Texas Trucker Tapestries
Description: Located just west of Texarkana, Texas right off of Interstate 30, Lone Star Truck Stop has been open around the clock since opening its doors in 1964. Whether you need a bite to eat, to tank up on diesel, or a place to grab a shower and overnight, just head for the Lone Star where the lights are always on and the coffee is always hot.
Description: Marmons were first designed and built in Indianapolis, Indiana from 1960 to 1963 by Marmon-Herrington, the successor to the Marmon Motor Car Company. When Marmon-Herrington ceased production some time in 1963, a new company, Marmon Motor Company, purchased and revived the Marmon brand to build and sell premium truck designs that Marmon-Herrington had been planning. Just eight trucks were built that first year and the failing Marmon Motor Company was then sold to Space Corporation out of Denton, Texas and manufacturing was relocated to Garland, Texas, a long way from the old Duesenberg assembly plant in Indiana.
Description: Lufkin Foundry & Machine Company was founded in 1902 in Lufkin, Texas as a repair shop and parts supply house for regional sawmills. The company ventured into the petroleum industry and manufactured the first enclosed geared pumping unit, and a counterbalanced crank that improved the pumping unit and made a name for the company worldwide. In 1939, the company bought the Martin Wagon and Trailer Company, established the Lufkin Trailers to manufacture heavy-duty truck trailers. Leveraging their extensive design experience, Lufkin began building the lightest and toughest trailers in the industry, and could barely keep up with demand. In 1970, a new 400 acre trailer plant was built south of Lufkin, allowing production to meet demand.
Description: Marmons were first designed and built in Indianapolis, Indiana from 1960 to 1963 by Marmon-Herrington, the successor to the Marmon Motor Car Company. When Marmon-Herrington ceased production some time in 1963, a new company, Marmon Motor Company, purchased and revived the Marmon brand to build and sell premium truck designs that Marmon-Herrington had been planning. Just eight trucks were built that first year and the failing Marmon Motor Company was then sold to Space Corporation out of Denton, Texas and manufacturing was relocated to Garland, Texas, a long way from the old Duesenberg assembly plant in Indiana.
Description: Founded in Houston, Texas in 1947, Hill and Hill Truck Lines was a specialty carrier serving oil fields throughout the Lone Star State, hauling everything from pipeline materials to drill rigging and cargo needed in the field. They went beyond Texas in the early '70s, leveraging their operating authority to go to work on the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System run from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez, Alaska. Before they could actually get to work on the pipeline itself, they worked on the North Slope Haul Road, later known as the Dalton Highway, which was the main supply and service route along the bulk of the pipeline run.
Description: Sproles Motor Freight Lines was founded in 1926 as a provider of general cartage services throughout the greater Dallas, Texas area. Within two decades, Sproles grew to provide guaranteed overnight freight service throughout Texas, claiming to be the state's only 'gulf to panhandle' trucking company. While other trucking outfits worked to grow with an eye on going national, Sproles Motor Freight Lines remained focused on the Lonestar State and remained a full-service Texas trucking company. In the '50s, Sproles' statewide reach and dependable service caught the eye of Lufkin-based Red Ball Lines, who would eventually acquire Sproles to form Sproles-Red Ball Lines.
Description: Strickland Propane is a fictional propane and propane accessories supplier in the animated series King of the Hill. Buck Strickland runs the company, headquartered at 135 Los Gatos Road in Arlen, Texas, though he delegates most of the day-to-day responsibilities to his 41-time employee of the month, assistant manager Hank Hill. This versions of the Strickland Propane Delivers design is the new/clean version, but I've got another one that includes a nice vintage wash to give it a nice old-school look.
Description: Headquartered in Grand Prairie, Texas, Arnold Transportation Services was a full service truckload carrier that billed themselves as 'the original regional carrier.' Arnold’s foundation in regional service was established in 1932, and would go on to provide irregular route truckload service, dedicated solutions and logistics support. With operations strategically concentrated in the South Central and Midwest states, the company consistently created capacity for its customers in and around major markets. After 92 years in business, Arnold Transportation Services had 341 truck drivers and 402 power units when they suddenly shut down in 2024.
Description: Founded in 1925 with a single Model T truck, Central Freight Lines was a less-than-truckload (LTL) carrier based in Waco, Texas. Its founder, W.W. “Woody” Callan, Sr., launched the company as Central Forwarding and Warehouse Company. He started out transporting goods between Dallas and Waco with that single vehicle, and 96 years later, Central had over 5,000 tractors, trailers, and delivery trucks, with 80 terminals from Miami to Los Angeles.
Description: **"Discover the history of Marmon trucks, initially designed and built in Indianapolis, Indiana (1960-1963) by Marmon-Herrington, a successor to the Marmon Motor Car Company. After production ceased in 1963, Marmon Motor Company revived the brand to craft premium truck designs, building only eight trucks in its first year. Later acquired by Space Corporation, manufacturing was relocated to Garland, Texas, marking the end of an era tied to Indiana's Duesenberg plant legacy."** This rewrite incorporates key terms like "Marmon trucks," "Marmon-Herrington," and "premium truck designs" for better SEO ranking while keeping it clear and engaging. Let me know if you'd like further edits!
Description: Red Ball Motor Freight Co. was founded in 1928 by Henry English in Lufkin, Texas and had an original service area encompassing Lufkin, Houston, and the towns along the route. Through a series of mergers and acquisitions over the years, Red Ball Motor Freight Co. expanded to become the sixth-largest common carrier trucking company in the nation. Like many of the great carriers of that era, Red Ball failed to meet the demands of a deregulated trucking industry after the Motor Carrier Act of 1980 was signed into law by President Carter, and filed for bankruptcy in April 1982.
