Lighted “Welcome To Lufkin” Signs End Up In Landfill

In 2012 after a bond issue in 2010, the City of Lufkin awarded the sole bidder "Signs By Debbie" $149,400 to make six large lighted signs that resembled a cut-down tree.

These were to make people aware that they were in Lufkin and were "welcome".  According to a Lufkin Daily News article from November 22, 2011, then-City Manager Paul Parker said the signs would last 20 years.

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That was not the case, as the signs had deteriorated significantly in the 10+ years they have been up.

Some officials were against the signs initially because of the cost, even though the public expressed a need for them in the bond issue. The economy in our area was still recovering from a major recession in 2008.

Visit Lufkin To Make Lufkin More Navigable and Visitor-Friendly

In a Facebook post today Visit Lufkin showed photos of the signs being removed. The signs were removed before the wayfinding study to develop a signage plan.

The Lufkin City Council recently approved these actions. That is the same local governing body that put the signs up in the first place.

Read More: Residents Crowd Into Lufkin City Hall To Protest Gas Station

We do not know what the new signs will look like, but I assume they will be more informative than decorative.

This hard work by Visit Lufkin has been met with some questions and disapproval from residents. They have taken over a Facebook post with different photos of a sign being removed after one ended up in the landfill.

Though some loved the signs, all things must come to an end, and these signs had come to the end of their lives. Embrace the change, and let's get ready for something new soon.

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