County Seat: Fairfield * County Population: 19,435 (2020 Census)
The Freestone County Courthouse was built in 1919 in a Classical Revival style as designed by W.R. Kaufman.
Freestone County was carved from eastern Limestone County in 1850 and organized the following year. An eight-man committee selected Mound Prairie as the county seat; the town was eventually renamed Fairfield.
The area’s rich history is depicted in the Freestone County Historical Museum, a complex made up of eight historic buildings. Highlights include the 1881 Jail, an 1850s log cabin, the 1900s Littlejohn farmhouse, an antique telephone museum, a bootleggers church, a 1936 Ford V8 fire truck, and an extensive artifact collection.
In early October, the county celebrated the opening of new exhibits at the Historic 1881 County Jail on the 140th Anniversary of the jail’s opening. Historians claim notorious gunman John Wesley Hardin once spent a night in the jail.
Historical markers around Freestone County tell additional stories of the past, including the following narrative describing the Butlers Soldiers Homes: “Commissioners Courts in Texas usually furnished to soldiers enlisting in the Civil War their uniforms, guns, blankets – and sometimes even their horses. The county courts also aided dependents, war orphans, and widows. Further, they recognized local people who had ‘soldiers’ homes’ and reimbursed them for meals given men en route to and from the army on furloughs and special missions. Freestone County had at least 11 soldiers’ homes…”
The Fairfield Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center describes the Freestone County of today as a “Texas Treasure” offering Fairfield Lake State Park, Freestone County Raceway, Lions Club Park and Pet Friendly Walking Trail, Richland Chamber Lake, Trinity Star Arts Council Projects, SWB Youth Rodeo, Freestone County Fair & Rodeo and Coon Hunting Events, and city and chamber events including the Fairfield Fest Monthly Market.
Homefolks and visitors alike frequent Sam’s Original Restaurant and Cooper Farm Peaches County Store featuring locally grown peaches. HH – The Fairfield Chamber of Commers and Visitor Center contributed to this article, http://www.fairfieldtexaschamber.com/home.
