Lufkin is the largest city in

Angelina County, Texas Angelina County ( ) is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. It is in East Texas and its county seat is Lufkin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 86,395. The Lufkin, TX Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Angelina Co ...

and the county seat. The city is situated in

Deep East Texas East Texas is a broadly defined cultural, geographic, and ecological region in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Texas that comprises most of 41 counties. It is primarily divided into Northeast and Southeast Texas. Most of the region con ...

and about 60 miles west of the Texas-Louisiana border. Its estimated population is 35,021 as of July 1, 2019. Lufkin was founded in 1884 and named for Abraham P. Lufkin. It originally served as a stop on the Houston, East and West Texas Railway. It was officially incorporated on October 15, 1890. Lufkin continued to serve as a stop on the railroad until 1890. Three businessmen founded Angelina Lumber Company, which led to much of the economic prosperity Lufkin later had. When the so-called "timber boom" came to an end, a new "golden era of expansion" began. Lufkin became more industrialized with the opening of

Lufkin Industries Lufkin Industries is an American manufacturing company founded in 1902 and headquartered in Missouri City, Texas. Lufkin is a provider of rod lift products, automated control and optimization equipment and software for rod lift equipment to the ...

and Southland Paper Mill. In the mid-1960s, a cultural expansion began, and improvements were made to education and the way of life, including museums and the opening of a new library. The City of Lufkin has a

council–manager government The council–manager government is a form of local government used for municipalities, counties, or other equivalent regions. It is one of the two most common forms of local government in the United States along with the mayor–council gover ...

, with 6 city council members, a mayor, and a city manager. The

Lufkin Independent School District Lufkin Independent School District is a public school district based in Lufkin, Texas ( USA). In addition to the city of Lufkin, Lufkin ISD serves a small portion of Burke. In 2009, the school district was rated "academically acceptable" by the ...

encompasses most of Lufkin and operates almost all of the schools within Lufkin. Additionally,

Angelina College Angelina College is a public community college with its main campus in Lufkin, Texas. It has nine off-campus centers in Crockett, Hemphill, Jasper, Livingston (Polk County Center), Nacogdoches, Pineland (Sabine Center), San Augustine, Tri ...

, a community college, is located in Lufkin.

History

The city was originally founded in 1882 as a stop on the

Houston, East and West Texas Railway The history of the Southern Pacific stretches from 1865 to 1998. For the main page, see Southern Pacific Transportation Company; for the former holding company, see Southern Pacific Rail Corporation. The Southern Pacific was represented by three ...

; it is named for Abraham P. Lufkin, a

cotton Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus '' Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose, and can contain minor pe ...

merchant and

Galveston Galveston ( ) is a coastal resort city and port off the Southeast Texas coast on Galveston Island and Pelican Island in the U.S. state of Texas. The community of , with a population of 47,743 in 2010, is the county seat of surrounding Ga ...

city councilman. Lufkin was the father-in-law of Paul Bremond, president of the railroad, which developed the town. Lufkin continued to grow because of its proximity to the railroad and its

lumber industry The wood industry or timber industry (sometimes lumber industry -- when referring mainly to sawed boards) is the industry concerned with forestry, logging, timber trade, and the production of primary forest products and wood products (e.g. furni ...

. The history of Lufkin can be divided into three main eras, the railroad era, the timber boom, and the golden era of expansion.

Railroad era

The railroad era lasted between 1882 and 1890. In 1881, the area that is now Lufkin was little more than a small settlement known as Denman Springs. A railroad surveying team began to plan a route through Angelina County, with a possible route through

Homer, Texas Homer is an unincorporated community in Angelina County, Texas, United States, southeast of Lufkin, in Deep East Texas. It was reported to have a population of about 360 in the early 1990s through 2000. It is located within the Lufkin, Texas micro ...

, which at the time was the county seat. According to legend, the men in the surveying team began to get rowdy in the saloon in Homer, which led to their arrest. They paid their way out the next morning, but this infuriated the chief surveyor. He ordered the team for the rail line to bypass Homer and go by Denman Springs. Conveniently, the new route went through the property of Lafayette Denman and his son, Dr. A. M. Denman, who as the legend goes, had hosted the surveying team a few days earlier. This legend is most likely not true since the prospectus in 1879 already had the railroad planned to bypass Homer and go through the future site of Lufkin. The railroad officially arrived in 1882, and the company began to advertise the sale of lots of land in Lufkin. During this time, many of the businesses and professionals from Homer began to relocate to Lufkin to be closer to the railroad. Some of the first stores in Lufkin included S. Abram's general store, Joseph Kerr's grocery and saddle shop, and W. H. Bonner's general store, all located on Cotton Square, which became the center of most economic activity in Lufkin. Behind the depot, which was on the cotton square, cotton was stored before being shipped on the railroad. The town continued to grow, and acquired a post office in 1882 with William A. Abney as postmaster. Soon after in 1883, a telegraph line was strung connecting Lufkin to

Nacogdoches Nacogdoches ( ) is a small city in East Texas and the county seat of Nacogdoches County, Texas, United States. The 2020 U.S. census recorded the city's population at 32,147. Nacogdoches is a sister city of the smaller, similarly named Natchitoch ...

by telegraph. On October 15, 1890, the town was officially incorporated. The first mayor of Lufkin was J. M. Smith, who was the owner of Smith Hotel; he was elected on November 15, 1890. Even before the incorporation of Lufkin, the courthouse was sought to have been moved. By a vote in 1885, though, the courthouse remained in Homer. In November 1891, a fire of mysterious origin destroyed the courthouse in Homer. This prompted a petition from the citizens of Lufkin asking for a new election to be held to decide if the courthouse should be relocated to Lufkin. The election was held on January 2, 1892, and the citizens decided to relocate the courthouse to Lufkin.

Timber boom

The timber boom lasted between 1890 and 1920. Three main lumbering families are recognized for much of the economic prosperity in Lufkin - the Kurths, the Hendersons, and the Wieners. Joseph H. Kurth Sr., was a German immigrant, who had operated a sawmill in

Polk County, Texas Polk County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 50,123. Its county seat is Livingston. The county is named after James K. Polk. The Alabama-Coushatta Indian Reservation of the federally ...

. He moved to a small settlement north of Lufkin known as Keltys. In 1887, Kurth obtained a sawmill from Charles L. Kelty. He was soon joined by S. W. Henderson Sr., and Sam Wiener, both of

Corrigan, Texas Corrigan is a town in north central Polk County, Texas. It is located along U.S. Highway 59 and is about 100 miles from Houston. Its population was 1,477 in the 2020 census. Background Corrigan largely emerged when the Houston East and West Tex ...

. In 1890, the men started the Angelina County Lumber Company. The company became the forerunner of the lumber industry in East Texas, and led to much of the economic prosperity in Lufkin. At the peak of the three families' activities, nearly a dozen sawmills and several other industries were operating.

Golden era of expansion

Southland Paper mill, Kraft pulp used in making newsprint, Lufkin1a35430v

The golden era of expansion occurred between 1938 and 1945. In the late 1930s, two of the principal industries in Lufkin, the Southland Paper Mill, later known as Abitibi Bowater Inc. which closed in 2007, and Texas Foundries opened. These companies provided much of Lufkin's industrial growth. The largest industrial employer was Lufkin Foundry and Machine Company, later known as

; it ceased operations in 2018.

Cultural expansion

In early Lufkin history, most daily life revolved around churches, schools, and sports activities, but this began to change between 1965 and 1983, when Lufkin began a cultural expansion. Improvements included the Kurth Memorial Library, new museums, a civic center,

, a new federal building, a country club, municipal and city parks, two shopping malls, and the

. Lufkin celebrated its centennial in 1982.

Recent history

Thousands gather at the Columbia memorial in Lufkin, Tex

Debris from the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster fell over the Lufkin area on February 1, 2003. A Little League Baseball team from Lufkin, locally known as the Thundering 13, won the U.S. Championship at the

2017 Little League World Series The 2017 Little League World Series was held from August 17 to 27. Eight teams from the United States and eight teams from around the world competed in the 71st edition of the tournament. Tokyo Kitasuna Little League of Tokyo, Japan, defeated Lufki ...

Williamsport, Pennsylvania Williamsport is a city in, and the county seat of, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States. It recorded a population of 27,754 at the 2020 Census. It is the principal city of the Williamsport Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a popul ...

. There have been many community tributes to the team.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of t ...

, in 2010, the city has a total area of . Lufkin is at the crossroads of East Texas at the intersections of Highways

US 59 U.S. Route 59 (US 59) is a north–south United States highway (though it was signed east–west in parts of Texas). A latecomer to the U.S. numbered route system, US 59 is now a border-to-border route, part of the NAFTA Corridor Highway Sy ...

, future Interstate 69, which leads to

Houston Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 i ...

and the Rio Grande Valley to the south and

and Texarkana to the north, and

US 69 U.S. Route 69 (US 69) is a major north–south United States highway. When it was first created, it was only long, but it has since been expanded into a Minnesota to Texas cross-country route. The highway's southern terminus (as well as ...

, which leads from the Golden Triangle of southeast Texas ( Port Arthur and

Beaumont Beaumont may refer to: Places Canada * Beaumont, Alberta * Beaumont, Quebec England * Beaumont, Cumbria * Beaumont, Essex ** Beaumont Cut, a canal closed in the 1930s * Beaumont Street, Oxford France (communes) * Beaumont, Ardèche * ...

) to points such as

Jacksonville Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the List of United States cities by area, largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the co ...

Tyler Tyler may refer to: People and fictional characters * Tyler (name), an English name; with lists of people with the surname or given name * Tyler, the Creator (born 1991), American rap artist and producer * John Tyler, 10th president of the United ...

Dallas Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...

, and Oklahoma to the north. Lufkin is northeast of Houston. The elevation of Lufkin is 139 to 404 ft above mean sea level.

National forests and grasslands

The headquarters of all four

United States National Forest In the United States, national forest is a classification of protected and managed federal lands. National forests are largely forest and woodland areas owned collectively by the American people through the federal government, and managed by ...

s and two

United States National Grassland A national grassland is an area of protected and managed federal lands in the United States authorized by Title III of the Bankhead–Jones Farm Tenant Act of 1937. For administrative purposes, they are essentially identical to national forests, ...

s in Texas are located in Lufkin. They are the Angelina, Davy Crockett,

Sabine The Sabines (; lat, Sabini; it, Sabini, all exonyms) were an Italic people who lived in the central Apennine Mountains of the ancient Italian Peninsula, also inhabiting Latium north of the Anio before the founding of Rome. The Sabines di ...

, and Sam Houston National Forests, and the Caddo and

Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), often referred to by his initials LBJ, was an American politician who served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969. He had previously served as the 37th vice ...

National Grasslands.

Climate

Lufkin is a humid subtropical climate that generally has relatively high temperatures with evenly distributed precipitation throughout the year. Generally, this climate is seen on the eastern side continents between 20 and 35°N or S latitude. During summer, these regions over low-latitude ocean waters are generally under the influence of hot, maritime overflow from the western side of subtropical anticyclonic cells. These higher temperatures can lead to warm, oppressive nights. Due to an increase in

thunderstorms A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm or a lightning storm, is a storm characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere, known as thunder. Relatively weak thunderstorms are somet ...

, summers in Lufkin are usually wetter than winters. Additionally, tropical cyclones can increase precipitation during the summer. Cold months are usually mild and frost is uncommon.

Demographics

2020 United States Census

''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.'' As of the

2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...

, there were 34,143 people, 12,755 households, and 8,277 families residing in the city.

2019 Estimates

The population of the city is estimated to be 35,021 in 2019. The racial makeup of the city is estimated to be 66.6%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...

, 25.2%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.7% American Indian or Alaska native, 2.2% Asian, and 2.2% of two or more races. Hispanic or Latinos of any race were estimated to be 28.6%. White alone (not Hispanic or Latino) is estimated to be 41.8%; 11.3% of the population is estimated to be foreign born. An estimated 24.4% of homes are thought to speak a language other than English. With an estimated 12,910 households, the city averaged 2.68 persons per household. The median household income is estimated to be $43,803, and the per capita income is $23,134; 20.9% of persons are believed to be below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

2010 United States Census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...

of 2010, 35,067 people, 12,928 households, and 8,717 families resided in the city. The population density was 1,050.7 people per square mile. The

racial makeup A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...

of the city was 56.7% White, 27.4% African American, 0.5% Native American, 1.7% Asian, 11.6% from other races, and 2.2 two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 24.1% of the population. Of the 12,929 households, 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.2% were married couples living together, 18.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.6% were not families; 27.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 26.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.21. In the city, the age distribution was 8.3% under 5 years, 7.5% from 5 to 9, 7.1% from 10 to 14, 7.2% from 15 to 19, 7.4% from 20 to 24, 7.1% from 25 to 29, 6.6% from 30 to 34, 5.8% from 35 to 39, 5.9% from 40 to 44, 6.2% from 45 to 49, 6.3% from 50 to 54, 5.5% from 55 to 59, 4.8% from 60 to 64, 3.7% from 65 to 69, 3.2% from 70 to 74, 2.7% from 75 to 79, 2.4% from 80 to 84, and 2.4% 85 and over. The median age was 34 years.

Economy

Lufkin is home to

and Lufkin Gears LLC, which manufactures and services oil field equipment and power transmission equipment, and supplies of

creosote Creosote is a category of carbonaceous chemicals formed by the distillation of various tars and pyrolysis of plant-derived material, such as wood or fossil fuel. They are typically used as preservatives or antiseptics. Some creosote types were ...

-treated utility poles. It is also home to the

Atkinson Candy Company The Atkinson Candy Company is a candy company based in Lufkin, Texas, best known for producing the Chick-O-Stick. History Atkinson Candy Company is a private company founded in 1932 by B.E. Atkinson, Sr., and his wife, Mabel C. Atkinson. It st ...

, the creator of the Chick-O-Stick, and

Brookshire Brothers Brookshire Brothers, is an employee-owned American supermarket chain headquartered in Lufkin, Texas, founded in 1921 by brothers Austin and Tom Brookshire. Brookshire Brothers is a private corporation that is wholly owned by employees. Brookshir ...

, a chain of grocery stores in Texas and Louisiana. Lufkin received Texas's first biomass power plant in late 2009. Aspen Power is building the power plant. Some of the city's major employers include: *

, community college with enrollment of 5,000 *

, founded and headquartered in Lufkin *

, a regional grocery company founded and headquartered in Lufkin *

, founded and headquartered in Lufkin, oil pumping manufacturer * Lufkin Gears LLC, founded and headquartered in Lufkin, power transmission equipment manufacturer *

* Pilgrim's, poultry processor that employs more than 1,500 people * Stephen F. Austin State University, state university (located in

; some employees reside in Lufkin) * Temple-Inland is Fortune 500 company that produces paper, wood, and other related products. Headquartered in Diboll, south of Lufkin, it has employment in Lufkin, as well. Temple-Inland was sold to

International Paper The International Paper Company is an American pulp and paper company, the largest such company in the world. It has approximately 56,000 employees, and is headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee. History The company was incorporated January 31 ...

. According to the city's 2019 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

Festivals

September ~ Texas State Forest Festival and Southern

Hushpuppy A hush puppy (or hushpuppy) is a small, savory, deep-fried round ball made from cornmeal-based batter. Hushpuppies are frequently served as a side dish with seafood and other deep-fried foods. History The use of ground maize (corn) in cooking ...

Championships. Brings net profits to the city of US$60,000.

Points of interest

* Ellen Trout Zoo, public zoo owned by the City of Lufkin with more than 500 animals * Ellen Trout Park, a public park with a lake and playgrounds * Crown Colony Country Club Golf Course, third-rated golf course in Texas by the ''Dallas Morning News'' * Texas Forestry Museum features exhibits about forestry of the Lufkin and East Texas area. * Museum of East Texas, exhibits on regional history and art * Lufkin Azalea Trail, public nature trail * Medford Collection of American Western Art, the contemporary art collection at the Lufkin City Hall * Downtown Walking Tour, a tour through historic downtown Lufkin * First United Methodist Church * Pines Theater, refurbished multiuse facility in downtown, seats 459 * Naranjo Museum of Natural History File:Ward R. Burke Courthouse, Lufkin, TX IMG 3949.JPG, Ward R. Burke United States Courthouse File:Texas Forestry Museum, Lufkin, TX IMG 8594.JPG, Texas Forestry Museum File:Sawmill worker's house, Texas Forestry Museum IMG 8587.JPG, Replica of a sawmill worker's house at the Texas Forestry Museum File:Pines Theater, Lufkin, TX IMG 3938.JPG, Pines Theater File:Naranjo Auditorium, Lufkin, TX IMG 3964.JPG, Naranjo Auditorium

Government

Lufkin in comparison to the U.S. average leans more conservative politically. However, the city leans more liberal than Angelina County and the state Texas' averages. In the

2016 United States presidential election The 2016 United States presidential election was the 58th quadrennial presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 8, 2016. The Republican ticket of businessman Donald Trump and Indiana governor Mike Pence defeated the Democratic ticket ...

, Republican candidate

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of P ...

dominated in the southern and western parts of Lufkin while Democratic candidate

Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ...

won by large margins in the central, northern, and northeast parts of Lufkin.

Federal government

Lufkin falls under

Texas's 1st congressional district Texas' 1st congressional district in the United States House of Representatives serves the northeastern portion of the state of Texas. As of the 2000 Census, the 1st district contained 651,619 people. It consists largely of three small East ...

, which is currently represented by

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

Louie Gohmert Louis Buller Gohmert Jr. (; born August 18, 1953) is an American attorney, politician, and former jurist serving as the U.S. representative from Texas's 1st congressional district since 2005. Gohmert is a Republican and was part of the Tea P ...

. The senators who represent Texas are

Ted Cruz Rafael Edward "Ted" Cruz (; born December 22, 1970) is an American politician and attorney serving as the junior United States Senator from Texas since 2013. A member of the Republican Party, Cruz served as Solicitor General of Texas from ...

and

John Cornyn John Cornyn III ( ; born February 2, 1952) is an American politician and attorney serving as the senior United States senator from Texas, a seat he has held since 2002. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the Senate majority whip for ...

, who are both Republicans.

State government

In the

Texas House of Representatives The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Texas Legislature. It consists of 150 members who are elected from single-member districts for two-year terms. As of the 2010 United States census, each member represents abo ...

, Lufkin falls under district 57 and is represented by Republican

Trent Ashby Trent may refer to: Places Italy * Trento in northern Italy, site of the Council of Trent United Kingdom * Trent, Dorset, England, United Kingdom Germany * Trent, Germany, a municipality on the island of Rügen United States * Trent, Californi ...

, who is a resident of Lufkin. In the

Texas Senate The Texas Senate ( es, Senado de Texas) is the upper house of the Texas State Legislature. There are 31 members of the Senate, representing single-member districts across the U.S. state of Texas, with populations of approximately 806,000 per co ...

Lufkin falls under district 3 and is represented by Republican Robert Nichols.

Municipal government

According to the city's 2017 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, Lufkin's various funds had $38.8 million in revenue, $43.7 million in expenditures, $85.7 million in total assets, $5.3 million in total liabilities, and $14.9 million in cash and investments. The City of Lufkin has a council-manager form of government. The city is divided into six city council districts, and the mayor is elected by a citywide vote. All elected positions are elected on a nonpartisan ballot, as required by Texas law. The city council's responsibility is to make all legislative and policy decisions, while the responsibility of the city manager is to decide all administrative decisions. , Mayor , , Mark Hicks, , , - , 1 , , Guessippina Bonner , , , - , 2 , , Robert Shankle , , , - , 3 , , Brent Watkins , , , - , 4 , , Wes Suiter , , , - , 5 , , Rocky Thigpen , , , - , 6 , , Trent Burfine , , * Interm City Manager, Kevin Gee * City Secretary, Kara Andrepon

Crime

In 2018, Lufkin's crime rate was 4,666 crimes per 100,000 persons, which was an overall decrease by 2% from 2017; 134 violent crimes and 1,403 property crimes were reported.

Education

According to the

80.7% of people in Lufkin above the age of 25 are high-school graduates or higher. About 21.5% of people 25 and older have a

bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...

or higher. Almost all of Lufkin's public schools are operated by the

, with a few small sections in the west within the

Hudson Independent School District Hudson Independent School District is a public school district based in Hudson, Texas ( USA). In 2009, the school district was rated " recognized" by the Texas Education Agency. History The current Hudson school began as the traditional "one- ...

. A very small portion of the city on Highway 69 is within Central ISD. Lufkin also has a small charter school,

Pineywoods Community Academy Pineywoods Community Academy, also known by the abbreviation PCA, is a PreK– 12th grade charter school district located in Lufkin, Texas. Curriculum Pineywoods is a Pre-K through twelfth grade charter school. Students in Angelina County, Texas a ...

, that serves grades

Pre-K Pre-kindergarten (also called Pre-K or PK) is a voluntary classroom-based preschool program for children below the age of five in the United States, Canada, Turkey and Greece (when kindergarten starts). It may be delivered through a preschool o ...

– 12 and is an early college high school. Additionally, Lufkin is served by two small

private schools An independent school is independent in its finances and governance. Also known as private schools, non-governmental, privately funded, or non-state schools, they are not administered by local, state or national governments. In British Eng ...

, St. Cyprian's Episcopal School and St. Patrick Catholic School.

, a

community college A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries: many community colleges have an "open enrollment" for students who have graduated from high school (also known as senior se ...

, is located in Lufkin. The college has roughly 5,000 students. Additionally, Stephen F. Austin State University is located not far away in

Nacogdoches, Texas Nacogdoches ( ) is a small city in East Texas and the county seat of Nacogdoches County, Texas, United States. The 2020 U.S. census recorded the city's population at 32,147. Nacogdoches is a sister city of the smaller, similarly named Natchito ...

Infrastructure

Transportation

Lufkin is served by U.S. Highway 69, U.S. Highway 59, State Highway 94, and State Highway 103. Lufkin will be served by the extension to Interstate 69, which is planned to run from the Canada–US border at Port Huron, Michigan, to the Texas/Mexico border. General aviation service is provided by Angelina County Airport. The Coach USA bus lines serve Lufkin, carried under the Kerrville Bus Company.

Brazos Transit District The Brazos Transit District, branded as The District, is the primary provider of mass transportation in a 16-county area of East Texas. The agency was established in 1974 as the Brazos Valley Transit Authority, with the primary purpose of providin ...

(formerly Brazos Valley Transit Authority) provides regularly scheduled public bus service in the Lufkin area. The Angelina and Neches River Railroad (A&NR) runs through Lufkin. It has an approximate length of and connects with the

Union Pacific Railroad The Union Pacific Railroad , legally Union Pacific Railroad Company and often called simply Union Pacific, is a freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Paci ...

lines.

Health care

Lufkin is served by two hospitals: CHI St. Luke's Health Memorial (formerly Memorial Health System of East Texas at Lufkin), which includes the Arthur Temple Sr. Regional Cancer Center, and Woodland Heights Medical Center.

Media

Newspaper

* ''

The Lufkin Daily News ''The Lufkin Daily News'' is a newspaper in the city of Lufkin, Texas, United States. History ''The Lufkin Daily News'' was the first daily newspaper in Lufkin, founded in 1906 by Charles L. Schless, who came to the city from Chicago to begin the ...

Television

* KTRE: KTRE Channel 9 (ABC) * KYTX: KYTX Channel 19 (CBS) * KFXK-LP: KFXL Channel 30 (FOX) * KLNM-LD: Millennium Communications (AmericaOne) Digital 42.1 and 42.2(AMGTV)

Radio

AM stations

* KRBA: 1340 AM The Pioneer radio station in East Texas. Established in 1938. (News/Talk, Variety) * KSML (AM): ESPN 1260 (Sports) *

KSFA KSFA (860 AM) is a terrestrial American conservative news and talk radio station licensed to Nacogdoches, Texas, and serving the Lufkin/Nacogdoches area. The facility is under ownership of Townsquare Media. Notable weekday programming includes s ...

: News Talk 860 (News/Talk) * XEG: 1050 AM La Ranchera de Monterrey (Regional Mexican) (Night Time)

FM stations

* KSAU: 90.1 Your East Texas Alternative (College) *

KYKS KYKS (105.1 FM) is a terrestrial radio station serving the Lufkin/Nacogdoches area with a country music format. It is under currently under ownership of Townsquare Media. History KYKS was first proposed by K.M. Bardield, under the licensee name ...

: Kicks 105 (Country) * KJCS: 103 The Bull (Classic Country) * KYBI: Y100 (Country) * KSML-FM: Super Mix 101.9 (Regional Mexican) *

KAFX-FM KAFX-FM (95.5 FM) is a radio station that airs a Top 40 (CHR) format in the Lufkin and Nacogdoches, Texas areas. The station is owned by Townsquare Media and is licensed to Diboll, Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a ...

: KFOX 95.5 (Top 40) * KLDN: Red River Radio (NPR) *

KTBQ KTBQ (107.7 FM) is a classic rock formatted radio station serving the Lufkin/Nacogdoches area. Q107 is under ownership of Townsquare Media, and has featured the Classic rock formst since 1997. History In 1989 Ken Williams from Center City Commu ...

: Classic Rock Q107 (Classic Rock) * KVLL: La Mejor 94.7 (Regional Mexican) * KSWP: 90.9 KSWP (Contemporary Christian) * KAVX: KAVX 91.9 (Christian talk) * KXXE: The New Country Channel (Hot Country) * KOYE: La Invasora 97.5 (Regional Mexican) *

KTHT KTHT (97.1 FM "Country Legends 97.1") is a commercial radio station licensed to Cleveland, Texas, and serves the northern section of Greater Houston. The station airs a classic country radio format and is owned by Cox Radio, along with KGLK, K ...

: Country Legends 97.1 (Classic Country) * KGFZ: Z-97.7 (Hip Hop/R&B) *

KHPT KHPT (106.9 FM, "Houston's Eagle @ 106.9 & 107.5") is a classic rock-formatted radio station licensed to Conroe, Texas, which simulcasts on KGLK (107.5 FM). It is owned by Cox Media Group, and is part of the Houston cluster that also includes KK ...

: The Eagle 106.9 (107.5 simulcast

KGLK KGLK (107.5 FM broadcasting, FM, "The Eagle @ 106.9 & 107.5") is a classic rock-formatted radio station licensed to Lake Jackson, Texas, and simulcast on KHPT in Conroe, Texas, Conroe. The facility is owned by Cox Media Group, and is part of a fo ...

) (Classic Rock)

Notable people

* Jacques Abram, classical pianist *

, member of the

from Lufkin *

Brandon Belt Brandon Kyle Belt (born April 20, 1988), nicknamed "Baby Giraffe", "Sparky", and “Captain”, is an American professional baseball first baseman for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the S ...

San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Y ...

first baseman A first baseman, abbreviated 1B, is the player on a baseball or softball team who fields the area nearest first base, the first of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. The first baseman is responsible for the majori ...

and 2012, 2014 World Series champion *

Dez Bryant Desmond Demond Bryant (born November 4, 1988) is an American football wide receiver who is a free agent. He played college football at Oklahoma State, where he earned All-American honors in 2008. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the fir ...

, former

Oklahoma State University Oklahoma (; Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the north, Missouri on the northeast, Arkansas on the east, New ...

standout; former

Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divi ...

wide receiver. Current NFL Free Agent * Carrington Byndom, former

Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. ...

cornerback, current NFL Free Agent *

Corey Clark Corey Delaney Clark (born July 13, 1980) is an American singer. He is known for his highly publicized disqualification from the second season of ''American Idol'' and later allegations of a sexual relationship with then-''Idol'' judge Paula Abd ...

American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to Ap ...

contestant, famous for his alleged affair with Paula Abdul, and disqualification from the show for legal troubles *

Keke Coutee Key’vantanie "Keke" Coutee (born January 14, 1997) is an American football wide receiver who is a free agent. He played college football at Texas Tech. Early years Coutee attended Lufkin High School in Lufkin, Texas. As a senior at Lufkin ...

, Houston Texans wide receiver * Anthony Denman, former NFL linebacker * Medford Bryan Evans, college professor, author, conservative political activist, born in Lufkin in 1907 * Jermichael Finley, former

Texas Longhorns football The Texas Longhorns football program is the intercollegiate team representing the University of Texas at Austin (variously Texas or UT) in the sport of American football. The Longhorns compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision ...

standout and Green Bay Packers tight end * William Delbert Gann, finance trader * Rex Hadnot, former Houston Cougars guard and San Diego Chargers guard *

Dante Hall Damieon Dante Hall (born September 20, 1978) is an American former football wide receiver and return specialist who played nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He is nicknamed the "Human Joystick" and the "X-Factor". Hall was a ...

, former

Texas A&M Texas A&M University (Texas A&M, A&M, or TAMU) is a public, land-grant, research university in College Station, Texas. It was founded in 1876 and became the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System in 1948. As of late 2021, T ...

running back, former

Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The ...

and

St. Louis Rams The St. Louis Rams were a professional American football team of the National Football League (NFL). They played in St. Louis from 1995 to the 2015 season, before moving back to Los Angeles, where the team had played from 1946 to 1994. The arr ...

wide receiver and return specialist * Max Hopper, pre-eminent modern-era CIO and a founding father of IT-inspired competitive advantage * Ken Houston, Lufkin Dunbar graduate who played for the

Houston Oilers The Houston Oilers were a professional American football team that played in Houston from its founding in 1960 to 1996 before relocating to Memphis, and later Nashville, Tennessee becoming the Tennessee Titans. The Oilers began play in 1960 a ...

and

Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...

Pro Football Hall of Fame The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional American football, located in Canton, Ohio. Opened on September 7, , the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of professional football, including players, coa ...

r * Ray Jones, former NFL defensive back * Reagan Jones, founder and vocalist of electronica band

Iris Iris most often refers to: *Iris (anatomy), part of the eye *Iris (mythology), a Greek goddess * ''Iris'' (plant), a genus of flowering plants * Iris (color), an ambiguous color term Iris or IRIS may also refer to: Arts and media Fictional ent ...

* Terrence Kiel, former Texas A&M University and San Diego Chargers safety * Jorvorskie Lane, former

Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The cl ...

fullback, former Texas A&M University football player, held school record for career rushing touchdowns (49) for three years * Abe Martin, college football coach * Reggie McNeal, former Texas A&M University quarterback and Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver * Don Muhlbach, former Texas A&M University football player; current Detroit Lions long snapper * Tom Murphy, former

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

pitcher * Jim Reese, former guitarist for the Bobby Fuller Four, lived there until his death in 1991 and is buried in the Garden of Memories cemetery. * Joe Robb, former NFL lineman *

Ryan Rottman Ryan may refer to: People and fictional characters * Ryan (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name) * Ryan (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the name) Places Australia * Division of Ryan, an elect ...

, actor *

Pete Runnels James Edward "Pete" Runnels (January 28, 1928 – May 20, 1991) was an American professional baseball player, coach and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as an infielder for the Washington Senators (1951–57), Boston Red Sox (1958–62 ...

, former Washington Senators,

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eigh ...

, and Houston Colt .45s infielder * Kimberly Saenz, convicted serial killer * Chris Seelbach, former

Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The Braves were founded in Bos ...

pitcher * Jacoby Shepherd, former NFL cornerback * Allan Shivers, 37th Texas governor, 1949–1957 *

Tedashii Tedashii Lavoy Anderson (born March 8, 1977), known simply as Tedashii, is an American Christian hip hop artist and member of the hip-hop troupe, 116 Clique. He also hosted the NGEN Radio show "Serium". Tedashii has released five solo albums, '' ...

, Christian rapper * Buddy Temple, businessman and former politician * T.J. Turner, former NFL defensive end * Charlie Wilson, former U.S Representative best known for his involvement in

Operation Cyclone Operation Cyclone was the code name for the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) program to arm and finance the Afghan mujahideen in Afghanistan from 1979 to 1992, prior to and during the military intervention by the USSR in suppor ...

, as depicted in the

book A book is a medium for recording information in the form of writing or images, typically composed of many pages (made of papyrus, parchment, vellum, or paper) bound together and protected by a cover. The technical term for this physi ...

and

movie A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

''Charlie Wilson's War'' * J. Frank Wilson, lead vocalist of J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers

References

External links

* {{authority control Cities in Angelina County, Texas Cities in Texas County seats in Texas Micropolitan areas of Texas