Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Order a flight of infused ya dong shots.
Tep Bar
Thai-Chinese makes up Bangkok’s largest diaspora.
Nai Ek Roll Noodle
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Chefs Aruss Lerlerstkull and Atcharaporn Kiatthanawat lean into regional traditions.
Charmgang
The khao soi at Gedhawa comes with a rich, coconutty broth.
Gedhawa
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Ripples in the land are remnants of the field walls that once held rows of native sugarcane and sweet potatoes.
Unearthing the Mysteries of Hawai'i's Ancient Agriculture
Petrified Forest National Park.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Texas Zavalla Aldridge Sawmill

Aldridge Sawmill

The 19th-century ruins hide deep in an overgrown forest.

Zavalla, Texas

Added By
M Villarreal
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Aldridge Sawmill.   mvillarreal222 / Atlas Obscura User
Aldridge Sawmill.   mvillarreal222 / Atlas Obscura User
Aldridge Sawmill.   mvillarreal222 / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Hal Aldridge relocated from Rockland, Texas, in the early 1900s, and began purchasing stands of longleaf yellow pine in Angelina County. In 1903, he began the construction of a sawmill near a scenic bend of the Neches River, which he completed by 1905. 

As business grew, the Aldridge Sawmill produced approximately 125,000 board feet of lumber daily and employed 500 people. The site featured employee housing, a commissary, hotel, post office, blacksmith shop, train depot, two schools, and various shops and saloons. 

On August 25, 1911, a fire destroyed the original wooden mill buildings. They were replaced in 1912 by the reinforced concrete structures that stand on the site today. Business does not seem to have suffered for long, and by 1913, the population of Aldridge is estimated to have been anywhere from 1,000 to 1,500 residents.

Another fire in 1914, however, caused Aldridge to depart the lumber business, apparently leaving it in the hands of his brother, who was also the company's vice president. Operations continued as business began to slow, until another fire in 1919 finally ended the Aldridge Lumber Company. 

The township was essentially abandoned by 1920, eventually being annexed into the Angelina National Forest. Today, visitors can see the remains of four concrete buildings, as well as the mill pond that would have once fed the sawmill's boilers.

Related Tags

Ruins Industrial Mills Abandoned Forests Graffiti Ecosystems

Know Before You Go

The Aldridge Sawmill can be accessed via a 2.5-mile hiking trail beginning at Boykin Springs Recreation Area. Alternatively, head south on Highway 63 from Zavalla for approximately 20 miles before turning right onto County Road 32. Make another right turn when you reach County Road 34, then follow 34 until you reach a gated trail with an Aldridge Sawmill sign. There is some space for parking on the shoulder, and the sawmill is a short walk (less than 100 yards) down this trail. A high clearance vehicle may be necessary for this route in inclement weather. 

Community Contributors

Added By

mvillarreal222

Edited By

Scott Terrell

  • Scott Terrell

Published

January 6, 2020

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://texasbeyondhistory.net/aldridge/legacy.html
  • https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/texas/specialplaces/?cid=stelprdb5291444
Aldridge Sawmill
Zavalla, Texas, 75980
United States
31.033759, -94.280841
Visit Website

Nearby Places

Sturrock Cemetery

Zavalla, Texas

miles away

Geraldine Watson Rare Native Plant Preserve

Warren, Texas

miles away

Patricia Huffman Smith NASA Museum

Hemphill, Texas

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Zavalla

Zavalla

Texas

Places 2

Nearby Places

Sturrock Cemetery

Zavalla, Texas

miles away

Geraldine Watson Rare Native Plant Preserve

Warren, Texas

miles away

Patricia Huffman Smith NASA Museum

Hemphill, Texas

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Zavalla

Zavalla

Texas

Places 2

Related Stories and Lists

12 Forests That Offer Chills and Thrills

List

By Jonathan Carey

Related Places

  • Mine Hill Preserve.

    Roxbury, Connecticut

    Mine Hill Preserve

    The remnants of a 19th-century ironmaking complex hidden in the woods of Connecticut.

  • The abandoned building.

    Pittston, Pennsylvania

    Abandoned Knox Coal Distribution Center

    The graffitied ruins stand hidden within the Pennsylvania woods.

  • A view of the convent from the courtyard.

    Mexico City, Mexico

    Desierto de los Leones (Desert of the Lions)

    Explore the atmospheric ruins of an abandoned convent in the dense forests of Mexico's first national park.

  • Deertrail ruins.

    Sooke, British Columbia

    Abandoned Deertrail Resort

    A crumbling cliffside ruin hidden in the woods.

  • Blast Furnace

    Brownville, Maine

    Katahdin Iron Works

    The remains of a large iron mill that once stood in the remote woods of northern Maine.

  • Old Car City in White, Georgia.

    White, Georgia

    Old Car City

    One of the world's largest automobile junkyards is a unique landscape of metal and moss.

  • Oakland, New Jersey

    Van Slyke Castle Ruins

    The remains of a century-old mansion that met a fiery demise years after it was deserted.

  • “The Umbrella” at the base of the gorge

    Şuşa, Azerbaijan

    Hunot Gorge

    A scenic canyon with thick forests and historic ruins.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.