Unburied treasure

This Coca-Cola ghost sign was uncovered last week by a crew working inside of a building at the corner of First and Shepherd Streets in downtown Lufkin. What a beauty! That slogan was used during 1907 and 1908 (wow!). And since it was just a couple of buildings down the street, I couldn't help but snap a quick one of this restored beauty:

Vintage gas in Lufkin

These are a couple of old and older gas stations I've driven past numerous times in Lufkin. They are both fairly vintage, and it's nice to have things like this so close to home - a lot less driving!

I think this one must have been a Gulf:
I know for a fact this one is a Humble Oil, Art Deco, and built around 1930:

It is virtually identical to this one in Houston, which is Station No. 157:

Ooold Lufkin

The Texas Historic Sites Atlas is an amazing resource for identifying historic structures. I used it extensively to identify and find information about these in Lufkin. Many of these old homes could be easily overlooked if a person didn't know to look for them. As is currently the case, I am most interested in finding old Victorian homes, built from 1880s to 1900s. I seem to be fixating a bit on the Queen Anne "school" of Victorian architecture. These are in the order (chronological) I found them, and not all of them are Victorian:

The Lockett House, Victorian (1890s)


The Clark-Whitton House, Late Victorian (1900)From the Texas Historical Commission Atlas National Register information:

Good example of architectural style. Built for Dr. Clark, the Angelina County Lumber Company physician. Example of high style residence built for a high ranking official t the mill. Closely associated with sites No. L-526 and L-529, also Angelina County Lumber Company residences. Described by Lita Maberry as a "Type A" house distinguished by their size, spacious fenced yard, and location in the community. Each house was painted white, had eight to 10 rooms, and was equipped with all modern conveniences. Each Type A house was usually attached to a garage and could be found in groves of oak trees.

The Kurth-Glover House, Queen Anne Victorian (1900)

501 Mantooth Aveneue (1915-25)

502 Mantooth Avenue, looks like Classical Revival to me

404 Mantooth Avenue, Victorian (1900-10)

The Byus-Kirkland House, Craftsman (1900)


The Everitt-Cox House, Victorian with Classical remodel (1900)


The Walter C. Trout House (1900)From the Texas Historical Atlas National Registry listing information:

Good example of style (Bungalow/Craftsman). Mr. Walter C. Trout (1874-47) moved to Lufkin from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1905 as general manager of Lufkin Foundry and Machine Co. He helped to expand the company from the lumber industry to include oil industry. W.C. Trout and his father, W. H. Trout owned a number of patents on sawmill equipment. He joined Lufkin Foundry nd Machine Company after being a sawmill machinery salesman for Allis - Chalmers Company. In 1938 he was one of the organizers of the Texas Foundries, Inc., another major industry in Lufkin.

It still has its horse hitching post out front:


The Dr. Edward Percy House, Vernacular Victorian (1900)

113 West Kerr Avenue, Late Victorian (1910-20)

118 West Kerr Avenue, Late Victorian (1915-20)

The Boynton-Kent House,
Mediterranean Revival/Italian Renaissance (1920s)

410 East Groesbeck Avenue, Victorian Cottage (1900)

319 East Groesbeck Avenue, Victorian Cottage

418 East Groesbeck Avenue, Victorian Cottage

The Abercrombie-Cavanaugh House,
Queen Anne Victorian (1900)



It had a cool, matching carriage house:


And that wrap-around:


And kitties:

The birds of Petty's Motor Hotel

Petty's Motor Hotel in Lufkin, Texas

Rebirth of Rebirth of The Pines

Texas Escapes is featuring my Rebirth of The Pines post.

Rebirth of The Pines

Constructed in 1925, this is the way it was in July 2006.


Looking down First Street, January 2007
And then suddenly, one morning in April 2007, Lufkin awoke to find it in this condition:

No one is really sure what happened, but it was theorized an 18-wheeler or delivery truck somehow crashed in to it. It is in this state it sat for a while.

By May 2008, I'd pretty much given up on it ever being repaired.

I'd expected it to continue going down, but I was stunned to see it like this a year later, April 2009:

I had heard rumors that a restoration was under way, but this looked like more of a dismantling, which it was. But instead of destroying, the removed neon and giant green glass, inlaid fleur-de-lis, it was all being refurbished:


Wow!!

What's old is new again. In fact, it's downright shiny.


Way to go Lufkin! Bravo. You restore some faith in mankind.

Genitalia on Angelina's chin...

...please, let me explain.

Sometime over the weekend, one of the less...enlightened citizens of nearby Lufkin decided Angelina would look better if she had male genitalia spray painted onto her chin. I disagree with this particular aesthetic modification. It will cost the city of Lufkin around $1,500 to restore. Monday night, police found a similar, erotic work of art on the south side (yo) of L-Town, so maybe they'll catch the artist. Speaking of which, muralist Lance Hunter painted this, and other, murals in 1991. These are some of the others in downtown Lufkin. I see several other places where genitalia could be added.


She's practically begging for it.






Definitely in need of some genitalia.



Think of the fun to be had with a can of spray paint on this one!!