Ward Prairie in Freestone County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Ward Prairie Baptist Church
Membership in the church has varied over the years. Originally meeting only once a month, the congregation held services twice monthly beginning in 1952, and soon began to worship together each Sunday. Various events have combined to change the structure of the Ward Prairie community, but this church has continued to survive despite economic difficulties and area population shifts.
A good example of a rural Texas church, Ward Prairie Baptist Church has been an integral part of the community's heritage for over a century.
Erected 1986 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 9911.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Churches & Religion. A significant historical year for this entry is 1869.
Location. 31° 45.967′ N, 96° 8.309′ W. Marker is in Ward Prairie, Texas, in Freestone County. Marker is at the intersection of Farm to Market Road 488 and County Road 116, on the right when traveling south on Road 488. The marker is located in front of the church. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 341 FM 488, Fairfield TX 75840, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Old Freestone Jail (approx. 3 miles away); Butler Church Bell (approx. 3 miles away); Site of Law Office General John Gregg (approx. 3 miles away); Val Verde Battery (approx. 3.1 miles away); Captain L.D. Bradley (approx. 3.1 miles away); Freestone County (approx. 3.1 miles away); The Fridolin (Fred) Fischer Home (approx. 3.1 miles away); The Manahan House (approx. 3.2 miles away).
Also see . . . Ward Prairie, TX. Texas State Historical Association (TSHA)
Ward Prairie, also known as Lakes Chapel, is a widely scattered community on Farm Road 488 five miles northeast of Fairfield in central Freestone County. Both a Methodist church and a cemetery were established in 1876. The community had a school named Lakes Chapel School, which in 1893 had an enrollment of twenty-three students and in 1903 had an enrollment of twenty-four students. In the 1930s Ward Prairie had a school, a church, two cemeteries, a business, and a number of scattered dwellings. In the 1960s the community had a church, a few cemeteries, and a few dwellings, and in the late 1980s the church and cemeteries still remained.(Submitted on May 25, 2024, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)
Credits. This page was last revised on May 25, 2024. It was originally submitted on May 24, 2024, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 50 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on May 25, 2024, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.