Briar is a recreational retreat northwest of Fort Worth
Briar is a lakeside community between three counties in North Texas. Developed in the late 1870s, Briar was originally an agricultural community of fewer than 50 people with a school and a church between Tarrant, Parker and Wise counties. But after Eagle Mountain Lake was built in the 1930s, more people moved from Fort Worth to Briar for more land, outdoor recreation, peace and quiet. “It’s a community with more of a country feel,” says Cynthia Bynum, an Azle resident and broker with Trinity Territory. “People have boats, there’s a lot of horses out there and it’s not that far from the lake.”
Raceways and RV parks around Eagle Mountain Lake
The West Bay Marina is over 5 miles southeast of Briar and has a ramp where people can drop their boats into Eagle Mountain Lake. Visitors go sailing, kayaking and water skiing in the 8,000-acre reservoir, and there are many RV parks around the lake. The Boyd Raceway is a quarter-mile dirt track that hosts monthly races from March through November, and thrill-seekers like to go motorbiking at the River Valley Motocross. Young baseball players can practice their swings at Backyard Cages in the Briar Creek Business Park, and there are plenty of churches by Knob Hill Road for Sunday worship.
Lakefront properties and country homes on acreage
There are homes of many different sizes and price points in Briar with several subdivisions between the lake and the nearby highways. Bynum says there’s no HOA either, which gives residents the freedom to design their houses however they wish. “There are a lot of bigger farms and ranches out there,” Bynum says. “You have nice homes, everyone takes care of their properties out there and you’re not under any type of governing restrictions.” Older fixer-uppers that are 1,000 square feet cost $90,000 to $140,000, while mobile homes on 1-to-3-acre lots range from $185,000 to $350,000. Traditional and contemporary homes with brick exteriors, long driveways and two-car garages have 1-to-10-acre lots and cost $350,000 to $800,000. Two-story lakefront homes with decks and boat slips range from $1 to $3 million.
Barbecue, tacos and a Dollar General
There are limited shopping and dining options in Briar itself. R&N Smokin Sweet Savour BBQ is a mobile food trailer with smoked sausage, brisket and pulled pork, and there are two Mexican restaurants between Taco Time and El Gran Torito’s. Hardwood Designs is a local quilt shop that sells wooden clamps, racks and ladders, and Wildflower Mums is especially busy during homecoming season. Locals can pick up groceries at the Dollar General by Boyd Road, but most residents will drive to Azle for more restaurant and retail options.
Three school districts between Azle, Boyd and Springtown
Students go to one of three different school districts depending on which end of town they live on. Most students will go through the Azle Independent School District, which has a 95% graduation rate and a B rating on Niche. The Briar pathway goes from Liberty Elementary and W.E. Hoover Elementary to Santo Forte Junior High School and ends at Azle High School, all of which have B ratings on Niche. Those who live north near Farm-To-Market Road 2048 enroll at the B-rated Boyd ISD, while those who live on the far west side go to Springtown ISD, rated a B-minus.
Farm-to-market roads and a state highway to the Stockyards
There is no governing body to provide public transportation, so Briar residents are mostly car-dependent and reliant on the local highways. Farm-To-Market Road 730 is the main route through Briar that leads over 6 miles north to Boyd or 7 miles south to Azle. Texas State Highway 199 cuts through Azle and runs 15 miles southeast to the Fort Worth Stockyards. The Surepoint Emergency Center is south of Jacksboro Highway and is open for 24 hours. The Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport is around 40 miles east.
