Lufkin grew from a railroad stop into an East Texas lumber and paper hub

Lufkin was established in 1882 as a railroad town on the Houston, East and West Texas Railway. It was named for Abraham P. Lufkin, a Galveston cotton merchant.

The railroad made it practical to haul timber out of the dense Piney Woods. By 1900, Angelina County had at least 17 sawmills. The Angelina County Lumber Company and Southern Pine Lumber Company were major early operations.

In 1939, Southland Paper Mill was established near Lufkin. It became a pioneer in making newsprint from southern pine, tying Angelina County's timber story to Texas newspapers as well as sawmills.

That is why Lufkin's old railroad story still feels local instead of dusty. The town grew around tracks, pine, mills, and later paper and manufacturing work. Those layers help explain the county's Piney Woods identity.