1911
White Rock Lake and Lake Worth
Hawley lays the groundwork for two reservoirs that help meet the water needs of budding North Texas cities. Dallas’ White Rock Lake is completed in 1911 and Fort Worth’s Lake Worth (shown) is completed in 1914. At the time, Lake Worth is the biggest municipal water supply reservoir in Texas and one of the largest in the country.
1927
Freese and Nichols Become Partners
On March 28, 1927, Hawley makes Simon Freese a partner, renaming the firm Hawley & Freese. Marvin C. Nichols is named a partner the next year.
1929
Paving the Way for the San Antonio River Walk
From their San Antonio office, the firm designs the Great Bend Cut-Off Channel on the San Antonio River. Today, this flood protection project is at the center of the San Antonio River Walk.
1937
North Texas’ First Air-Conditioned Buildings
Hawley, Freese and Nichols enters the air-conditioning business, forming the Texas Air Conditioning Corp. They install Chrysler “Airtemp” window units in Fort Worth’s Hotel Texas and the Burk Burnett Building downtown, making them the first air-сonditioned buildings in North Texas.
1941
Supporting the War Effort
Freese and Nichols helps design Camp Bowie, Camp Hulen, Camp Swift and Camp Barkeley in Texas, as well as the Houma Blimp Base in Louisiana. The next year, Freese and Nichols provides design and construction supervision for the Pantex Ordnance Plant in Amarillo.
1957
Leadership for Texas Water
Marvin Nichols, second from left, is appointed as the first chairman of the Texas Water Development Board. He leads the board for six years and is instrumental in developing Texas’ first long-term water plans.
1969
DFW Airport Utilities and Roadways
Freese, Nichols and Endress, as the firm is known in the 1960s, serves as associate consultant for the new Dallas/Fort Worth Regional Airport. The consultants design the airport’s roadway network, water supply system, and industrial waste collection and treatment facilities.
1971
Ready for the Rangers
Freese and Nichols oversees the expansion of Arlington Stadium into a major league ballpark. Design and construction begin in October and are complete for the Texas Rangers’ first Opening Day six months
later.
1976
Freese and Nichols, Inc.
Freese and Nichols incorporates, becoming Freese and Nichols, Inc., with Simon Freese as the chairman of the board and Jim Nichols as president.
1987
Richland-Chambers Reservoir
Richland-Chambers Dam and Reservoir, which Freese and Nichols planned in 1955 and designed in the 1980s, is completed. It provides 187 million gallons of water per day and is the largest lake in the system supplying Fort Worth and Tarrant County.
2000
Expansion to Southeast Texas
Freese and Nichols expands its local capabilities in Southeast Texas by acquiring Walsh Engineering, based in Pearland. The 12-person firm had a strong reputation built on 49 years of service to municipalities, state agencies and industrial clients.
2007
Diversification Into Planning
Freese and Nichols expands its urban planning capabilities by acquiring Dunkin Sefko & Associates. The Dallas-based consulting firm had been in business since 1973, serving more than 60 municipalities across Texas.
2010
Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award
Freese and Nichols becomes the first engineering firm to receive the Baldrige Award, an honor recognizing client service, strong leadership, strategic planning and sustained profitability.
2013
National Expansion
Freese and Nichols expands outside of Texas by opening an office in Raleigh, North Carolina, followed by an office in Oklahoma City the next year.
2014
World’s First Envision-Rated Pipeline
The Line J, Section 1 Pipeline, designed by Freese and Nichols for the Tarrant Regional Water District, becomes the first-ever pipeline project to receive Envision recognition from the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure.
