Region: Piney Woods
Established in 1895 in east central Jasper County, the city is on the Gulf,
Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad and is the terminus of the Jasper and Eastern
Railroad. Named for John Henry Kirby, who, along with R.P. Allen, laid out the
town site. Kirby was known as "Prince of the Pines" and at one time produced
more Southern Pine lumber than any man in the world.
Today, lumber is still king, but agribusiness and tourism play an important
role in the economy. It's right in the middle of national and state forests, as
well as the Big Thicket
National Preserve. Because of the abundance of trees, birding is a popular
activity here. Residents salute the forests with the popular Magnolia Festival
each April.