Homer, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Homer, Texas
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 Homer, Texas
Location in Texas
Homer, Texas
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Angelina |
| Elevation | 312 ft (95 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 936 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1359485 |
Homer is a small, unincorporated community in Angelina County, Texas. An unincorporated community is a place where people live but it doesn't have its own local government. Homer is located southeast of Lufkin in a part of Texas called Deep East Texas. In the early 1990s and 2000s, about 360 people lived there. Homer is also part of the Lufkin micropolitan area, which is a region centered around Lufkin.
Contents
A Look Back at Homer's History
Homer Becomes County Seat
Homer was once a very important place for Angelina County. It was the third of four county seats. A county seat is like the main town or city in a county, where the government offices are located. In 1858, people living in the area voted for Homer to be the county seat instead of a nearby place called Jonesville. They even wanted to rename the community "Angelina," but people kept calling it Homer. So, in 1862, its name was officially changed back to Homer.
The county courthouse from Marion, which was the first county seat, was moved to Homer in 1858. Construction for Homer's own courthouse began in 1861. However, work stopped because of the American Civil War. Only one wall was built before it was later taken down. In 1873, a new two-story wooden courthouse was finally built and finished in Homer.
Growth and Challenges
From 1858 through the early 1880s, Homer became the most successful community in Angelina County. It had the county's first church and most of the county's main businesses. It also had the county's first mechanical sawmill, which cut wood.
In 1881, the Houston, East, and West Texas Railway built a train track. This track went through the nearby city of Lufkin. Lufkin was Homer's main economic rival. There were rumors that the railroad purposely avoided Homer. People said the survey crew was angry after being arrested in Homer for a fight. However, this was not true. The railroad chose Lufkin because the route was easier to build there. Also, many Lufkin residents gave land for the tracks.
Even at its busiest, Homer never had more than 500 people. Many county businesses moved to Lufkin to be closer to the railroad. People tried to move the courthouse to Lufkin too. But in 1885, an election was held. Everyone voted to keep Homer as the county seat.
Homer's Decline
Homer was still doing well in the 1880s, even though the railroad was 6 miles north. In 1884, it had 300 people, three churches, and two gristmills (for grinding grain). It also had a steam-powered sawmill and a cotton gin (for cleaning cotton). Mail was delivered every day. Homer's main goods were lumber, livestock (farm animals), and cotton.
However, this success ended in November 1891. The Homer courthouse burned down completely. The next year, Lufkin became the county seat. Homer's population then dropped sharply. Its population decreased further due to a conflict between two families in 1900. In 1904, only 166 people lived there. A decade later, it was down to 75. It grew a bit to 130 in 1925.
Homer continued to grow in the 1960s. By the end of that decade, it had a shopping center and several new homes. Even though it is an unincorporated community, some reports say residents voted to make it an official town in 1971. From the early 1990s through 2000, its population was about 360.
Today, Homer is very small. Most residents use Lufkin mailing addresses. Many people who live in Homer consider themselves Lufkin residents.
Where is Homer Located?
Homer is located along U.S. Highway 69. It is about 6 miles (9.7 km) southeast of Lufkin. This highway is a main road that leads to Sam Rayburn Reservoir, a large lake.
Learning in Homer
Homer had two schools in 1884. Today, students living in Homer attend schools in the Lufkin Independent School District.
