Bland Lake

San Augustine County is in extreme East Texas, twenty-three miles from the eastern state boundary. It is bordered by the Attoyac River on the west, Sabine County on the east, Shelby County to the north, and Sam Rayburn Reservoir to the south. San Augustine, the largest town and county seat, is just north of the county center, 31°28' north latitude and 94°08' west longitude, at the intersection of U.S. Highway 96, State highways 21 and 147, and Farm roads 711, 2213, and 353. The Timberrock Railroad enters the county from the north and bisects the county. The county comprises 524 square miles of the East Texas Timberlands region. It is covered in pines interspersed with hardwoods, particularly oaks, and some native grasses. The soil varies from light-colored sandy loams over red clay in the north to darker loam-covered clay in the south. Elevation ranges from 150 to 400 feet above mean sea level. Mineral resources include oil, gas, lignite coal, industrial sand, and ceramic clay. Between 21 and 30 percent of the soil is prime farmland. The climate is warm and moist, with annual rainfall averaging forty-eight inches. Temperatures range from an average low of 36° F in January to 94° in July. The first freeze is usually in mid-November and the last in mid-March, providing a 238-day growing season.

Adapted from the official Handbook of Texas, a state encyclopedia developed by the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA). It is an authoritative source of trusted historical records.