Polk County(38) ► ADJACENT TO POLK COUNTY Angelina County(56) ► Hardin County(10) ► Liberty County(89) ► San Jacinto County(20) ► Trinity County(19) ► Tyler County(12) ►
Touch name on this list to highlight map location. Touch blue arrow, or on map, to go there.
Founded in 1882 as "East Texas Pinery" by J.M. and J.C. Stockton. Changed name to "Polk County Enterprise" about 1903. when the office installed first linotype machine (1920), school was dismissed so pupils could watch it operate. Ben Ogletree . . . — — Map (db m100496) HM
Washington at Church Street
Built in 1905
Listed in the
National Register of Historic Places
by the United States
Department of the Interior — — Map (db m59689) HM
Built 1901 for congregation organized Jan. 6, 1849, by Rev. J. W. D. Creath, among settlers from Louisiana. Membership in early days included the family slaves. First church, located at Colita, an early Polk County town, was moved in 1872 to Bold . . . — — Map (db m215090) HM
World-famed genius of drama. Won Broadway acclaim directing “The Glass Menagerie”. Led move to decentralize American theatre. Established, in Dallas, theatre-in-the-round (first professional, resident, repertory theatre of its kind) and wrote book . . . — — Map (db m201841) HM
The Baptists of Livingston established Ariel Baptist Church circa 1852. The church petitioned for membership in the Bethlehem Association, which consisted of nine Texas counties, in 1855. Ariel Baptist Church belonged to a series of later . . . — — Map (db m161437) HM
John Blount was the son of William Blount, later a U.S. senator, and a Coushatta woman. While in Florida, he became principal chief of the Apalachee or Apalachicola Indians. During the First Seminole War (1814-1815), he achieved a certain level of . . . — — Map (db m202105) HM
Alabama and Coushatta Indians of Polk County were trained as cavalrymen in 1861 by Indian Agent Robert R. Neyland as the war between the states advanced. In April 1862, nineteen Alabama and Coushatta, including Chief John Scott, enlisted in the . . . — — Map (db m128580) HM
Formal education for African American children in Livingston started in a building on West Street in the late 1800s. By 1908, the school also offered teaching certificates through one-month institutes. Later, part of a previous schoolhouse for . . . — — Map (db m202090) HM
From 1830 to 1840 five Indian trails (some several centuries old) crossed Polk County. the Coushatta and Alabama tribes started two trails and also traveled Long King's, Kickapoo, and Battise traces. These routes helped settlers map roads; modern . . . — — Map (db m100499) HM
Travel was of great importance in Polk County's early days. Civilized Indians—particularly Creeks, Alabamas, Coushattas and Kickapoos—were numerous and had many trails for intercommunication. Long King's Trace (named for a chief) led . . . — — Map (db m100493) HM
Education has been integral to life in Livingston since the town's inception in the 1840s. Moses Choate's 100-acre donation for the townsite included land for a school. Trinity Masonic Lodge No. 14, A.F. & A.M. financed a free academy that began in . . . — — Map (db m202099) HM
Organized as a private bank -- Polk County Bank -- about 1898, by G. W. Riddle and C. H. Davison. Became Citizens National Bank in 1902, year the town burned. Rebuilt as Livingston's first brick building.
Was reorganized 1910 as First National . . . — — Map (db m202101) HM
Early State Bank of Texas. Organized in 1910 as Guaranty State Bank with H.D. Reynolds as the first President. L. F. Gerlach, second President operated one of city's best-known stores.
The descendants of J.L. Muller, third President, have . . . — — Map (db m161443) HM
By 1905, all the lots in Livingston's Old City Cemetery had been filled, and community leaders began looking for a new cemetery site. Residents established Forest Hill Cemetery Association in 1906 and bought land from James and Arabella Henington . . . — — Map (db m152825) HM
In 1846, local officials designated a block in the central part of Livingston for use as a cemetery for local African Americans. Originally called Livingston Colored Cemetery, the burial ground was bounded by Feagin, Tyler, Sherman and Houston . . . — — Map (db m49731) HM
The Alabama and Coushatta Indians settled near here in the early 1780’s. Through the efforts of General Sam Houston, Texas gave them 1210 acres in 1854. The Federal Government purchased 3071 acres in 1928. — — Map (db m100327) HM
Seat of Polk County, founded in 1846, incorporated 1902. Named by Moses L. Choate, donor of its 100 acre townsite, it became vital trade, educational and social center for people of sawmills and boat landings on the Trinity River. General Sam . . . — — Map (db m161472) HM
Polk County's oldest public utility, the Livingston Telephone Company was organized Aug. 3, 1903, with S. H. Smith as president. The locally owned, independent telephone exchange operated a 24-hour switchboard on the second floor of a building at . . . — — Map (db m202110) HM
Built in 1911 by Philadelphia's Baldwin Locomotive Works, this locomotive was first used to transport timber in Florida. In the 1920's it was purchased for use in Texas' logging industry by the Angelina County-based Carter-Kelley Lumber Company. . . . — — Map (db m49730) HM
This historic graveyard began in 1840 with the burial of four-year-old Josephus Choate, son of Moses Livingston Choate (1794-1867) and Ursula Choate (1807-c. 1880). Early pioneers from Kentucky, the Choates moved to Texas and received a league of . . . — — Map (db m55829) HM
On Long King's Trace, traveled as early as 1834 from the Indian village near Swartwout, on the Trinity, to the principal East Texas town, Nacogdoches. (U.S. 190 follows Trace in this area.)
Cemetery's oldest known graves, from era of Republic . . . — — Map (db m161421) HM
Created from Liberty County
March 30, 1846
Organized July 13, 1846
with Livingston as county seat
Named for
James Knox Polk, 1795-1849
President of the United States
Who favored
the annexation of Texas
Early settlements were . . . — — Map (db m119269) HM
Completed in 1924, this is the fifth courthouse to serve Polk County. Citing "lack of space and modern conveniences," the Commissioners Court hired the Houston architectural firm of McLelland & Fink to design their new building. Contractor Isaac . . . — — Map (db m119270) HM
During Civil War, 1861-65, an area of piney woods, farms, thickets, with an Alabama-Coushatta Indian reservation. Had only 600 voters in 1860 but sent 900 soldiers into the Confederate Army.
Furnished 4 units to Hood's Texas Brigade (Co. B, 1st . . . — — Map (db m119271) HM
Center civic, social and business affairs, early Polk County. Built about 1848 by James Andress, from South Carolina. Contained restaurant, saloon, grocery store, post office, stage station. Had livery stable nearby. Among noted guests was General . . . — — Map (db m71027) HM
86 blocks and 2 public squares were laid out here in 1838 with James Morgan, Arthur Garner and Thomas Bradley as proprietors. Named in honor of Samuel Swartwout (1783-1856), New York speculator and politician who advanced funds in 1836 to the Texas . . . — — Map (db m119265) HM
In 1840 this Masonic Lodge was organized in the pioneer town of Swartout (Swartwout) (6 mi. SW) in what was then Liberty County. After erecting a two-story building, the Masons assisted in organizing the first school in the area and furnished the . . . — — Map (db m202097) HM
