Polk County
Livingston, Polk County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Polk County, created from Liberty County March 30, 1846, organized July 13, 1846 with Livingston as county seat. Named for James Knox Polk, 1795-1849, President of the United States who favored the annexation of Texas. Early settlements were Drew's Landing, Mariana, Swartout. On 1,280 acres granted by the state in 1854, the descendants of the Alabama Indians still live.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Polk County was carved from Liberty County and organized in July 1846, with Livingston as its seat, in the first months after Texas joined the Union. It was named for President James K. Polk, whose administration championed the annexation of Texas. Early settlements clustered at river landings like Drew's Landing and Swartout, and on land granted by the state in 1854 the descendants of the Alabama Indians still make their home.
Why it matters
The county's creation marks Texas's entry into the United States, and its surviving Alabama-Coushatta community ties that founding directly to Native Texans' enduring presence.
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Related people
- · James Knox Polk
Related events
- · Annexation of Texas
Themes & tags
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