Lufkin
Lufkin, Texas
Lufkin, the county seat of Angelina County, is at the intersection of U.S. highways 59 and 69, a few miles northwest of the geographic center of the county in the heart of the Piney Woods of East Texas. It was founded in 1882 as a stop on the Houston, East and West Texas Railway, when the line built from Houston to Shreveport, Louisiana, and named for Capt. Abraham P. Lufkin, a Galveston cotton merchant and city councilman, who was a close friend of HE&WT president Paul Bremond. Lufkin grew both because of its proximity to the railroad and because of the extensive lumber industry in the surrounding area. The history of Lufkin may be divided into three principal eras. The first, which centered on the arrival of the railroad and the progress it precipitated, occurred between 1882 and 1890. The second, marked by a timber boom that produced hundreds of sawmills in the Piney Woods, took place between 1890 and 1920. The third, often called the town's "golden era of expansion," occurred between 1938 and 1945, when industrial expansion produced thousands of new jobs and widespread community growth.
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.
Lufkin at a Glance
Belongs to
Lufkin is part of or belongs to the following places.
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Currently Exists
Yes
Place type
Lufkin is classified as a Town
Associated Names
- (Denman Springs)
Locations
-
- Latitude
- 31.32755440
- Longitude
- -94.72672500
Has Post Office
Yes
Is Incorporated
Yes
Photos of Lufkin and surrounding areas
Lufkin, Texas
View of downtown Lufkin, the seat of Angelina County, Texas. Photograph Credit: Billy Hathorn.

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Lufkin by the Numbers
Population Counts
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Population Counts
Lufkin
Pop. | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
34,143 | 2020 | United States Census Bureau |
37,047 | 2019 | Texas Demographic Center |
35,067 | 2010 | United States Census Bureau |
32,709 | 2000 | United States Census Bureau |
30,206 | 1990 | United States Census Bureau |
28,562 | 1980 | United States Census Bureau |
23,049 | 1970 | United States Census Bureau |
17,641 | 1960 | United States Census Bureau |
15,135 | 1950 | United States Census Bureau |
9,567 | 1940 | United States Census Bureau |
7,331 | 1930 | United States Census Bureau |
4,878 | 1920 | United States Census Bureau |
2,749 | 1910 | United States Census Bureau |
1,527 | 1900 | United States Census Bureau |
529 | 1890 | United States Census Bureau |