of the night and moved to Groesbeck, which became the new County 
seat. Today it is a well-attended State Park and Lake used for many purposes 
                    

Whisky Days

  Back when whisky making was common many times whisky stills were put on land 
without the owners knowledge of permission. Most times when discovered the 
landowners would tear them up or report them to the authorities if it not known who 
they belonged to, and if they do know them would notified them to remove them, which 
they usually did.
   Longtime related one such incident recently, his family living north of Fairfield and 
parents trying to scratch a living out of cotton farming. They had a neighbor who 
sometimes while farming would stop his team and leave them standing in the field 
unattended for a time. On one such occasion my friends Dad saw smoke in the woods 
on his land, afraid the woods on fire he fund the still in the process of cooking with no 
one there. Unhappy with this he went to the neighbor and told him he not accusing him 
of anything but there a still on his land and if it not gone by the next he was going to 
destroy it. Everything was gone the next morning.

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                             Grandpa’s Report
...
  Memorial services for friend Ruby Kate “Dude” Richardson, probably Kirven’s best-
known citizen.