Hemphill is the seat of
Sabine County, and lies east of
Lufkin on Hwy 87 in Sabin National Forest near the Toledo Bend Reservoir, and the Texas/Louisiana state line.
Though Hemphill's central location may have been an advantage in that it made it more accessible to county residents, it was a distinct disadvantage to the town's growth potential. The main transportation arteries that have crossed the county have never gone through the central portion.
During the 1930s and 1940s the population of Hemphill was estimated at 731. In 1988 Hemphill had an estimated 1,530 residents and seventy-six rated businesses. In 1990 its population was reported as 1,182.
