1860 Old Mill Road Photographs
1860 Old Mill Road 1986 Survey Information

• Site No.: L-0526
• Address: 1860 Old Mill Road
• Name: J. H. Kurth Residence
• Date: 1890
• Town: Lufkin
• Block: A. Barela, Abstract 49, Tract 534, 9.54 acres
• Condition: Excellent; exterior appears unaltered, interior renovation.
• Description: 2-1/2 story; wood frame with horizontal board siding; brick foundation with brick foundation skirt; massed plan with central hall, 1-story addition on north; pyramidal hip roof with hipped dormers, composition shingles, entablature with dentils beneath the boxed eaves; 2-story projecting portico on a raised masonry base with paired cylindrical Doric columns, third story balcony atop the portico with boxed column balusters and solid paneled railing; second story porch extends around the entire south, west, and north sides, has a metal shed roof, and boxed with paneled railing, the 1st and 2nd floor porch have curved corners on SW and NW; Doric columns on 1st floor porch are cylindrical; windows 1/1 wood double-hung; elaborate entry w/ single door flanked by multipaned side lights and transom lights; hipped dormers on 4 sides of main roof w/ shingled siding and stained glass windows; small 1-story wing on n. side w/ gable roof, turned wood columns and fretwork on the porch, 1/1 wood windows; rear screened porch at SE; detached wood frame garage. Interior description: the structure is 3 units wide and 2 units deep with service wing at rear. Central front entry hall and stairs are flanked by rectangular moms, two rooms deep. Living and dining rooms are back to back on w. side, each w/ ceramic tiled fireplace and mantel. Dining room has built-in cabinets. On the e. there is a parlor type room w/ bedroom and small bath to rear. Rear service wing is comprised of screened entry porch; large kitchen with plain wood cabinets and modern black & white vinyl tile floor; w. of kitchen is entry hall flanked by bath and what was called the milk room. Central stair has large intermediate landing, windows v.r/ stained glass, and plain wood banister. At 2nd floor there is wide central hall flanked by 2 bedrooms on each side, w/ bath on e. side. Screened porch wraps around the e.,s., and w.; smaller stairs lead up to attic. Attic has large central room w/ alcoves created by dormers; peripheral storage rooms wrap around main room. Stained glass windows in the walls between the large room and peripheral rooms. Original interiors are substantially intact. Flooring is slash pine and yellow pine, w/ the first floor main rooms finished in diagonal flooring. Walls have been sheet-rocked and papered; the first floor ceilings have been papered between boxed beams. Major changes during recent renovation were sheet-rocking of walls, and addition of central air heating and cooling system. Floor vents were placed where individual room heating units had been located.
• Significance:  Currently a RTHL awarded in 1966. Residence of J. H. Kurth, one of the founders of the Angelina County Lumber Company. No early lumbering or manufacturing structures are extant at mill. Joseph H. Kurth, a German immigrant from Polk County, moved to Angelina County in 1887. He and SW Henderson, Sr., acquired a sawmill founded by Charles L. KeIty ca. 1870, north of Lufkin. Kurth, had operated a smaller mill at Kurth Station near Corrigan, Polk Cry. Their business was known as Henderson & Kurth. By 1900 Sam Weiner and his brother, Eli Wiener, joined Henderson & Kurth, forming the Angelina County Lumber Company. During it’s hey day the 3 families had nearly a dozen sawmills, a paper mill, hotels, movie theatres, railroads, investment companies, newspapers, radio and television, insurance firms, banks, foundries, hospitals, and other enterprises. In 1902 these partners with Frank Kavanaugh Sr., and Frank Cavanaugh, Jr., from Rusk, established the Lufkin Foundry and Machine Company to purchase, manufacture, repair, and sell machinery, the parent company of current day Lufkin Industries, Inc. ACLCo. was sold to Owens-Illinois in 1966. Nominated to the National Register. The significance is architecture and industry.