Lake
Fannin Park is located in Northern Fannin County in North
East Texas.
Surroundings
Some History
The Lake we see today, with the
timber and stone structures on the west shore, were creations of the
federal Rural Resettlement Administration (not the WPA or CCC)
between1936 and 38, when as many as 400 workman with a variety of
skills, m
ainly from county relief rolls, were employed, along with
horses and mules. An earlier, smaller lake was drained and the dam
constructed. Stone was quarried from a nearby property along Red
River. While the recreational amenities of the completed project
were immediately recognized by by weekend "thousands" throughout the
1940s, high among the original objectives was the demonstrations of
modern soil conservation practices promoted by Texas A&M University,
on land called 'sub-marginal," exhausted by cotton production and
the ravages of "dust bowl" drought. Tha Lake Fannin RRA project was
the largest of its kind in Texas, assisted at critical stages by
Congressman Sam Rayburn, working with the on-site director, Malcolm
Campbell. The Lodge and overnight cabins (originally 16) were built
in the "rustic style" common to federal park architecture at the
time. Lake Fannin is registered on the National Historic Register of
Historical Places. We are fortunate that so many of the original
structures are still capable of being saved. In the cabins now open,
note the stonework of the fireplaces (each one had an original
design), "cross ventilation" above windows, and the door hinges of
hammered metal.
When Lake Fannin was closed by the U.S.
Forest Service to the general public in 1995, a long period of
neglect and deterioration began. The motivation of volunteers today,
working to save the park, is often driven by a memory of "family
reunions" years ago, or an understanding of this place's historical meaning fo our country.
Concerning the Bike Trail. (Please No Horses)
The Bike trail is for mountain bikes
only. The trail and bridges will not stand up to horses. Please no
horses.
Additional information
