Lufkin, Texas

== History == === Pre-Foundation === By 1820 Anglo settlers had started to arrive in the Angelina County.

This legend is most likely not true since the prospectus in 1879 already had the railroad planned to bypass Homer and go through the future site of Lufkin.

In 1881, the area that is now Lufkin was little more than a small settlement known as Denman Springs.

=== Railroad era 1882-1890 === The city was founded in 1882 as a stop on the Houston, East and West Texas Railway; it is named for Abraham P.

Soon after in 1883, a telegraph line was strung connecting Lufkin to Nacogdoches by telegraph.

Lufkin was founded in 1884 and named for Abraham P.

By a vote in 1885, though, the courthouse remained in Homer.

In 1887, Kurth obtained a sawmill from Charles L.

It was officially incorporated on October 15, 1890.

In November 1891, a fire of mysterious origin destroyed the courthouse in Homer.

The election was held on January 2, 1892, and the citizens decided to relocate the courthouse to Lufkin.

In 1895, Walter Johnson was lynched for alleged rape, and in 1924, a mob attempted to lynch Booker T.

In September 1922, over 1000 klansmen gathered in public in front of 5000 spectators in an initiation ceremony.

In May 1932, Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker robbed a gas station in Lufkin and stole a car with a child sleeping in the backseat.

=== Golden era of expansion 1938–1945 === The golden era of expansion occurred between 1938 and 1945.

From 1943-1945 Lufkin was home to three WWII POW camps and held up to 300 German prisoners who worked for Southland Paper.

After a series of court challenges started in 1964 were resolved, in 1970 the LISD was integrated.

=== Cultural expansion and mid-to-late twentieth century === In early Lufkin history, most daily life revolved around churches, schools, and sports activities, but this began t...

Before 1970, Lufkin schools were segregated with separate schools for different races.

Lufkin celebrated its centennial in 1982.

=== Recent history === Debris from the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster fell over the Lufkin area on February 1, 2003.

which closed in 2007, and Texas Foundries opened.

Lufkin received Texas's first biomass power plant in late 2009.

Championship at the 2017 Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

The largest industrial employer was Lufkin Foundry and Machine Company, later known as Lufkin Industries; it ceased operations in 2018.

According to the city's 2019 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are: === Festivals === Texas State Forest Festival and Southern Hushpuppy Cha...

== Demographics == === 2020 census === As of the 2020 census, there were 34,143 people, 13,223 households, and 8,277 families residing in the city; the median age was 37.4 years.

Its population is approximately 40,000 people as of 2025.