| Pineland was founded around 1903
as a sawmill town, and from that time until the present, lumbering and allied
timber products have been its principal industry. It is located on the Atchetson,
Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad about twelve miles southwest of Hemphill,
and it is the second largest town in Sabine County.
Pineland has been the home of the Pineland Operations
of Temple Eastex, Inc. (formerly Temple Lumber Company) since around 1910.
The first United States Post Office was established in
the city on November 26, 1904, with John D. Copper as the first postmaster.
Pineland is also the home of the West Sabine Independent School District
schools, the successor of the Pineland Independent School District which
was established September 10, 1917.
There is in Pineland a modern public library (Arthur Temple
Sr. Memorial Library), and an excellent city park (Katherine Sage Temple
Memorial Park), with sports facilities to include a swimming pool and
picnic area.
On December 30, 1941, the commissioners court received
a petition signed by 58 Pineland residents requesting that an election
be held for the purpose of incorporation of the town. (A plat and description
of the town limits is contained in pages 558 to 564 of Volume N, Minutes
of the Commissioners Court Meetings, on file in the county clerk's office.)
The petition was granted and an election was held on January 11, 1941.
Fifty voted for incorporation with none voting against. Then an election
was held to select the first city governing body. They were:
- E. G. Prud' homme : mayor
- G. W. Alford : city marshal
- H. H. Newton : alderman
- R. S. Rasbury : alderman
- J. C. Sheffield : alderman
- Lewis Bell : alderman
- Pratt Hines : alderman
The town continues today to operate under a mayor-city
council form of government. The city also operates the Pineland Municipal
Airport located about one mile southwest on US Highway 96.
The old railroad station at Pineland (shown below)
also has old logging locomotive engine #20 beside it.
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