Located in Polk County, Texas, Livingston serves as the county seat and is the largest city in the area. Originally established in 1835 under the name Springfield, the town was later renamed Livingston in 1846 upon becoming the designated county seat of Polk County. Situated about 46 miles south of Lufkin, Livingston has a rich history and plays a significant role in the region.
Livingston can be found at the coordinates 30°42′34″N 94°56′4″W, which corresponds to the numbers 30.709518 and -94.934443.
According to the 2020 census, the town was home to a population of 5,640 individuals, 1,951 households, and 1,268 families.
Administration and facilities
The Livingston Post Office is managed by the United States Postal Service.
The City of Livingston-operated Livingston Municipal Airport is situated in West Livingston.
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice Allan B. Polunsky Unit in West Livingston has served as Texas’s death row site since 1999.
Located just a short distance from Livingston is the IAH Polk County Secure Adult Detention Center, where approximately 700 immigrant men are held each day under the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Managed by the private company Community Education Centers, this facility has faced ongoing scrutiny for its inadequate care of detainees. It is identified as one of the top 10 detention centers in the country that activists are targeting for closure in a nationwide movement.
The town of Livingston has a manager-council system of governance. Citizens elect a mayor who serves the entire town, and representatives from single-member districts compose the city council. The council hires a city manager to oversee daily operations, and the mayor is currently Judy Cochran.
In Livingston, the main job providers are the lumber industry and the Polunsky Unit state prison located in West Livingston.
Livingston serves as the main location for two regional banking systems, namely the First National Bank and the First State Bank.
Aviation
Livingston Municipal Airport (LMA), situated to the southwest of the city, caters to private aircraft and is classified as a general-aviation facility.
Primary roadways:
U.S. Route 59 will undergo improvements to become Interstate 69 in the future.
U.S. Highway 190 and State Highway 146 are also important routes.
Livingston Independent School District serves the City of Livingston.
The Texas Legislature assigned Polk County to Angelina College’s service area. Consequently, Polk County Community College began its operations in the fall of 2014, providing a range of courses and two-year associate degree programs.
Recreation
Camp Cho Yeh — Livingston, Texas
Nestled within the borders of Camp Cho-Yeh, Lake Evelyn has been a hub of recreational activity since the 1940s. This picturesque summer camp and retreat center, whose name ‘Cho-Yeh’ translates to ‘land of tall pines’, boasts an abundance of towering pine trees across its property. In addition to serving as a popular summer camp destination, Cho-Yeh also hosts Texas A&M Galveston’s annual Fish Camp, where new students are introduced to the rich traditions of the university system.
Famous individuals from Livingston, Texas include:
* Laci Kaye Booth, top-five finalist on American Idol in 2019
* Paul Carr, NFL and University of Houston football player, and physical-education coach at Livingston Elementary School
* Billy Eli, musician and songwriter
* Clem Fain, Jr., Texas state senator and honorary chief of the Alabama-Coushatta tribe
* Percy Foreman, renowned criminal defense attorney
* Annette Gordon-Reed, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and law professor at Harvard, born and raised in nearby Conroe
* Lyda Green, Alaska state senator for 14 years
* Margo Jones, stage director known for launching the careers of Tennessee Williams and Ray Walston, and directing The Glass Menagerie on Broadway
* Long King, Principal chief of the Coushatta Indians
* Sally Mayes, award-winning Broadway actress and singer, with a street named in her honor in Livingston
* Mark Moseley, Super Bowl XVII champion and 1982 National Football League Most Valuable Player Award winner as a placekicker
* Lt. James N. Parker, Jr., co-pilot of crew number 9 in the Doolittle Raid, awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
* Gene Phillips, professional basketball player
* Isaac Newton Turner, Captain in Hood’s Brigade during the Civil War
* Samuel M. Whitside, commander of Camp Livingston in the late 1860s during the Reconstruction period
* Brad Womack, star of ABC’s The Bachelor seasons 11 and 15
In the realm of media, Mouser Media owns and operates KCTL Television and KETX Television. Additionally, they have a video platform called STRYK TV – Video Country. KETX Radio (1440 KETX (AM)) and KEHH are also part of their portfolio. For news, PolkCountyToday.com and the Polk County Enterprise (with an online version called East Texas News) are popular sources. Of note, Livingston Dunbar won state championships in 1A-PVIL in 1954 and 1958, and were runners-up in 1959.
1939 saw Livingston High participating in all divisions, while Livingston Dunbar came in second place in the 1A-PVIL category in 1952
Travel and leisure options include Lake Livingston and its surrounding attractions such as Lake Livingston State Park managed by the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, Pedigo Park, and the Alabama-Coushatta Indian Reservation.
Points of interest in the area include the Light of Saratoga at Bragg Road, 391 historical markers, and the Polk County Museum, which is operated by the Polk County Historical Society. Additionally, the former river ferry town of Swartout, now a ghost town, is also located nearby.
List of upcoming events includes Trinity Neches Livestock show and Rodeo, Polk County Fireworks on Lake Livingston, Annual Jingle Bell Fun Run and Walk, Hometown Christmas, and 5k Dam Run.
The television show River Monsters, which airs on Animal Planet, highlighted Lake Livingston in its third episode of the first season, which premiered on April 19, 2009. During the episode, host Jeremy Wade was on a quest to catch alligator gar in the lake.