Lost Pines of Texas
Bastrop, Bastrop County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Located 80 miles west of the main pine belt of Texas, these trees probably were once part of vast, prehistoric pine forests. As land areas gradually rose, possibly due to glacier activity, most of the forests moved east. Ideal local conditions have kept the Lost Pines intact. One of the first records of the trees was made in 1807 by Zebulon Pike, explorer for whom Pike's Peak was named. In the 19th century, these loblolly pines supported the county's main industry. Local lumber was shipped by riverboat and ox-wagon to points all over Texas. (1969)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
The Lost Pines are an island of loblolly forest stranded some 80 miles west of the main Texas pine belt, likely a surviving remnant of vast prehistoric woodlands. Explorer Zebulon Pike noted the trees in 1807, and by the 19th century they had become the backbone of the local economy, their lumber floated out by riverboat and hauled by ox-wagon across Texas. Ideal soil and moisture have kept this ancient stand intact where the surrounding forests long ago retreated eastward.
Why it matters
This rare relict forest links Texas's deep natural history to its frontier economy, showing how a quirk of geography became the timber that built a region.
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Related people
- · Zebulon Pike
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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