Site of Martin Wagon Company
Lufkin, Angelina County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Daniel Webster Martin (d. 1916) and his two sons opened a small wagon shop here in 1908. An inventor and designer, Martin developed various wagons for use in the lumber industry. In partnership with B. L. Zeagler, he incorporated the operation as the Martin Wagon Company in 1910. The business continued to prosper until the 1930s, when the Depression caused decreases in the demand for timber related products. Later acquired by the Lufkin Foundry and Machine Co., renamed Lufkin Industries in 1970, it became the basis of the company's trailer division. (1980)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
In 1908 Daniel Webster Martin and his two sons opened a small wagon shop in Lufkin, where Martin, an inventor and designer, developed specialized wagons for the booming lumber industry. Incorporated as the Martin Wagon Company in 1910 with partner B. L. Zeagler, the business thrived until the Depression cut demand for timber products. It was later absorbed by the Lufkin Foundry and Machine Co.—renamed Lufkin Industries—and became the seed of that company's trailer division.
Why it matters
The wagon works shows how a small East Texas shop tied to the timber trade evolved into part of a major industrial manufacturer.
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Related people
- · Daniel Webster Martin
- · B. L. Zeagler
Themes & tags
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