Courthouse Whistle Stop Cafe, Livingston, TX IMG 8283

Central Baptist Church, Livingston, TX IMG 8300

Livingston is a town in and the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...

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 ...

. With a population of 5,640 at the 2020 census, it is the largest city in Polk County. It is located about 46 miles south of

Lufkin Lufkin is the largest city in Angelina County, Texas and the county seat. The city is situated in Deep East Texas and about 60 miles west of the Texas-Louisiana border. Its estimated population is 35,021 as of July 1, 2019. Lufkin was founded ...

and was originally settled in 1835 as Springfield. Its name was changed in 1846 to Livingston, when it was designated as the county seat of Polk County. The Alabama-Coushatta Indian Reservation is located to the east of Livingston. This people traditionally occupied territory in what is now east Texas and Louisiana. The 2000 census reported a resident population of 480 persons within the reservation. The tribe has nearly 1200 enrolled members.

Geography

Livingston is located at (30.709518, –94.934443). 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 th ...

, the town has a total area of , of which, are land and 0.12% is covered by water. However, the town of Livingston is about east of

Lake Livingston Lake Livingston is a reservoir located in the East Texas Piney Woods. Lake Livingston was built and is owned and operated by the Trinity River Authority (TRA) of Texas under contract with the City of Houston for water-supply purposes. The lake is ...

, which is the largest drinking-water

reservoir A reservoir (; from French ''réservoir'' ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam. Such a dam may be either artificial, built to store fresh water or it may be a natural formation. Reservoirs can be created in a number of ways, including contr ...

in Texas.

Elevation The elevation of a geographic location is its height above or below a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface (see Geodetic datum § ...

: 148 ft The zip code is 77351 for the general area of Livingston.

Demographics

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 off ...

, there were 5,640 people, 1,951 households, and 1,268 families residing in the town. The population in the 2010 census was 5,335, and was estimated to be 5,128 in 2018. 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 inc ...

of 2000, the

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...

was 649.9 inhabitants per square mile (250.9/km). The 2,358 housing units averaged 282.1 per square mile (108.9/km). 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 town was 70.38% White, 18.50% African American, 0.64% Native American, 0.83% Asian, 8.08% from other races, and 1.56% from two or more races. About 13.90% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 2,048 households, 34.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.4% were married couples living together, 16.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.5% were not families. About 30.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.13. In the town, the population was distributed as 27.7% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 19.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.2 males. The median income for a household in the town was $31,424, and for a family was $37,868. Males had a median income of $30,318 versus $21,774 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the town was $17,214. About 18.2% of families and 22.3% of the population were 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 ...

, including 27.7% of those under age 18 and 17.4% of those age 65 or over. In the 2010 Census, Livingston lost 1.8% of its populatio
2010 Census for Livingston, Texas

Government and infrastructure

The

United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the ...

operates the Livingston Post Office. The Livingston Municipal Airport, operated by the City of Livingston, is located in West Livingston.West Livingston CDP, Texas
."

U.S. 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 the ...

. Retrieved on May 9, 2010.Municipal Airport
." City of Livingston. Retrieved on May 9, 2010. Nearby West Livingston has the

Texas Department of Criminal Justice The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) is a department of the government of the U.S. state of Texas. The TDCJ is responsible for statewide criminal justice for adult offenders, including managing offenders in state prisons, state jai ...

Allan B. Polunsky Unit Allan B. Polunsky Unit (TL, formerly the Terrell Unit) is a prison in West Livingston, unincorporated Polk County, Texas, United States, located approximately southwest of Livingston along Farm to Market Road 350. - Note the 2010 U.S. Cen ...

.Polunsky Unit
."

. Retrieved on May 7, 2010. Since 1999 this prison has been the location of Texas's

death row Death row, also known as condemned row, is a place in a prison that houses inmates awaiting execution after being convicted of a capital crime and sentenced to death. The term is also used figuratively to describe the state of awaiting execution ...

. A few miles outside of Livingston is the IAH Polk County Secure Adult Detention Center, which houses around 700 immigrant men daily who have been detained by federal agents of

Immigration and Customs Enforcement The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is a federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. ICE's stated mission is to protect the United States from the cross-border crime and illegal immigration tha ...

. Run by the private-prison company

Community Education Centers Community Education Centers, Inc. (abbreviated CEC) was a private corrections company based in West Caldwell, New Jersey that operated residential reentry facilities, jails, and in-prison drug treatment programs in seventeen American states and Berm ...

, the facility has frequently been criticized for its subpar treatment of migrants. It is ranked as one of the 10 worst detention centers in the nation, which are the subject of a nationwide campaign by activists to close them.

Local government

Livingston has a manager-council system of government. It elects a mayor

at-large At large (''before a noun'': at-large) is a description for members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent a whole membership or population (notably a city, county, state, province, nation, club or association), rather than ...

, and has a city council made up of members elected from

single-member district A single-member district is an electoral district represented by a single officeholder. It contrasts with a multi-member district, which is represented by multiple officeholders. Single-member districts are also sometimes called single-winner vo ...

s. The city council hires a professional city manager to handle operations. The current mayor is Judy Cochran.

Economy

The major employers in Livingston are lumber operations and the Polunsky Unit state prison in West Livingston. Livingston is the headquarters to two regional bank systems, the First National Bank and the First State Bank. First State Bank has its main office in downtown Livingston and branches in Livingston (west side of town on Highway 190), Onalaska, and

Shepherd A shepherd or sheepherder is a person who tends, herds, feeds, or guards flocks of sheep. ''Shepherd'' derives from Old English ''sceaphierde (''sceap'' 'sheep' + ''hierde'' ' herder'). ''Shepherding is one of the world's oldest occupations, ...

. First National Bank has its main office on Highway 190 and branches in downtown Livingston and Onalaska.

Transportation

The city's airport, Livingston Municipal Airport (LMA) is located to the southwest of the city. It is classified as a general-aviation facility serving private aircraft. Major highways: * US 59

U.S. Highway 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 ...

** U.S. 59 is scheduled to be upgraded to I-69 (TX)

Interstate 69 Interstate 69 (I-69) is an Interstate Highway in the United States currently consisting of 10 unconnected segments with an original continuous segment from Indianapolis, Indiana, northeast to the Canadian border in Port Huron, Michigan, ...

. *

U.S. Highway 190 U.S. Route 190 (US 190) is an east–west United States Highway in Louisiana and Texas. Segments of US 190 will be upgraded to Interstate 14 (I-14); the first segment was opened on January 26, 2017. Route description , - , TX , , - , ...

State Highway 146

Education

The City of Livingston is served by the

Livingston Independent School District Livingston Independent School District (LISD) is a public school district based in Livingston, Texas, United States. LISD celebrated its 100th anniversary on April 26, 2008. In addition to Livingston, the district also serves the census-designa ...

. The

Texas Legislature The Texas Legislature is the state legislature of the US state of Texas. It is a bicameral body composed of a 31-member Senate and a 150-member House of Representatives. The state legislature meets at the Capitol in Austin. It is a powerful ar ...

designated Polk County as within the boundary of Angelina College's district. Polk County Community College opened in the fall of 2014. The college offers various classes and two-year associate degrees.

Recreation

Lake Evelyn is within the borders of Camp Cho-Yeh, which began operation in the 1940s; it continues to operate as a summer camp and retreat center. Cho-Yeh means 'land of tall pines', and was so named because of the large pine trees on the property. Cho-Yeh is also used by Texas A&M Galveston for their yearly Fish Camp to introduce TAMUG students to the traditions of the university system.

Notable people

* Laci Kaye Booth, ''American Idol'' contestant 2019, top-five finalist * Paul Carr, NFL and

University of Houston The University of Houston (UH) is a Public university, public research university in Houston, Texas. Founded in 1927, UH is a member of the University of Houston System and the List of universities in Texas by enrollment, university in Texas ...

football player; he worked and lived in Livingston as the elementary school physical-education coach * Billy Eli, musician and songwriter * Clem Fain, Jr., Texas state senator, honorary chief of and Texas agent for the Alabama-Coushatta *

Percy Foreman Percy Eugene Foreman (June 21, 1902 – August 25, 1988) was a criminal defense attorney from Houston, Texas. Foreman was born near Bold Springs, Texas. Foreman moved to Livingston, Texas when he was six years old. He was the son of Ransom Pa ...

, criminal defense attorney *

Annette Gordon-Reed Annette Gordon-Reed (born November 19, 1958) is an American historian and law professor. She is currently the Carl M. Loeb University Professor at Harvard University and a professor of history in the university's Faculty of Arts & Sciences. She ...

, Harvard historian and law professor, winner of the

Pulitzer Prize for History The Pulitzer Prize for History, administered by Columbia University, is one of the seven American Pulitzer Prizes that are annually awarded for Letters, Drama, and Music. It has been presented since 1917 for a distinguished book about the history ...

and the National Book Award for Nonfiction, was born here and grew up in nearby

Conroe, Texas Conroe is a city in and the county seat of Montgomery County, Texas, United States, about north of Houston. It is a principal city in the metropolitan area. As of 2021, the population was 98,081, up from 56,207 in 2010. Since 2007, the ...

* Lyda Green, Alaska state senator for 14 years * Margo Jones, stage director who launched the careers of

Tennessee Williams Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26, 1911 – February 25, 1983), known by his pen name Tennessee Williams, was an American playwright and screenwriter. Along with contemporaries Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller, he is considered among the thr ...

and Ray Walston, and directed Williams's ''

The Glass Menagerie ''The Glass Menagerie'' is a memory play by Tennessee Williams that premiered in 1944 and catapulted Williams from obscurity to fame. The play has strong autobiographical elements, featuring characters based on its author, his Histrionic persona ...

'' on

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

* Long King, Principal chief of the Coushatta Indians"Alabama-Coushatta Indians"
''Texas Handbook Online'' *

Sally Mayes Sally Lee Mayes is an American actress and cabaret and concert singer. Biography Born in Livingston, Texas, Mayes began her career as a rock and jazz singer in Houston. She attended the University of Houston.Mark Moseley Mark DeWayne Moseley (born March 12, 1948) is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons. He played for Philadelphia Eagles (1970), the Houston Oilers (1971–72 ...

Super Bowl XVII Super Bowl XVII was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Miami Dolphins and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Washington Redskins to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion ...

and the 1982 National Football League Most Valuable Player Award as a

placekicker Placekicker, or simply kicker (PK or K), is the player in gridiron football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals and extra points. In many cases, the placekicker also serves as the team's kickoff specialist or punter. S ...

* Lt. James N. Parker, Jr., Co-pilot of crew number 9 in the

Doolittle Raid The Doolittle Raid, also known as the Tokyo Raid, was an air raid on 18 April 1942 by the United States on the Japanese capital Tokyo and other places on Honshu during World War II. It was the first American air operation to strike the Japa ...

('' Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo''), awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross * Gene Phillips, Professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...

player * Isaac Newton Turner, Captain in the Civil War with

Hood's Brigade The Texas Brigade (also known as Hood's Brigade) was an infantry formation of the Confederate States Army, Confederate Army that distinguished itself in the American Civil War. Along with the Stonewall Brigade, they were considered the Confederate ...

* Samuel M. Whitside, Commanded Camp Livingston in the late 1860s during the reconstruction periodRussell, Major Samuel L., "Selfless Service: The Cavalry Career of Brigadier General Samuel M. Whitside from 1858 to 1902." MMAS Thesis, Fort Leavenworth: U.S. Command and General Staff College, 2002. * Brad Womack, star of ABC's '' The Bachelor'' seasons 11 and 15

Media

* KCTL Television * KETX Television * STRYK TV – Video Country Locally owned & operated by Mouser Media * KETX Radio (1440 KETX (AM) * KEHH * PolkCountyToday.com (news website) * ''Polk County Enterprise'' (newspaper), East Texas News (online version of the "Polk County Enterprise") * Livingston Dunbar (1A-PVIL) state champions 1954 * Livingston Dunbar (1A-PVIL) state champions 1958 * Livingston Dunbar (1A-PVIL) state runner-up 1959 High-school basketball: * Livingston High (all schools in one division) 1939 * Livingston Dunbar (1A-PVIL) Runner Up 1952

Tourism and recreation

Destinations

* Lake Livingston State Parkbr>

Pedigo Park
* Alabama-Coushatta Indian Reservation

Attractions

Light of Saratoga The Light of Saratoga is a legend located in the Big Thicket of Southeast Texas. This legend of a mysterious light is also known as the Ghost Road of Saratoga, the Saratoga Light, and Bragg Light by local residents. Located on a dirt road, it is a ...

at Bragg Road * 391 Historical Markers * Polk County Museum

* Swartout: Former River

Ferry A ferry is a ship, watercraft or amphibious vehicle used to carry passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo, across a body of water. A passenger ferry with many stops, such as in Venice, Italy, is sometimes called a water bus or water ta ...

Town, now a

ghost town Ghost Town(s) or Ghosttown may refer to: * Ghost town, a town that has been abandoned Film and television * ''Ghost Town'' (1936 film), an American Western film by Harry L. Fraser * ''Ghost Town'' (1956 film), an American Western film by All ...

Events

* Trinity Neches

Livestock show A livestock show is an event where livestock are exhibited and judged on certain phenotypical breed traits as specified by their respective breed standard. Species of livestock that may be shown include pigs, cattle, sheep, goats, horses, llam ...

and

Rodeo Rodeo () is a competitive equestrian sport that arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain and Mexico, expanding throughout the Americas and to other nations. It was originally based on the skills required of the working vaq ...

(founded in 1945) * Polk County

Fireworks Fireworks are a class of low explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. They are most commonly used in fireworks displays (also called a fireworks show or pyrotechnics), combining a large number of devices ...

on Lake Livingston * Annual Jingle Bell Fun Run and Walk * Hometown Christmas * 5k Dam Run

Entertainment references

Lake Livingston was featured on the third episode of the first season of the television show, '' River Monsters'', which airs on

Animal Planet Animal Planet (stylized in all lowercase since 2018) is an American multinational pay television channel owned by the Warner Bros. Discovery Networks unit of Warner Bros. Discovery. First established on June 1, 1996, the network is primarily ...

. The host, Jeremy Wade, was searching for

alligator gar The alligator gar (''Atractosteus spatula'') is a ray-finned euryhaline fish related to the bowfin in the infraclass Holostei . It is the largest species in the gar family, and among the largest freshwater fish in North America. The fossil rec ...

References

External links

Livingston City website

Livingston-Polk County Chamber of Commerce

Livingston ISD

Lake Livingston Recreational Home Page

Dentists In Livingston TX
{{authority control Towns in Polk County, Texas Towns in Texas County seats in Texas Populated places established in 1835