Sabine River

Earliest History

The Sabine River, first named the "Rio de Sabinas" is the 33rd longest river in the United States. The word 'sabinas' is the Spanish word for cypress and refers to the cypress trees that grow in abundance along its banks. In its earliest history the river valley was inhabited by a first nation people called the Caddo. The Caddo culture thrived there for over 500 years but by the time the first European explorers arrived in the 1500's only remnants of their civilization were visible and very few of the Caddo people were still living there.