East Mayfield, Texas facts for kids
East Mayfield was a small town in central Sabine County, Texas, in the United States. It was named after Earle Bradford Mayfield, who was a state senator and later a U.S. senator. The town started to grow around 1912. This happened after the Knox Lumber Company opened a large mill there.
Contents
A Town Built on Timber
East Mayfield's story is closely tied to the lumber industry. The town grew because of the big sawmill.
How East Mayfield Began
East Mayfield officially became a town on January 8, 1919. This happened after a special vote. Fifty-five people voted for the town to become official, and no one voted against it.
The Lumber Mill's Role
In 1922, the Knox Lumber Company sold its mill and all its forest land. The new owner was the Temple Lumber Company. Both companies used a railway line called the Hemphill & Gulf Railroad. This train line helped move wood and supplies to and from the sawmill in East Mayfield. By 1930, East Mayfield had 1,179 people living there. Most adults in the town worked at the lumber company.
The End of East Mayfield
The Temple Lumber Company kept running the mill until 1937. That year, a fire destroyed the mill. The company decided not to rebuild it. This was because most of the trees on their land had already been cut down. Without the mill, the town began to shrink. On November 20, 1939, the people of East Mayfield voted again. This time, they voted to stop being an official town.
What Remains Today
Today, the area where East Mayfield once stood is part of Hemphill. Hemphill is the main town in Sabine County. A special historical marker is there to remember East Mayfield.
