This is the second in a 3-part anthology of old East Texas sawmill towns and ghost towns. It includes Hardin, Jasper, Liberty, Montgomery, Sabine, Shelby and Trinity counties.

This is the second in a 3-part anthology of old East Texas sawmill towns and ghost towns. It includes Hardin, Jasper, Liberty, Montgomery, Sabine, Shelby and Trinity counties.

Includes Angelina, Chambers, Jefferson, Nacogdoches, Newton, Orange, Polk and Tyler counties.

Winner, T. H. Fehrenbach Award, Texas Historical Commission Sawmill communities were once the thriving centers of East Texas life. Many sprang up almost overnight in a pine forest clearing, and many disappeared just as quickly after the company "cut out" its last trees. But during their heyday, these company towns made Texas the nation's third-largest lumber producer and created a colorful way of life that lingers in the memories of the remaining former residents and their children and grandchildren. Drawing on oral history, company records, and other archival sources, Sitton and Conrad recreate the lifeways of the sawmill communities. They describe the companies that ran the mills and the different kinds of jobs involved in logging and milling. They depict the usually rough-hewn towns, with their central mill, unpainted houses, company store, and schools, churches, and community centers. And they characterize the lives of the people, from the hard, awesomely dangerous mill work to the dances, picnics, and other recreations that offered welcome diversions.

This text explores the natural history of Texas and more than 2900 springs in 183 Texas counties. It also includes an in-depth discussion of the general characteristics of springs - their physical and prehistoric settings, their historical significance, and their associated flora and fauna.