Manning, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Manning, Texas
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 Manning, Texas
Location in Texas
Manning, Texas
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Angelina |
| Elevation | 272 ft (83 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 936 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1382227 |
Manning is a ghost town located in Angelina County, Texas. It's in the eastern part of Texas. Today, it's considered part of the Lufkin, Texas micropolitan area. A micropolitan area is a small city and its nearby communities that are connected.
Contents
A Town Built on Timber
Manning was a busy and successful town between 1903 and 1934. Its story began with a man named Dr. W.W. Manning. He was born in Monroe, Louisiana.
Early Sawmills and Growth
In 1863, Dr. Manning built the first sawmill in the area. It was located about 9 kilometers (6 miles) south of Huntington. Dr. Manning helped bring in important people. These included a pharmacist, a physician, a merchant, and an industrialist. They all helped the county grow.
Another sawmill was built in 1885. This one was powered by steam. It was near Lindsey Lake, close to Homer.
The Carter-Kelley Lumber Company
The biggest change came in 1903. W.T. Carter and G.A. Kelley started the Carter-Kelley Lumber Company. They built a new, very modern mill. This mill was near where the first one stood. This is how the town of Manning officially began.
The Carter-Kelley mill used the best machines of its time. It could cut all sizes of lumber, mostly yellow pine. This mill was huge! It cut about 34 million board feet of wood every year. Around 300 people worked there. Wood came to this mill from several nearby counties. These included Angelina, Tyler, Polk, and Jasper counties.
Life in Manning
To help transport the wood, a railroad track was built. It connected Manning to Huntington. This railroad was called the Shreveport, Houston, and Gulf Railroad. People sometimes joked and called it "Shove Hard and Grunt." It connected Manning to bigger railroad lines.
The Carter-Kelley Lumber Company had its own special money. It was called scrip. Employees used this scrip instead of regular money. The company also acted like a bank for its workers. People called the scrip "Manning checks."
In 1906, Manning got its own post office. Charles C. Gribble was the first postmaster. Manning quickly became one of the busiest towns in Angelina County.
A Thriving Community
By 1910, about 700 people lived in Manning. The town kept growing. By 1925, more than 1,000 people called Manning home. About two-thirds of the residents were white, and one-third were black.
Manning had many important places. Besides the post office, there was a commissary (a company store). There was also a barbershop and a movie theater. You could find an automobile repair shop and three churches. The town also had a civic center and a drugstore. A railroad depot was there, too. The lumber company had several office buildings.
The End of an Era
Sadly, Manning's success came to an end in 1934. The large sawmill burned down. The company decided not to rebuild it. This caused the town's population to drop very quickly. Many houses were taken apart and sold. Business people from Dallas bought them. The mill workers had to leave Manning to find new jobs.
By 1939, only about 100 people lived in Manning. By 1945, the number dropped to just 30. There was only one business left. In 1940, Manning residents started getting their mail from Huntington. In 1947, Manning was officially removed from the Texas Almanac's list of towns.
By the 1980s, Manning was truly a ghost town. Only two empty houses remained. You could also see the ruins of the old sawmill and a cemetery.
Remembering Manning
Even though the town is gone, people still remember Manning. The Flournoy family holds a special reunion every year. It used to be on the first Sunday in June. In 2004, it moved to the first weekend in May.
The Gibbs-Flournoy House is a historic building in the area. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's an important place in history.
Where Manning Was Located
Manning was in the low-lying areas of the Neches River. This is in the southeastern part of Angelina County.
Education in Manning
When Manning was at its busiest, it had two schools. There was one school for white children. It had seven teachers. There was also a separate school for black students with two teachers. When the mill closed and people left, these schools also closed. Today, the area where Manning once stood is part of the Huntington Independent School District.
