San Augustine

Formed December 22, 1836 (23^rd county)

San Augustine County (7,921), San Augustine (1,921)                

The Classical Revival limestone courthouse was built in 1927 on a square at Main and Broadway.  Texas State Highways 21 and 147 intersect at this location.  United States Highway 96 bypasses the center of the city to the west.  The building was restored in 2010.  All three courthouses have been located in San Augustine since the county’s founding on December 22, 1836.  The county is one of the 23 original Texas counties (23^rd county.)  Shirley Simons was the building designer.  The building was renovated in 2010.  San Augustine is named for a small Mexican community.  It means “Saint Augustine” in Spanish. 

San Augustine County government consists of a sheriff, a County Judge, and 4 Commissioners.  One District Court Judge serves San Augustine, Jasper, Newton, Sabine, and Tyler counties, One District Court Judge serves San Augustine, Sabine, and Shelby counties, and One County Court Judge serves San Augustine County.  The county is located in the East Texas pines.  Houston, Texas is southeast and Beaumont, Texas is south of the county.  The county center is 5.7 miles Southwest of San Augustine nearer Macune.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Shelby, Sabine, Jasper, Angelina, and Nacogdoches counties. 

The area of the county is 528 square miles.  It is 236 out of 254 in the state.  It ranks 177 out of 254 in population in the state.  It has a density of 15.0 persons per square mile making it 149 out of 254 in the state.  San Augustine County has 26.6% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 96 comes in from the north, Shelby County, and goes to the east, Sabine County.  The county is shaped like a glass with a tapered southern border.  The Attoyac Bayou and the Angelina River form the western border.  San Augustine City is in the extreme north of the county.  San Augustine is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 24.3% of the county population.  The county and county seat are pronounced SAN A-GUS-TEEN.