TIMBER AND TRAINS
The timber industry and the railway system forged the city of Lufkin, an 1882 stop along the Houston, East and West Texas Railway, transforming it into a major hub for the lumber bonanza of the late 1800s. It also served as home base for timber companies and related industries like sawmills, lumber manufacturing and forestry management. Timber and railroad prosperity also brought hotels, foundries, movies theaters, banks, hospitals, and other enterprises to Lufkin, creating a lively community by the 1900s. Social and cultural life continued to expand throughout the 20th century and today Lufkin, with its local and historical attractions, covers more than 20 square miles of East Texas. Home to the Ellen Trout Zoo, the Museum of East Texas, the History Center, and the Texas Forestry Museum, Lufkin also offers plenty of outdoor activities like sport fishing at nearby Lake Sam Rayburn and the Neches-Davy Crockett Paddling Trail for canoe and kayak enthusiasts.
