Corrigan, Texas

==Background==

Corrigan largely emerged when the [[Houston East and West Texas Railway]] was completed in 1881; however, the area had seen some establishment of mills and farms prior to the railroad. The town was named Corrigan after Pat Corrigan, the conductor of the first train to pass through the newly built railway in the area. In the years following, the timber industry boomed in Corrigan due to the large pine trees native to the area and access to the railroad. By 1882, there were 17 sawmills in the Corrigan area. The timber industry led to churches, stores, hotels, gins, and other businesses opening in Corrigan. In 1883, a post office opened. The Corrigan economy began to diversify, which helped the community survive economic downturns that happened periodically in the timber industry. However, the timber industry remained at the core of the Corrigan economy and shaped many of the town's social structures.<ref name="TSHA">{{cite web |title=TSHA {{!}} Corrigan, TX (Polk County) |url=https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/corrigan-tx-polk-county |website=www.tshaonline.org |access-date=14 July 2022}}</ref>

In 2000, there were 114 businesses in Corrigan.<ref name=TSHA/> An analysis by the ''[[Houston Chronicle]]'' of Texas traffic stop data found the Corrigan Police Department to be among the most [[Speed limit enforcement|aggressive at enforcing traffic laws]] in the state, with the town's 12 police officers issuing over 8,100 citations in 2020.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Barned-Smith |first1=St John |last2=Dexheimer |first2=Eric |title=Speeding in Texas? Here's where police pulled over the most people |url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/investigations/article/texas-speed-traps-16395228.php |website=Houston Chronicle |access-date=14 July 2022 |date=18 August 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Corrigan ranks high on places for speed traps in Texas |url=https://easttexasnews.com/index.php/polk-county-news-2/825-corrigan-ranks-high-on-places-for-speed-traps-in-texas |website=easttexasnews.com |access-date=14 July 2022 |language=en-gb}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Dexheimer |first1=Eric |last2=Barned-Smith |first2=St John |title=Dangling air fresheners and 'faulty' plates: These Texas police make the most minor traffic stops |url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/investigations/article/texas-police-most-minor-traffic-stop-investigation-16639125.php |website=Houston Chronicle |access-date=14 July 2022 |date=22 November 2021}}</ref>