Mansfield Dam Park is located adjacent to Mansfield Dam on the main body of Lake Travis and serves as one of the primary access points for boaters. Mansfield Dam was constructed to control flooding, and the reservoir created by the dam is named Lake Travis. Completed in 1941, the dam was given its name in honor of U.S. Representative J.J. Mansfield.
The park at Mansfield Dam, initially called the Mansfield Recreation area, was built by Travis County on land owned by the Lower Colorado River Authority. The land was leased to Travis County, and the park opened in 1964. Set back from the water’s edge, a central recreation area offers picnic sites, a playground, chess tables, and a panoramic view of the Lake Travis basin.
Mansfield Dam Park, 1965, photo no. LR00038, LCRA Corporate Archives
Mansfield Dam under construction, photo no. C09282, Austin History Center, Austin Public Library
Mansfield Dam Park, photo by Tom Hausler, Travis County Parks website
Mansfield Dam Park, photo by Tom Hausler, Travis County Parks website
Mansfield Dam Park, photo by Tom Hausler, Travis County Parks website
Mansfield Dam Park, 1994, photo no. LR00194, LCRA Corporate Archives
‘Stovepipe’ Hill Work to Aid Public Use of Lake Austin Park, 1946