The Angelina River is formed by the junction of Barnhardt and Shawnee creeks three miles northwest of Laneville in southwest central Rusk County, Texas

Rusk County, Texas

As of the census of 2000, there were 47,372 people, 17,364 households, and 12,727 families residing in the county. The population density was 51 people per square mile . There were 19,867 housing units at an average density of 22 per square mile...

 (at 32°01′N 94°50′W).

The river flows southeast for 120 miles (193 km) and forms the boundaries between Cherokee

Cherokee County, Texas

As of the census of 2000, there were 46,659 people, 16,651 households, and 12,105 families residing in the county. The population density was 44 people per square mile . There were 19,173 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile...

 and Nacogdoches

Nacogdoches County, Texas

As of the census of 2000, there were 59,203 people, 22,006 households, and 14,039 families residing in the county. The population density was 62 people per square mile . There were 25,051 housing units at an average density of 26 per square mile...

, Angelina

Angelina County, Texas

Angelina County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. Angelina County was formed in 1846 from Nacogdoches County. As of 2000, the population was 80,130. Its county seat is Lufkin. Angelina is named for a Hainai Native American woman who assisted early Spanish missionaries and was named...

 and Nacogdoches, and Angelina and San Augustine

San Augustine County, Texas

As of the census of 2000, there were 8,946 people, 3,575 households, and 2,520 families residing in the county. The population density was 17 people per square mile . There were 5,356 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile...

 counties. It empties into the Neches River

Neches River

The Neches River flows for through east Texas to its mouth on Sabine Lake near the Rainbow Bridge. Two major reservoirs, Lake Palestine and B. A. Steinhagen Reservoir are located on the Neches. Several cities are located along the Neches River Basin, including Evadale, Tyler, Lufkin, Silsbee,...

 twelve miles north of Jasper

Jasper, Texas

Jasper is the county seat of Jasper County, Texas, in the United States. The population was 8,247 at the 2000 census. Jasper is situated in the Deep East Texas subregion, about northeast of Houston. The city is best known for the 1998 murder of James Byrd, Jr., an event which gained national...

 in northwestern Jasper County (at 31°54′N 94°12′W).

The Sam Rayburn Reservoir

Sam Rayburn Reservoir

Sam Rayburn Reservoir is a reservoir in the United States located in Southeast Texas, north of Beaumont. The reservoir is fed by the Angelina River, the major tributary of the Neches River. The capacity of the reservoir is , and is the largest lake wholly located within the state of Texas...

 is on the southern part of the river.
The river was named for a native Hasinai

Hasinai

The Hasinai Confederacy was a large confederation of Caddo-speaking Native Americans located between the Sabine and Trinity rivers in eastern Texas...

 girl whom Spanish

Spain

Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...

 missionaries called Angelina.