Lamson Woods State Preserve

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State Preserves

Lamson Woods is a 43-acre woodland preserve located on the southeast edge of Fairfield in Jefferson County. This hilly, wooded area was willed to the city of Fairfield by Carrie Lamson Ross in 1930. Originally “Lamson’s Pasture” was a park that included Fairfield’s first golf course. The golf course was in a pasture for cows and pigs along a small woodland, and was dubbed “cow-pasture golf.” It was a favorite area for hiking and nature study for people of all ages. The woodland was dedicated as a biological state preserve in 1978. 

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Directions

  1. From the intersection of Highway 34 and Highway 1 in Fairfield, take Highway 1 south for 0.75 mile to Fillmore Street. 
  2. Turn east (left) and go 0.75 mile to Mint Boulevard. 
  3. The preserve parking area is located across and slightly south of the T-intersection (sign: Lamson Woods State Preserve).
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Vegetation

The preserve is a mixture of upland and lowland forest. Mesic and dry woodland species occupy the slopes and ravines that are cut into PreIllinoian glacial deposits (500,000 to 2.5 million years old) typical of the Southern Iowa Drift Plain landform region. Trees occupying the canopy include cottonwood, white oak, bur oak, shingle oak, shagbark hickory, American elm, hackberry, and black cherry. Ohio buckeye can be found in the understory with hazelnut along the woodland edges. A planted pine grove is located in the southwest corner of the preserve. 

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Wildflowers

The spring wildflower display begins with the blooming of bloodroot, bluebells, and spring beauty, followed by prairie trillium, toothwort, white trout-lily, blue phlox, wild geranium, mayapple, Solomon’s seal, swamp buttercup, and wild hya­cinth. By May, moonseed and Jacob’s ladder can be seen in flower followed by jumpseed and pale touch-me-not in July. August brings the blooming of hog peanut among the sensitive fern and maidenhair fern fronds. In the fall, the bright red leaves of Virginia creeper can be seen crawling up the trunks of trees or along the ground. 

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Nearby Natural Areas

Another natural area in the vicinity is Woodthrush Woods State Preserve.

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