Lufkin, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lufkin
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      Clockwise from top: Downtown; City Hall; Kurth Memorial Library; welcome sign; Perry Building and Pines Theater
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Location in Angelina County
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 Lufkin
Location in Texas
Lufkin
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Angelina |
| Founded | 1882 |
| Incorporated | October 15, 1890 |
| Named for | Abraham P. Lufkin |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council-manager |
| Area | |
| • Total | 34.48 sq mi (89.30 km2) |
| • Land | 34.21 sq mi (88.60 km2) |
| • Water | 0.27 sq mi (0.71 km2) |
| Elevation | 312 ft (95 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 34,143 |
| • Density | 998.13/sq mi (385.38/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
75901, 75902, 75903, 75904, 75915
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| Area code | 936 |
| FIPS code | 48-45072 exp |
| GNIS feature ID | 1382208 |
Lufkin is the largest city in Angelina County, Texas, United States and is the county seat. The city is situated in Deep East Texas and is 60 mi (97 km) west of the Texas- Louisiana state line. Its population is 34,143 as of 2020.
Lufkin was founded in 1884 and named for Abraham P. Lufkin. It originally served as a stop on the Houston, East and West Texas Railway. It was officially incorporated on October 15, 1890. Lufkin continued to serve as a stop on the railroad until 1890. Three businessmen founded Angelina Lumber Company, which led to much of the economic prosperity Lufkin later enjoyed. When the so-called "timber boom" came to an end, a new "golden era of expansion" began. Lufkin became more industrialized with the opening of Lufkin Industries and Southland Paper Mill. In the mid-1960s, a cultural expansion began, and improvements were made to education and the way of life, including museums and the opening of a new library.
The City of Lufkin has a council–manager government, with six city council members, a mayor, and a city manager. The Lufkin Independent School District encompasses most of Lufkin and operates almost all of the schools within Lufkin. Additionally, Angelina College, a community college, is located in Lufkin.
Contents
History
The city is named for Abraham P. Lufkin, a cotton merchant and Galveston city councilman. Lufkin was the father-in-law of Paul Bremond, president of the Houston, East and West Texas Railway which developed the town.
In 1906 while living in Lufkin, writer Katherine Anne Porter married her first husband John Henry Koontze in a double ring ceremony that also saw her sister Gay Porter marry T.H. Holloway. The minister who presided over the ceremony was Rev. Ira Bryce, serving at the time at Lufkin's First Methodist Church.
In 1907 Allan Shivers the 37th Governor of Texas was born in Lufkin. He served as governor from 1949 to 1957.
Debris from the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster fell over the Lufkin area on February 1, 2003.
Lufkin celebrated its 125th anniversary in October 2007.
Geography
Lufkin is located at 31°20′13″N 94°43′49″W / 31.33694°N 94.73028°W (31.336874, -94.730374).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 34.5 square miles (89 km2), of which, 34.2 square miles (89 km2) of it is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2) is water.
Lufkin is at the crossroads of East Texas at the intersections of Highways US 59, future Interstate 69, which leads to Houston and the Rio Grande Valley to the south and Nacogdoches and Texarkana to the north, and US 69, which leads from the Golden Triangle of southeast Texas (Port Arthur and Beaumont) to points such as Jacksonville, Tyler, Dallas, and Oklahoma to the north.
Lufkin is 120 miles (190 km) northeast of Houston.
Climate
| Weather chart for Lufkin, Texas | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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4.5
59
38
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3.2
65
41
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3.5
72
48
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3.1
78
54
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5.3
84
63
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4.2
90
69
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2.5
93
72
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3.1
94
71
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4.1
89
66
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4.1
80
55
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4.5
69
46
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4.4
61
39
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| temperatures in °F precipitation totals in inches source: Weather.com / NWS |
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Metric conversion
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- On average, the warmest month is August.
- The highest recorded temperature was 110 °F in 1909.
- On average, the coolest month is January.
- The lowest recorded temperature was -2 °F in 1930.
- The maximum average precipitation occurs in May.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 529 | — | |
| 1900 | 1,527 | 188.7% | |
| 1910 | 2,749 | 80.0% | |
| 1920 | 4,878 | 77.4% | |
| 1930 | 7,311 | 49.9% | |
| 1940 | 9,567 | 30.9% | |
| 1950 | 15,135 | 58.2% | |
| 1960 | 17,641 | 16.6% | |
| 1970 | 23,049 | 30.7% | |
| 1980 | 28,562 | 23.9% | |
| 1990 | 30,206 | 5.8% | |
| 2000 | 32,709 | 8.3% | |
| 2010 | 35,067 | 7.2% | |
| 2020 | 34,143 | −2.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
| Race | Number | Percentage |
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| White (NH) | 13,871 | 40.63% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 9,045 | 26.49% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 56 | 0.16% |
| Asian (NH) | 668 | 1.96% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 15 | 0.04% |
| Some Other Race (NH) | 89 | 0.26% |
| Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) | 992 | 2.91% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 9,407 | 27.55% |
| Total | 34,143 |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 34,143 people, 12,755 households, and 8,277 families residing in the city. The population of the city was estimated to be 35,021 in 2019.
At the 2019 census estimates, the racial makeup of the city is estimated to be 66.6% White, 25.2% African American, 0.7% American Indian or Alaska native, 2.2% Asian, and 2.2% of two or more races. Hispanic or Latinos of any race were estimated to be 28.6%. White alone (not Hispanic or Latino) is estimated to be 41.8%; 11.3% of the population is estimated to be foreign born. An estimated 24.4% of homes are thought to speak a language other than English.
With an estimated 12,910 households, the city averaged 2.68 persons per household. The median household income is estimated to be $43,803, and the per capita income is $23,134; 20.9% of persons are believed to be below the poverty line.
Economy
Lufkin is home to Lufkin Industries and Lufkin Gears LLC, which manufactures and services oil field equipment and power transmission equipment, and supplies of creosote-treated utility poles. It is also home to the Atkinson Candy Company, the creator of the Chick-O-Stick, and Brookshire Brothers, a chain of grocery stores in Texas and Louisiana. Lufkin received Texas's first biomass power plant in late 2009. Aspen Power is building the power plant.
Some of the city's major employers include:
- Angelina College, community college with enrollment of 5,000
- Atkinson Candy Company, founded and headquartered in Lufkin
- Brookshire Brothers, a regional grocery company founded and headquartered in Lufkin
- Lufkin Industries, founded and headquartered in Lufkin, oil pumping manufacturer
- Lufkin Gears LLC, founded and headquartered in Lufkin, power transmission equipment manufacturer
- Lufkin Independent School District
- Pilgrim's, poultry processor that employs more than 1,500 people
- Stephen F. Austin State University, state university (located in Nacogdoches; some employees reside in Lufkin)
- Temple-Inland is Fortune 500 company that produces paper, wood, and other related products. Headquartered in Diboll, 15 miles (24 km) south of Lufkin, it has employment in Lufkin, as well. Temple-Inland was sold to International Paper.
According to the city's 2019 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:
| # | Employer | # of Employees | Percentage of Total City Employment |
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| 1 | Lufkin Independent School District | 1000+ | 2.34% |
| 2 | Pilgrim's Pride | 1000+ | 1.98% |
| 3 | Brookshire Brothers | 1000+ | 1.67% |
| 4 | Lufkin State Supporting Living Center | 1000+ | 1.67% |
| 5 | CHI St. Luke's Health Memorial | 1000+ | 1.64% |
| 6 | Woodland Heights Medical Center | 500–999 | .88% |
| 7 | Georgia Pacific | 500–999 | .83% |
| 8 | City of Lufkin | 400–500 | .70% |
| 9 | Walmart | 400–500 | .68% |
| 10 | Angelina County | 400–500 | .61% |
Festivals
September ~ Texas State Forest Festival and Southern Hushpuppy Championships. The festival brings net profits to the city of US$60,000.
Points of interest
- Crown Colony Country Club Golf Course, third-rated golf course in Texas by the Dallas Morning News
- Downtown Walking Tour, a tour through historic downtown Lufkin
- Ellen Trout Park, a public park with a lake and playgrounds
- Ellen Trout Zoo, public zoo owned by the City of Lufkin with more than 500 animals
- First United Methodist Church
- Lufkin Azalea Trail, 1.9-mile (3.1 km) public nature trail
- Medford Collection of American Western Art, the contemporary art collection at the Lufkin City Hall
- Museum of East Texas, exhibits on regional history and art
- Naranjo Museum of Natural History
- Pine Valley Raceway, ¼-mile drag strip located ten miles southwest of Lufkin.
- Pines Theater, refurbished multiuse facility in downtown, seats 459
- Texas Forestry Museum features exhibits about forestry of the Lufkin and East Texas area.
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Ward R. Burke United States Courthouse
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Texas Forestry Museum
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Replica of a sawmill worker's house at the Texas Forestry Museum
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Pines Theater
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Naranjo Auditorium
Education
According to the United States Census Bureau 80.7% of people in Lufkin above the age of 25 are high-school graduates or higher. About 21.5% of people 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher.
Almost all of Lufkin's public schools are operated by the Lufkin Independent School District, with a few small sections in the west within the Hudson Independent School District. A very small portion of the city on Highway 69 is within Central ISD. Lufkin also has a small charter school, Pineywoods Community Academy, that serves grades Pre-K–12 and is an early college high school. Additionally, Lufkin is served by two small private schools, St. Cyprian's Episcopal School and St. Patrick Catholic School.
Angelina College, a community college, is located in Lufkin. The college has roughly 5,000 students. Additionally, Stephen F. Austin State University is located not far away in Nacogdoches, Texas.
Infrastructure
Transportation
Lufkin is served by U.S. Highway 69, U.S. Highway 59, State Highway 94, and State Highway 103.
Lufkin will be served by the extension to Interstate 69, which is planned to run from the Canada–US border at Port Huron, Michigan, to the Texas/Mexico border.
General aviation service is provided by Angelina County Airport.
The Coach USA bus lines serve Lufkin, carried under the Kerrville Bus Company.
Brazos Transit District (formerly Brazos Valley Transit Authority) provides regularly scheduled public bus service in the Lufkin area.
The Angelina and Neches River Railroad (A&NR) runs through Lufkin. It has an approximate length of 20 miles (32 km) and connects with the Union Pacific Railroad lines.
Media
Newspaper
- The Lufkin Daily News
Television
- KTRE: KTRE Channel 9 (ABC)
- KYTX: KYTX Channel 19 (CBS)
- KFXK-LP: KFXL Channel 30 (FOX)
- KLNM-LD: Millennium Communications (AmericaOne) Digital 42.1 and 42.2(AMGTV)
Radio
AM stations
- KRBA: 1340 AM The Pioneer radio station in East Texas. Established in 1938. (News/Talk, Variety)
- KSML (AM): ESPN 1260 (Sports)
- KSFA: News Talk 860 (News/Talk)
- XEG: 1050 AM La Ranchera de Monterrey (Regional Mexican) (Night Time)
FM stations
- KAXM: 90.1 Your East Texas Alternative (College)
- KYKS: Kicks 105 (Country)
- KJCS: 103 The Bull (Classic Country)
- KYBI: Y100 (Country)
- KSML-FM: Super Mix 101.9 (Regional Mexican)
- KAFX-FM: KFOX 95.5 (Top 40)
- KLDN: Red River Radio (NPR)
- KTBQ: Classic Rock Q107 (Classic Rock)
- KVLL: La Mejor 94.7 (Regional Mexican)
- KSWP: 90.9 KSWP (Contemporary Christian)
- KAVX: KAVX 91.9 (Christian talk)
- KXXE: The New Country Channel (Hot Country)
- KOYE: La Invasora 97.5 (Regional Mexican)
- KLVH: K-Love 97.1 (Contemporary Christian)
- KGFZ: Z-97.7 (Hip Hop/R&B)
- KHPT: The Eagle 106.9 (107.5 simulcast KGLK) (Classic Rock)
Notable people
- Jacques Abram, classical pianist
- Trent Ashby, member of the Texas House of Representatives from Lufkin
- Louis Beam, American white supremacist and neo-fascist
- Brandon Belt, Toronto Blue Jays first baseman and 2012 and 2014 World Series champion with the San Francisco Giants
- Dez Bryant, former Oklahoma State University standout; former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver. Current NFL Free Agent
- Carrington Byndom, former Carolina Panthers cornerback, current NFL Free Agent
- Corey Clark, American Idol contestant, famous for his alleged affair with Paula Abdul, and disqualification from the show for legal troubles
- Keke Coutee, Houston Texans wide receiver
- Tim Crain, PhD, former NASA engineer; co-founder / CTO of Intuitive Machines, and mission director for first private commercial lunar lander, Odysseus lander; 1991 Lufkin High School valedictorian
- Anthony Denman, former NFL linebacker
- Medford Bryan Evans, college professor, author, conservative political activist, born in Lufkin in 1907
- Jermichael Finley, former Texas Longhorns football standout and Green Bay Packers tight end
- William Delbert Gann, finance trader
- Rex Hadnot, former Houston Cougars guard and San Diego Chargers guard
- Dante Hall, former Texas A&M running back, former Kansas City Chiefs and St. Louis Rams wide receiver and return specialist
- Max Hopper, pre-eminent modern-era CIO and a founding father of IT-inspired competitive advantage
- Ken Houston, Lufkin Dunbar graduate who played for the Houston Oilers and Washington Redskins, Pro Football Hall of Famer
- Ray Jones, former NFL defensive back
- Reagan Jones, founder and vocalist of electronica band Iris
- Terrence Kiel, former Texas A&M University and San Diego Chargers safety
- Jorvorskie Lane, former Tampa Bay Buccaneers fullback, former Texas A&M University football player, held school record for career rushing touchdowns (49) for three years
- Abe Martin, college football coach
- Reggie McNeal, former Texas A&M University quarterback and Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver
- Don Muhlbach, former Texas A&M University football player; current Detroit Lions long snapper
- Tom Murphy, former Major League Baseball pitcher
- Jim Reese, former guitarist for the Bobby Fuller Four, lived there until his death in 1991 and is buried in the Garden of Memories cemetery.
- Joe Robb, former NFL lineman
- Ryan Rottman, actor
- Pete Runnels, former Washington Senators, Boston Red Sox, and Houston Colt .45s infielder
- Chris Seelbach, former Atlanta Braves pitcher
- Jacoby Shepherd, former NFL cornerback
- Allan Shivers, 37th Texas governor, 1949–1957
- Tedashii, Christian rapper
- Buddy Temple, businessman and former politician
- T.J. Turner, former NFL defensive end
- Charlie Wilson, former U.S. Representative best known for his involvement in Operation Cyclone, as depicted in the book and movie Charlie Wilson's War
- J. Frank Wilson, lead vocalist of J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers
See also
In Spanish: Lufkin para niños
