Looneyville, Texas is located in northwestern Nacogdoches County, in the eastern part of the Lone Star State.

Origin of its unusual name
The tiny farming community was named after local businessman John Looney. Mr. Looney established a store in the area back in the early 1870s. A post office opened a short time thereafter, followed by sawmills, a cotton gin, a gristmill, livery stable, a church and a school. The population of Looneyville reached its peak (about 100 residents) shortly before 1900, before steadily declining following World War I. The local economy has gradually shifted from the logging and lumbering interests of the late-1800s, to farming.

Nearby cities and towns:
Crockett, Texas (to the southwest)
Palestine, Texas (to the west)
Tyler, Texas (to the northwest)
Henderson, Texas (to the north)
Carthage, Texas (to the northeast)
Nacogdoches, Texas (about 14 miles to the southeast)

Time Zone: Looneyville, Texas is in the Central Time Zone.

Points of interest in the region:
Angelina River
Angelina National Forest, southeast of Nacogdoches, Texas
Sam Rayburn Lake (a.k.a. Sam Rayburn Reservoir), southeast of Nacogdoches, Texas
Alazan Bayou Wildlife Management Area, in southern Nacogdoches County
Davy Crockett National Forest, south of Looneyville, Texas
Stephen F. Austin State University, in Nacogdoches, Texas
Jim Hogg Historic Site, northeast of Rusk, Texas
Mission Tejas State Park, located northeast of Crockett, Texas

Recreational opportunities in the area
Camping, fishing, hunting, picnicking, boating, canoeing, kayaking, rafting, swimming, horseback riding, hiking, birding, wildlife viewing, photography and water-skiing.

Wildlife found in eastern Texas
Deer, squirrel, turkey, quail, dove, woodcock, and the woodpecker, all call the bottomland hardwood forests and lush piney woods of East Texas home. Anglers will find trophy largemouth bass at Sam Rayburn Lake, which plays host to many top fishing tournaments each year.

U.S. map showing the location of Looneyville, Texas

For an extensive list of other odd town names in the United States, visit our page of unusual, bizarre and humorous names of towns.