Continuing our journey north on First Street in Lufkin, we see the Angelina Hotel (now the Angelina House) on our left. The Angelina Hotel was built in 1922 and is still one of the tallest buildings in Lufkin. That height was useful, says the Lufkin Daily News to local police:
Before car radios were available, Lufkin officers would keep a close eye on the Angelina Hotel. The hotel was the tallest building in Lufkin and could be seen from virtually anywhere in town. A light atop the hotel was activated to notify the on-duty officer to go to a "call box" and phone the station to be dispatched to a call.
The Hotel, located at the corner of South First and Shepherd Avenue, is worth about $430,000 today.
Sometime in the 1980's, I'd guess, the Hotel became "Angelina House", a sort of retirement/assisted living center, so it was common to see old men shuffling around in the entryway or whiling away the hours as you passed. The property sold in 2006, but I'm unable to find out the fate of the building.
Interesting things nearby: You're right into downtown, so there's a few restaurants, a couple of banks, and Lufkin Industries within sight. Tucked in on the same block to the west is nifty little retro diner, something that I never noticed in all my years of living there.
