Field Guides
Lufkin, Texas
(Angelina COUNTY)
Towering pines and legendary fishing on Sam Rayburn Reservoir.
Highlights
Lufkin sits squarely in the Piney Woods region of far East Texas, serving as the county seat of Angelina County. Known as the “Land of the Little Angel,” the countryside around Lufkin is reliably beautiful. Lake Sam Rayburn, the largest lake entirely in Texas, lies partially in the county and results from the damming of the Angelina River. Lake Sam Rayburn regularly receives top reviews as one of the premier fishing lakes in the country. The National Forest Service maintains the Angelina National Forest near Lufkin, which has several historic cabins.
Given the terrain, it is no surprise that Lufkin often serves as a destination for golf weekends. Crown Colony is one of Texas’s best tracks without requiring membership. Actually, it is one of Texas’s best tracks, period.
Downtown Lufkin offers a robust shopping and dining experience anchored by the relatively new Rusty Axe Brewing Company and the relatively old (but beautifully restored) Pines Theater. In between, there are all manner of boutiques and vintage stores, as detailed in the other sections.
The Angelina County Courthouse
The present-day Angelina County Courthouse is the seventh such building in the county’s history and the third in Lufkin. It was built in 1955 and designed by architect Wilbur Kent. This courthouse replaced the Classical Revival Style courthouse built in 1903 and designed by James Reily Gordon. As might be expected, the present model is an example of 1950s modernism and sleek efficiency. Truth be told, Texas Ten prefers stately grandeur to sleek efficiency and courthouses set in the middle of a square. So this one is not one of our favorites, but to each their own.
Things To See And Do
If you live to feel the tug of a large bass or crappie on your line, Lake Sam Rayburn may be the best place in Texas for you. Over 114,000 submerged acres with depths up to 80 feet gives fish plenty of room to grow. The mass of marinas is on the south and east sides of the lake, while Lufkin is on the west. Cabins, public facilities, and boat ramps are on the west side, closer to Lufkin. While various sites will update you on conditions, the best information comes from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
Lufkin offers at least three museums worth visiting if art or history piques your interest. Our favorite is the Museum of East Texas, housed in a renovated and historic Episcopal church and focused on art pieces. The Naranjo Museum of Natural History explains the natural world around Lufkin. Befitting its location, the Texas Forestry Museum celebrates all things wood and wood products. That industry holds particular importance in Texas history as lumber and lumber products were essential exports long before fossil fuels.
The Pines Theater justifiably gets the love for its mix of old movies and modern performances. The Temple Theater on the campus of Angelina College should not be overlooked for its series of special events. Speaking of Angelina College, this main campus of East Texas’ community college offers Men’s and Women’s basketball and soccer, baseball, and softball if you want to take in a spirited contest.
All sorts of miscellaneous fun can be had in Lufkin. For fans of the supernatural, Lufkin hosts one of Texas’ premier (allegedly) haunted sites at Cry Baby Bridge. The story is a sad one, but the setting is beautiful. While East Texas enjoys a deserved reputation for a saner, slower pace of life, you can get all the speed you can handle at Pine Valley Raceway, a drag strip. For those who just want to enjoy the natural beauty, there are a variety of hiking and biking trails. Lufkin also has an excellent zoo.
Food, Drinks, and Music (Eat Local!)
Stringer’s Lufkin Bar-B-Que in Lufkin has been included in Texas Monthly’s prestigious list of the top 50 barbecue joints in the state, so it is definitely a must for carnivores. Ray’s Drive-In Cafe has been serving East Texas’ “best burgers” and an assortment of other treats for over 60 years, so they must have something great going on. Mom’s Diner is a newcomer, having been open only 38 years. It also serves great comfort food, as featured on the Texas Bucket List. For home cooking and/or a decent steak at a reasonable price, do not sleep on Lone Star Charlie’s Family Restaurant (plus points for the name).
Restoration Bistro in the Hotel Angelina provides a casual, upscale option. 58J is a cafe that sometimes features live music, always features cold beer, and has a great atmosphere. The Rusty Axe Brewing Company, mentioned above, offers unique brews and a bar/bistro menu. It is a terrific place for a group or to meet someone new. If you are looking for something for everyone, Rustica has a varied menu and great reviews.
Given the proximity to Louisiana, there are several great Cajun options. The three locals with the best reviews are Pelican Pointe, The Crawfish Shop, and Crawdaddy’s Boil and Go. Close to Louisiana, but still in Texas, means Tex-Mex! There are a lot of them, but the best-reviewed locals are Taqueria Mi San Luis (which gets raves for breakfast, too), Herradura Mexican Fire & Grill, El Mariachi Mexican Grill and Bar, Mi Tierra, and Hernandez Grocery and Mexican Restaurant. For a quick bite, Skyline Burrito Bowls has many fans.
There is Napoli’s Pizza and Restaurante ( a three-location East Texas chain) or Roma Italian Bistro for pizza or casual Italian food. Against all odds, there are two well-reviewed Japanese restaurants in Lufkin. For your Far East/Sushi fix, visit Tsubaki Japanese Restaurant or Tokyo Japanese Restaurants.
There are several small communities in Angelina County outside of Lufkin. Well-reviewed local spots can be found in Diboll: Los Jarritos for Tex-Mex, M & J’s Cafe and Coffee Shop for home cooking, and Cory’s Crawfish for Cajun. In Huntington, there is Los Jarritos for Tex-Mex, Pappa’s Pit and More for BBQ and burgers, and The Free Sisters Diner for home cooking. Zavalla has the Eagle’s Nest for traditional American Cafe and Aguilera’s Tacos for Tex-Mex.
Nightlife (Play Local!)
In addition to Rusty Axe, 58J, and several other restaurants with weekend live music, you might want to try Bubba T’s or The Country Club for extracurriculars. Rodeo Disko is the place for Hispanic music and dancing.
Stringer’s Lufkin Bar-B-Que
203 S Chestnut St,
Lufkin, TX 75901
(936) 634-4744
Closed Sunday-Monday
Tuesday-Saturday 10:00 am-7:00 pm
Ray’s Drive-In Cafe
420 N. Timberland Dr.
Lufkin, TX 75901
(936) 634-3262.
Closed Sunday
Monday-Thursday 10:00 am-9:00 pm
Friday-Saturday 10:00 am-10:00 pm
Mom’s Diner
420 W. Frank Ave.
Lufkin, TX 75904
(936) 637-6510
Closed Sunday
Monday-Friday 11:00 am-7:00 pm
Saturday 11:00 am-4:00 pm.
Lone Star Charlie’s Family Restaurant
1910 E. E Denman Ave.
Lufkin, TX 75901
(936) 632-8881
Monday-Saturday 6:00 am-3:00 pm
Sunday 7:00 am-3:00 pm
Restoration Bistro
210 South First Street
Lufkin, TX 75902
(936) 632-0210
Closed Sunday-Monday
Tuesday-Thursday 11:00 am to 9:00 pm
Friday-Saturday 11:00 am-10:00 pm
58J
118 First St.,
Lufkin, TX 75904
(936) 829-0188.
Closed Monday
Sunday 11:00 am-7:00 pm
Tuesday 6:00 pm-Midnight
Wednesday 11:00 am-9:00 pm
Thursday-Friday 11:00 am-1Midnight
Saturday 9:00 am-1:00 am
Rusty Axe Brewing Company
113 N. First St.
Lufkin, TX 75904
(936) 631-4000
Closed Sunday-Monday
Tuesday-Thursday 11:00 am-10:00 pm
Friday-Saturday 11:00 am-11:00 pm.
Rustica
307 S. Timberland
Lufkin, TX
(936) 632-4099
Closed weekends
Monday-Friday 11:00 am-6:00 pm
Pelican Pointe
1392 N, John Redditt Rd.
Lufkin, TX 75904
(936) 632-3772
Closed Sunday
Monday-Friday 11:00 am-10:00 pm
Saturday 10:00 am-10:00 pm
The Crawfish Shop
2902 Denman
Lufkin, TX 75901
(936) 238-3820
Daily 11:00 am-9:00 pm
Crawdaddy’s Boil and Go
1202 S. Chestnut St.
Lufkin, TX 75901
(936) 366-3648
Closed Sunday-Wednesday
Thursday-Friday 5:00 pm-10:00 pm
Saturday 12:00 pm-8:00 pm
Taqueria Mi San Luis
821 N. Raguet St.
Lufkin, TX 75904
(936) 632-2472
Closed Sunday
Monday-Friday 6:00 am-9:00 pm
Saturday 6:00 am-10:00 pm
Herradura Mexican Fire & Grill
3049 John Redditt Dr.
Lufkin, TX 75904
(936) 899-7200
Sunday-Thursday 11:00 am-9:00 pm
Friday-Saturday 11:00 am-10:00 pm
El Mariachi Mexican Grill and Bar
4609 S. Medford Dr.
Lufkin, TX 75901
(936) 219-7787
Sunday-Thursday 10:30 am-9:00 pm
Friday 10:30 am-10:00 pm
Saturday 11:00 am-10:00 pm
Mi Tierra
1422 N. Timberland Dr.
Lufkin, TX 75901
(936) 238-3866
Monday-Friday 6:00 am-9:00 pm
Saturday-Sunday 6:00 am-10:00 pm
Hernandez Mexican Restaurant
4602 Hwy 103 West
Lufkin, TX 75904
(936) 634-1086
Saturday and Monday-Thursday 5:00 am – 9:00 pm
Friday 5:00 am -10:00 pm
Sunday 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Skyline Burrito Bowls
409 N. Timberland Dr.
Lufkin, TX 75901
(936) 639-0707
Closed Sunday
Monday-Friday 10:30 am-9:00 pm
Saturday 11:00 am-9:00 pm
Napoli’s
107 W. Lufkin Ave.
Lufkin, TX 75904
(936) 899-6099
Closed Sunday-Monday
Tuesday-Saturday 11:00 am-10:00 pm
Roma Italian Bistro
918 S. John Redditt Dr.
Lufkin, TX 75904
(936) 899-5153
Closed Monday
Tuesday-Saturday 11:00 am-10:00 pm
Sunday 11:00 am-9:00 pm
Tokyo Japanese Restaurant
2950 S. John Redditt Dr.
Lufkin, TX
(936) 699-5080
Tuesday-Friday 11:00 am-2:30 pm, 4:30 pm-9:00 pm
Saturday 11:00 am-10:00 pm
Sunday 11:00 am-9:00 pm
Tsubaki Japanese Restaurant
2301 S. First St.
Lufkin, TX 75901
(936) 639-8889
Monday-Thursday 11:00 am -2:30 pm, 4:30 pm-9:30 pm
Friday-Saturday 11:00 am-10:00 pm
Sunday 11:00 am-9:00 pm
Los Jarritos
903 N. Temple Dr.
Diboll, TX 75941
(936) 829-0777
Closed Monday
Tuesday-Saturday 11:00 am-9:00 pm
Sunday 11:00 am-8:00 pm
M & J’s
205 N. Temple Dr.
Diboll, TX 75941
(936) 585-8800
Closed Sunday
Monday-Friday 6:30 am-4:30 pm
Saturday 8:00 am-2:00 pm
Cory’s Crawfish
- Hendricks Ave.
Diboll, TX 75941
No phone
Closed Sunday-Wednesday
Thursday 6:00 pm-9:00 pm
Friday 6:00 pm-10:00 pm
Saturday 6:00 pm-10:30 pm
Los Jarritos
- Main St.
Huntington, TX 75949
(936) 422-4546
Closed Monday
Tuesday-Saturday 11:00 am-9:00 pm
Sunday 11:00 am-8:00 pm
Pappa’s Pit
501 N. Main St.
Huntington, TX 75949
(936) 422-3696
Closed Sunday
Monday-Friday 10:30 am-8:00 pm
Saturday 10:30 am-3:00 pm
The Free Sisters
8948 US 69
Huntington, TX
(936) 229-4676
Closed Sunday-Tuesday
Wednesday-Saturday 11:00 am-7:00 pm
Eagle’s Nest
594 E. Main St.
Zavala, TX 75980
(936) 897-2900
Closed Tuesday
Wednesday-Monday 5:00 am- 9:00 pm
Aguilera’s Tacos
186 TX Hwy 47
Zavalla, TX 75980
(936) 897-3470
Closed weekends
Monday-Friday 9:00 am-8:00 pm
Bubba T’s
2702 Ted Trout Rd.
Lufkin, TX
(936) 875-3679
Sunday-Friday 12:00 pm-12:00 am
Saturday 12:00 pm-1:00 am
Rodeo Disko
732 S. Timberland Dr.
Lufkin, TX 75901
(936) 674-5371
Friday-Saturday 8:00 pm-1:00 am
The Country Club
6443 US 69
Lufkin, TX 75901
(936) 242-824-5202
Sunday-Friday 12:00 pm-12:00 am
Saturday 12:00 pm-1:00 am
Where To Drop A Dime (Shop Local!)
You can spend a good while visiting boutiques and vintage stores in downtown Lufkin. Throw in the unique Stories Cigar Store and Lounge and a stop for pastry and coffee at the Standpipe. Chances are, your credit card is going to get a workout. The stores are uniformly tasteful and well-stocked with stylish inventory. Start anywhere on First Street between Shephard Ave and Lufkin Ave. If you have any money left, maybe some late afternoon ice cream at the Downtown Scoop. For the best treasure hunting, shop between 11:00 am and 5:00 pm, Thursday to Saturday.
Here is a sampling:
Special Places to Lay Your Head (Stay Local!)
You can experience country club life by renting a villa at Crown Colony. Club membership privileges are yours for the length of your stay.
Charming bed and breakfasts abound; take your pick. Plenty of fishing and lake cabins on or near Sam Rayburn are available through VRBO or Airbnb.
For the Professional Traveller (Campgrounds and RV Parks)
Bigfoot Kingtown RV Park (On Lake Sam Rayburn)
Ewing Park RV and Campground (On Lake Sam Rayburn)
Hank’s Creek Park (On Lake Sam Rayburn)
Texas Airstream Harbor (On Lake Sam Rayburn, Airstream only)
Cassels Boykins Park (On Lake Sam Rayburn)
Kervins River RV Park (On Lake Sam Rayburn)
Believe it or not, that is just a sampling. East Texas’s beauty, warm climate, and laid-back pace make it a haven for snowbirds and other escapees. Angelina County can meet your needs if you have a large rig suitable for a country western band or an ultralight one-person tent.
Special Events
The climate makes visiting Lufkin doable all year, but it gets hot and muggy in the summer. Unsurprisingly, the big events fall into the schedule from September to March.
The highlight of the year for most rural counties is the county fair. Angelina County holds its fair in late March every year. The wide variety of entertainment makes it a great time to visit.
In mid-to-late September (this year, September 19-22), the Lufkin area hosts the Texas State Forest Festival. Amazing wood carvers, carnival rides, great live shows and music performances, a barbecue competition, and a car show are some ways to spend a great weekend in a beautiful spot.
Usually held on the first Saturday in December, with events the week surrounding, Lufkin celebrates “Christmas in the Pines” with parades, markets, and holiday attractions. It is a great way to start the season.
Fore! (Golf Courses)
As already mentioned several times (for good reason), Crown Colony is a bucket list course for Texas golfers. But if you want a variety of tracks, you have it. Neches Pines in Diboll has a challenging and beautiful layout with a smaller price tag. Although not in Angelina County, Woodland Hills and Lumberjack National in Nacogdoches are just 30 minutes away, while the well-regarded Whispering Hills is in Trinity, less than an hour away. That is five great courses with Lufkin in the middle of them all. Sounds like a pretty good week for the duffers at Texas Ten.
Getting to Angelina County
Angelina County is in far East Texas, not too far removed from the Louisiana border. Lufkin lies about five hours of drive time due east from the state’s geographic center in Brady, Texas. Houston, the nearest large city, is about 120 miles to the south-southwest. 59 and 69 travel through Lufkin, or at least to the loop that surrounds Lufkin. Neither are true interstates, but they do provide easy driving.
Flying to Lufkin could be done in a variety of ways. George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) is the closest major airport serviced by the large carriers. Bush Intercontinental is just over 100 miles from Lufkin. Houston’s Hobby Airport is about 30-40 miles farther, on the south side of Houston. However, those extra miles could mean extra hours depending on the time of day and Houston traffic. American Airlines flies smaller planes to the Tyler and Longview airports, which are also approximately 90-110 miles away. So, it is hard to see any advantage there unless you are trying to get as close as possible, but are flying through DFW in Dallas.
Smaller private planes can consider Angelina County Airport in Lufkin or A.L. Mangham Jr. Regional Airport in nearby Nacogdoches.
History
Angelina County was first home to the Hasinai sect of the Caddo Indian nation. The county name pays tribute to the legend of a Native American young woman who supposedly aided Spanish settlers in the late 17th century. Angelina’s kindness is consistent with how the Spanish viewed this particular band of Native Americans, who used the “Tejas” greeting of friendship, from which the Spaniards derived the name for their new territory.
The Spanish settlement was not particularly populous in what became Angelina County. By the time of the Texas Revolution and for the decades following, most non-Native Americans in the area were refugees from the American South. Although there were some slave-holding plantations in the county, the farming was more livestock than cotton. That distinction became evident in the vote for succession. Angelina County was one of 19 counties that voted to remain in the Union, with a radically different voting pattern from its neighboring counties.
The county’s fortunes significantly improved beginning in the 1880s. The Southern Pacific Railroad built a line connecting Houston and Shreveport. The station at Lufkin became important. The World’s Fair of 1893 popularized southern pine lumber for building residences, and Angelina County happened to have much southern pine that could now be easily shipped, given the rail line.
Sawmills sprang up throughout the county, and the forests were thinned or worse. Large fortunes resulted for East Texas’ leading families. The Great Depression hit East Texas hard as residential construction evaporated, and some retrenching to livestock and subsistence farming occurred. World War II and the following post-war boom restored some of that affluence, and Angelina County’s economic base diversified to include mineral exploration, industrial plants, and tourism.
Today, Angelina County ranks 46th of the 254 Texas Counties in terms of population. The county is relatively diverse ethnically, with 59% non-Hispanic Anglos, 23% Hispanic, 16% African-American, and the remainder “other.” The median per capita income, poverty rate, college graduation rate, and median home value describe a county with less wealth, education, and income than most Texas and United States counties. Still, that difference is offset somewhat by a lower cost of living. Also, given the long history of land ownership concentrated in a few families, there may be an unusually high spread of wealth. Like almost all rural Texas counties, after decades of supporting Democrats, Angelina County is now deep red politically.
Angelina County’s most famous citizens include a disproportionate number of athletes, mostly football players. The headliners from that group are former Cowboys star Dez Bryant and Hall of Famer Ken Houston. The most significant Angelina County resident was likely Allan Shivers, who won the election three times as Texas governor. Shivers ascended to the Governor’s mansion when his predecessor died in office, the only time that has happened in Texas history.
Shivers is first credited with making the Lieutenant Governorship unusually powerful in Texas politics. Shivers was remarkably popular, winning two of his three elections with 90% of the popular vote. In the third election, he won almost 100% of the vote as he was the nominee of both the Democratic and Republican parties. Shivers returned the favor by supporting Eisenhower over Stevenson both times the men contested the presidency. Unfortunately, Shiver’s popularity was enabled and likely resulted from his staunch opposition to integration, so history does not treat him kindly.
More recently, Charlie Wilson was from and served the area in the House of Representatives for 12 terms. Wilson is best remembered for organizing the supply of Afghan rebels fighting the Russians. Hollywood immortalized the congressman in Charlie Wilson’s War, starring Tom Hanks.
Primary Sources: