Beaumont, Texas

Lamar University is based in Beaumont. The city's daily newspaper is The Beaumont Enterprise. An alternative weekly newspaper, The Examiner, is published on Fridays.

Gulf States Utilities had its headquarters in Beaumont until its absorption by Entergy Corporation in 1993. GSU's Edison Plaza headquarters is still the tallest building in Beaumont (as of 2007). Since 1907, Beaumont has been home of the South Texas State Fair. In 2004, the venue for the Fair changed to Ford Park, a new, larger facility on the west end of Beaumont.

1 History
2 Politics and Government
3 Geography
4 Climate
- 4.1 Severe weather events
5 Demographics
6 Employment
7 Points of interest
8 Education
9 Media
10 Famous People from Beaumont
11 Famous Businesses from Beaumont
12 Events in Beaumont
13 Airports
14 References
15 External links

[edit] History

Main article: History of Beaumont, Texas

The city of Beaumont was named by Henry Millard for the family of his deceased wife, Natchez, Mississippi, belle Mary Dewburleigh Barlace Warren Beaumont. ^[1] Millard came to Texas in 1835 and, along with his business partners, purchased some land between the settlements of Tevis Bluff and Santa Anna. On this property, they founded the city of Beaumont.

Beaumont became a town on December 16, 1838. Beaumont's first mayor was Alexander Calder.^[2]

Beaumont was a small center for cattle raisers and farmers in its early years, and with an active riverport by the late 1800s, it became an important lumber and rice-milling town. The Beaumont Rice Mill, founded in 1892 by Joseph Eloi Broussard, was the first commercial rice mill in Texas. Beaumont's lumber boom, which reached its peak in the late 1800s, was due in large part to the rebuilding and expansion of the railroads after the Civil War. By the early 1900s, the city was served by the Southern Pacific, Kansas City Southern, Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe, and Missouri Pacific railroad systems.

Oil was discovered at nearby Spindletop on January 10, 1901. Spindletop became the first major oil field and one of the largest in American history. With the discovery of oil at Spindletop, Beaumont's population grew from 3,296 in 1890 to 9,427 in 1900.

A race riot took place in Beaumont in June 1943 after a white woman said she had been raped by a black man.[1]

In 1996, the Jefferson County courts, located in Beaumont, became the first court in the nation to implement electronic filing and service of court documents, eliminating the need for law firms to print and mail reams of documents.

In 2005, Beaumont and surrounding areas suffered extensive damage from Hurricane Rita. A mandatory evacuation was imposed upon its residents for about two weeks.

[edit] Politics and Government

Main article: Politics of Beaumont, Texas

Beaumont is a council-manager form of government. Elections are held annually, with the Mayor and Council members each serving two-year terms. All powers of the City are vested in the Council, which enacts local legislation, adopts budgets, and determines policies. Council is also responsible for appointing the City Attorney, the City Clerk and Magistrates, and the City Manager. The city council is comprised of two councilmembers-at-large, and four councilmembers representing four Wards of the city.^[3]

[edit] Geography

Beaumont is on Texas' coastal plain, about 30 miles inland from the Gulf of Mexico, and just south of the dense pine forests of East Texas. The city is bordered on the east by the Neches River and to the north by Pine Island Bayou. Before being settled, the area was crisscrossed by numerous small streams. Most of these streams have since been filled in or converted for drainage purposes.

Beaumont is located at 30°4′48″N, 94°7′36″W (30.079912, -94.126653).^GR1

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 222.6 km² (85.9 mi²). 220.2 km² (85.0 mi²) of it is land and 2.4 km² (0.9 mi²) of it (1.07%) is water.

[edit] Climate

Main article: Climate of Beaumont, Texas

Beaumont has a subtropical climate with mild winters and warm, humid summers. The most recent snow event was December 24, 2004, the first such occurrence since 1989. The area suffered a severe ice storm in 1997.

[edit] Severe weather events

Several hurricanes have left their mark on Beaumont.

In 1957, Hurricane Audrey, a strong category 4 hurricane (borderline category 5 at times), came onshore straight up the Texas/Louisiana border, causing massive flooding and wind damage. 390 people lost their lives (other estimates show over 500), mostly in Louisiana due to drowning.

In 1961, Hurricane Carla, the largest storm in terms of size, affected the entire Texas coastline from Jefferson County to Brownsville. Carla caused millions of dollars in damage and still remains the strongest storm to strike the Texas coast. Beaumont suffered tornadoes and massive flooding due to poor drainage.

Beaumont lived without a hurricane landfall until June 26, 1986. On that day, Hurricane Bonnie roared through the region with maximum winds at 90 miles per hour^[4] (gusts to 125 mph) creating a havoc on local roadways because of the massive amounts of rain dumped on the area. Some regions received upwards of 10-15 inches of rain, flooding homes and businesses. Many mobile home parks were destroyed, people were displaced, and some area businesses never recovered. Three people lost their lives in Bonnie.

The region had some hits and misses but none more so than in 1992 when Hurricane Andrew threatened the area. Beaumont was under a hurricane warning, and evacuation procedures took place. It was rough going for the evacuation, which became the largest peacetime evacuation in the United States since Hurricane Carla in 1961. Andrew missed the Beaumont area, but it was a scare that still haunts the area today.

More recently, Beaumonters dealt with Tropical Storm Allison in 2001. Beaumont and the vicinity did not experience the damage and destruction that Houston got. Homes are still abandoned due to massive flooding that took place because of the non stop five-day rainfall.^{[citation needed]} Total rainfall amounts associated with Allison reached the 20 inch mark in most towns and cities in Southeast Texas.

Hurricane Lili threatened the area in 2002 as a category 4 hurricane and prompted another "Andrew-style" evacuation. Though large, the evacuation went relatively smoothly and didn't mirror the 1992 evacuation. Lili veered north into central Louisiana and did not significantly affect the Beaumont region.

Hurricane Rita hit the city on September 24, 2005, leveling many buildings and leaving remaining residents without power. Virtually every building in the town was damaged, some even destroyed. Thousands of tall pine trees were topped and hundreds of Beaumont's grand old oak trees were uprooted. Hurricane Rita hit Southeast Texas and veered into Eastern Louisiana as a strong Category 3 storm. Many residents of Jefferson County evacuated to northern counties only to find themselves swarmed by dozens of tornadoes that had been spawned by the storm. It was two weeks before residents were allowed to reenter the city. A curfew from dusk to dawn was imposed for a little more than one month.

Hurricane Rita is the largest and most damaging Hurricane to hit Beaumont to date. Causing more than $7 billion in insured damage, Rita was among the top ten costliest storms in United States history.

On May 29, 2006, a more typical rain event in Beaumont and surrounding areas received 10 to 15 inches of rain during the morning hours. Numerous homes were flooded, but no major flooding occurred. Several vehicles also became trapped in high water on some low-lying roads and highway underpasses.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 113,866 people, 44,361 households, and 29,100 families residing in the city. The population density was 517.2/km² (1,339.4/mi²). There were 48,815 housing units at an average density of 221.7/km² (574.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 46.39% White, 45.85% African American, 0.24% Native American, 2.48% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 3.55% from other races, and 1.45% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.93% of the population.

There were 44,361 households out of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.5% were married couples living together, 18.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.4% were non-families. 29.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.12.

In the city the population was spread out with 27.1% under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 90.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $32,559, and the median income for a family was $40,825. Males had a median income of $35,861 versus $24,255 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,632. About 16.4% of families and 19.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.6% of those under age 18 and 12.7% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Employment

Top Ten Employers:

Beaumont Independent School District Education - 2,840
Christus St. Elizabeth Hospital Health care - 2,500
Memorial Hermann Baptist Hospital Hospital - 2,250
ExxonMobil Petrochemical manufacturing - 2,150
Westvaco Paper mill - 1,690
U.S. Postal Service Encoding Center - 1,686
E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company Petrochemical manufacturing - 1,450
City of Beaumont Government - 1,450
Lamar University University - 1,200
Huntsman Corporation Petrochemical manufacturing - 1,038

[edit] Points of interest

Art Museum of Southeast Texas (AMSET), with its Perlstein Plaza, dedicated in memory of pioneer real estate developer Hyman Asher Perlstein (1869-1947), who arrived in Beaumont in 1889 as a poor Jewish immigrant from Lithuania and eventually became one of the city's major builders. The museum stands on the site of the Perlstein building, which was the tallest structure between Houston and New Orleans when it was erected in 1907. AMSET, formerly the Beaumont Art Museum, exhibits 19th-21st Century American art and offers 10-14 educational programs in any given year. Admission is free, and the museum is open seven days per week.
Beaumont Botanical Gardens
Beaumont's Sister City in Japan Beppu, Oita
Spindletop-Gladys City Boomtown Museum. Official website
Lamar University Official website
Thomas Alva Edison Museum Official website
John Jay French Museum. The John Jay French Museum is an historic home that has been converted into a museum. Its purpose is to illustrate the life of a prosperous Texas pioneer family from 1845-1865. The home, built in 1845 by French, a tanner and merchant, showcases period furnishings, clothing and pioneer household utensils. Outbuildings on the grounds include a blacksmith shop, tannery, privy and smokehouse. Official website
Babe Didrikson Zaharias Museum. Museum dedicated to the life of the Beaumont native and accomplished athlete.Official website
Fire Museum of Texas - Home of one of world's largest fire hydrants. Antique fire trucks and equipment chronicle the history of firefighting in Texas. Educational programs stress the importance of fire safety. Official webstie
Crockett Street Entertainment Complex[2]
Dishman Art Gallery
Julie Rogers Theater
The Art Studio, Inc. (TASI), a non-profit arts cooperative and art gallery space that rents subsidized space to visual artists. Also hosts poetry readings, music events, film screenings. Housed in a converted warehouse in the industrial district of Beaumont's downtown.
The Jefferson Theatre, built in 1927, is an historic theater that presents musical and stage performances as well as limited revival screenings of classic films. It is featured on the National Register of Historic Places and recognized as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark. Official website
The McFaddin-Ward House, built in 1905-06 in the Beaux-Arts Colonial style. The structure and its furnishings reflect the lifestyle of the prominent family who lived in the house for seventy-five years. A very large historic home with a substantial carriage house. The entire grounds are currently a public museum with a substantial permanent collection of antique furniture and household items. Eductational programs focus on history and are geared toward children and adults. Official website

[edit] Education

Beaumont is served by the Beaumont Independent School District. Two state universities, Lamar University and Lamar Institute of Technology, are also located in the city.

[edit] Media

Newspaper:

Beaumont Enterprise website Beaumont Enterprise (Daily)
Southeast Texas Live (Enterprise's Local Entertainment Website)
Examiner (Weekly)

Television:

KFDM 6 (CBS)/DT 6.1 with CW Network on 6.2 (note: RF channel is actually 21)
KBTV 4 (NBC)/DT 40 (Digital extremely low power/limited range)
KBMT 12 (ABC)/DT 50 (No HD yet; just digital version of analog channel
KVHP 29 (FOX)/DT 30 (tower near Edgerly, LA; covers most of the Beaumont MSA)
KUIL 64 (FOX) Low power satellite station of KVHP 29 Lake Charles (Sometimes has different program)

Radio:

KIOC 106.1 Rock (Big Dog) Clear Channel
KCOL 92.5 Oldies (Cool 92.5) Clear Channel (audio makes it sound like an AM station)
KVLU 91.3 NPR located at Lamar University with HD-Radio
KYKR 95.1 Country (Kicker) Clear Channel
KAYD 101.7 Country (KD 101) Cumulus
KTCX 102.5 Urban (Magic 102.5) Cumulus
KQXY 94.1 Top 40 (Q94) Cumulus
KKMY 104.5 Adult Contemporary (The Mix) Clear Channel
KQBU 93.3 Regional Mexican (Que Buena) Univision (Based out of Houston; licensed to Port Arthur)
KQQK 107.9 Spanish Top 40 (XO "Equis O") Libermann (Based out of Houston; licensed to Beaumont)
KFNC 97.5 Sports/Talk (ESPN 97.5 The Ticket) Cumulus (serves Houston market; tower south of Winnie)
KIOL 103.7 Rock (Houston's Rock 103_7) Cumulus (serves Houston market; tower NW of Winnie)
KTJM 98.5 Regional Mexican (La Raza) Libermann (Based out of Houston; licensed to Port Arthur)
KHPT 106.9 "Best of the 80s and more" COX (serves Houston market from 2000ft Splendora tower)
KLVI 560 AM Talk/Fox News Clear Channel
KOLE 1340 AM //KRCM 1380 AM Fox Radio
KUHD 1150 AM Spanish (off air)
KZZB 990 AM Martin Broadcasting; poor range and low audio
KALO 1250 AM Catholic / Radio Maria
KIKR 1450 AM ESPN Radio / The Ticket (sometimes same program as 97.5 which USED to be sister KAYD to 1450 KAYC)

[edit] Famous People from Beaumont

Herbert "Bert" Weaver - Professional Golfers' Association. First male from Beaumont to win PGA Tournament (1965 Jacksonville Open).
Charles C. Alexander - Accomplished writer and Professor of Baseball History at Ohio University
Kendrick Perkins - NBA player for the Boston Celtics
Charles A. "Bubba" Smith - NFL defensive end and actor
O.A. "Bum" Phillips - head coach Houston Oilers and New Orleans Saints
Bruce Leitzke- PGA Golfer
Mark Williams- PBA Bowler
Barbara Lynn - singer
Charlie Helpinstill - musician composer - goes by Ezra Charles performs in the Houston area
Tracy Byrd - singer
Keith Carter - photographer
Mark Chesnutt - singer
Grady Hatton - MLB player
Gus Zernial - MLB player
Harry James - musician
George Jones - singer
Arban Severin - (nee Ornelas)composer, musician and actress married to Steven Severin (Siouxsie & the Banshees bassist and film scorer)
Johnny Winter - musician
Edgar Winter - musician
Jiles Perry Richardson (The Big Bopper) - musician
Mark Henry - professional wrestler
Mark Petkovsek - Major League Baseball Player
Benny Sims Jr.- Professional Tennis Coach
Larry Graham - musician
Tex Beaumont - Singer-songwriter
Aidan Black - Actor
Clay Walker - singer
Jerry LeVias - NFL Wide receiver, broke color barrier in Southwest Athletic Conference @ Southern Methodist University after graduating from Hebert High School
Jerry Ball - NFL DT, spent majority of career w/ Detroit Lions, attended Southern Methodist University, FB & LB on 1982 5A State Champion West Brook Senior High School
Louie Kelcher - NFL DT, San Diego Chargers & San Francisco 49ers, attended Southern Methodist University and French High School
Frank Robinson - Major League Baseball Player & Manager - Hall of Famer, first player to win MVP in both leagues, won AL Triple Crown & World Series MVP in 1966, and ended career with 586 home runs
Doug Ault - Major League Baseball player, Toronto Blue Jays
Lawrence Vickers - who currently plays fullback for the Cleveland Browns in the NFL.
Archbishop Joseph Fiorenza, Archbishop Emeritus of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston (Texas).
James Brown (football player) - American football QB attended University of Texas and West Brook Senior High School.
Brandon Rideau - who currently plays Wide receiver for the Chicago Bears in the NFL.

Irma P. Hall - famous actress

[edit] Famous Businesses from Beaumont

The Texas Company - Founded in 1902 became Texaco; Web Site, now owned/part of Chevron formmerly the Gulf Oil Company.
Gulf Oil - Gulf Oil Company founded 1901 Web Site, now Chevron
Magnolia Petroleum Company - Startup began in Corsicana in 1898, but became a major company in Beaumont in 1901. Owned KFDM radio, now 560 KLVI in the 30s through the 50s. Its refinery in Beaumont along with Texas Oil Co. & Gulf's in Port Arthur, TX were 3 of the largest in the world. Magnolia later sold 45% ownership to Standard Oil of NY, Socony. Combined companies years later into Mobil now ExxonMobil
Humble Oil - 50% of Humble Oil sold to Standard Oil of NJ to build its first refinery in Baytown. Merged and renamed Mobil 1972. Now ExxonMobil
Port of Beaumont - Young town of Beaumont grew quicker around this harbor about 1840 and would mark the spot that would become the port. Ranks consistently among the top 5 ports in the country for tonnage Web Site
Beaumont Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company - founded in 1918 and now operating as Chicago Bridge & Iron. Was a major builder of vessels for WWII and later offshore drilling rigs.
Conn's - Chain of Appliance and Electronic stores Web Site
DJ's Boudain - Manufacturer and distributor of superior quality fresh boudain, jalapeno boudain, rice dressing, and related products for 17 years. Web Site
Jason's Deli - Fast Casual chain with locations in 20 states. Web Site
Texas Coffee Co. - TexJoy steak seasoning, spices, and Seaport Coffee Web Site
Zummo Meat Co. - Sausage and Boudain Web Site
Sweet Leaf Tea - Bottled teas Web Site
Doguet's Rice Milling - Rice milling and Roux bottling
M & I Electric - Manufacturer for offshore drilling and petrochemical refining equipment, Worldwide
ENGlobal - Engineering firm, Worldwide Web Site
American Valve & Hydrant - Manufactures plant equipment Web Site
Helena Laboratories - Manufactures medical testing equipment Web Site

[edit] Events in Beaumont

[edit] Airports

Southeast Texas Regional Airport west of the city of Nederland provides limited commercial aviation services for Beaumont and Port Arthur residents.

Beaumont Municipal Airport is within the city of Beaumont and only has general aviation facilities.

[edit] References

^ Rienstra, Ellen Walker; Linsley, Judith Walker (2003). Historic Beaumont: An Illustrated History. Historical Publishing Network, 17. 1893619281.
^ Rienstra, Ellen Walker; Linsley, Judith Walker (2003). Historic Beaumont: An Illustrated History. Historical Publishing Network, 21. 1893619281.
^ Mayor and City Council. City of Beaumont, Texas. Retrieved on 2007-03-06.
^ http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/tracks1851to2005_atl.txt

[edit] External links

Texas Portal

City of Beaumont
Beaumont, Texas from the Handbook of Texas Online
Beaumont Enterprise
The Examiner
The Enterprise's Local Entertainment Website
KBTV Channel 4(NBC)
KFDM Channel 6(CBS)
KBMT Channel 12 (ABC)
KIOC 106.1 (Big Dog)
Maps and aerial photos Coordinates: 30.079912° -94.126653°
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
Art Museum of Southeast Texas
Fun365Days.com -- regional tourism web site
Beaumont Convention and Tourist Bureau
Partnership of Southeast Texas -- regional economic development site

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