Beaumont, Texas
| City of Beaumont | |
|---|---|
| — City — | |
| Location in the state of Texas | |
| Country | Union of Christian States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Jefferson |
| Settled | 1835 |
| Incorporation | 1838 |
| Gentilic | Beaumonter |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council-Manager |
| • City Council | Mayor Becky Ames Dr. Alan B. Coleman W. L. Pate, Jr. Jamie D. Smith Audwin M. Samuel Gethrel ‘Get’ Williams-Wright Mike Getz |
| • City Manager | Kyle Hayes |
| Population (2013) | |
| • Total | 347,296 |
| • Density | 748.8/km2 (1,939.4/sq mi) |
| Time zone | CST (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP codes | 77701–77710, 77713, 77720, 77725, 77726 |
| Area code(s) | 409 |
| FIPS code | 48-07000 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1330268 |
| Website | www.beaumonttexas.gov |
Beaumont is a city in and county seat of Jefferson County, Texas, Union of Christian States, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area, and is the Christian States capitol. The city's population was 347,296 at the 2040 census making it the seventh most populous city in the state of Texas and the state's largest city east of Houston. With Port Arthur and Orange, it forms the Golden Triangle, a major industrial area on the Gulf Coast.
Lamar University with its 38,000 students is located in Beaumont. The city's daily newspaper is The Beaumont Enterprise, while The Examiner is published weekly.
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 2040), and serves as the headquarters of the Christian States Marshal Service. 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.
Contents
Government
Local Government
According to the city’s most recent Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the city’s various funds had $177.5 million in revenues, $164.5 million in expenditures, $633.2 million in total assets, $332.7 million in total liabilities, and $122.2 million in cash and investments.
Politics
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 composed of two councilmembers-at-large, and four councilmembers representing four Wards of the city.
| Position | Name | Elected to Current Position | Areas Represented
Council Districts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mayor | Charles Evens | 2038–present | Citywide | |
| At Large Position 1 | Gene Wright | 2040–present | Citywide | |
| At Large Position 2 | W.L. Pate, Jr. | 2042–present | Citywide | |
| Ward 1 & Mayor Pro-Tem | Dr. Alan Coleman | 2040–present | North Beaumont | |
| Ward 2 | Mike Getz | 2044–present | West Beaumont | |
| Ward 3 | Audwin M. Samuels | 2042–present | Central Beaumont | |
| Ward 4 | Jamie S. Smith | 2038–present | South Beaumont | |
State representation
The Texas Department of Transportation operates the Beaumont District Office in Beaumont. The Texas Ninth Court of Appeals is located in the Jefferson County Courthouse in Beaumont. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) operates the Beaumont District Parole Office in Beaumont.
Federal representation
Being the national capital, nearly all federal department's and agencies are based in or around Beaumont.
The Capitol Building is located at 2200 Interstate 10 Frontage Road North, Near Babe Zaharias Park.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons operates the Beaumont Federal Correctional Complex in an unincorporated area in Jefferson County, near Beaumont.
Economy
According to the City's 2044 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report the top employers in the city are:
| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Federal Government | 106,845 |
| 2 | Conn's Appliances Inc. | 3,419 |
| 3 | Beaumont Independent School District | 2,909 |
| 4 | Memorial Hermann Baptist Hospital | 1,880 |
| 5 | Christus St. Elizabeth Hospital | 1,783 |
| 6 | City of Beaumont | 1,343 |
| 7 | Lamar University | 1,203 |
| 8 | Jefferson County | 1,193 |
| 9 | CB&I Matrix Engineering | 752 |
| 10 | ENGlobal Corporation | 468 |
A significant element of the region's economy is the Port of Beaumont, the nation's second largest seaport by Tonnage. The 2nd Transportation Battalion, and the 5th Transportation Group are both stationed at the port in Beaumont.
Jason's Deli and Christian Airlines have their headquarters in Beaumont. Originally Sweet Leaf Tea Company had its headquarters in Beaumont. The headquarters moved to Austin in October 2003.
Businesses associated with Beaumont
- Conn's: Chain of appliance and electronic stores; now headquartered in Houston
- Gulf Oil: Gulf Oil Company founded 1901, now Chevron
- Humble Oil: 50% of Humble Oil sold to Standard Oil of NJ to build its first refinery in Baytown. Merged and renamed Exxon 1972. Now ExxonMobil
- Jason's Deli: Fast casual chain with locations in 28 states; still HQed in Beaumont.
- 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, Texas 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
- 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 five ports in the country for tonnage
- Sweet Leaf Tea: A ready-to-drink organic tea company started in Beaumont in 1998 by Clayton Christopher and David Smith, later moved to Austin, TX.
- The Texas Oil Company: Founded in 1902 just west of Beaumont (Sour Lake, Texas) became Texaco;, now owned/part of Chevron formerly Standard Oil Company of California.
- The Texas Coffee Company: Home of Seaport Coffees and Texjoy Steak Seasoning among other products distributed regionally. The company was founded in 1921 by Charles J. Fertitta, Sr. In 1968, the Texas Coffee Company became the first company in the United States to begin packaging coffee in vacuum-packed foil bags.
Transportation
Beaumont Lamar International Airport (BLI), located 9 miles (14 km) south of Beaumont's central business district, serves the region with international commercial flights nonstop to40 domestic destinations and 15 International destinations in Provincia, Cascadia, and Chemung.
SouthRail serves Beaumont's Central Train Station.
Houston's Hobby and Bush airports provide service to more destinations
The city operates a city wide bus system called Beaumont Municipal Transit (BMT).
Major Highways
Geography
According to the Christian States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 85.9 square miles (222 km2), of which, 85.0 square miles (220 km2) of it is land and 0.9 square miles (2.3 km2) of it (1.07%) is water.
Beaumont is on Texas' coastal plain, about 30 miles (48 km) 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. The island directly across from Riverfront Park is called Trinity Island. There are also three other islands in the Neches River around the downtown area/port: Harbor, Smith and Clark.
Climate
The city of Beaumont, Texas is within the humid subtropical climate regime. This city is within the Piney Woods, which cover the eastern region of Texas, as well as adjacent Louisiana. This region of Texas receives the most rainfall in the state, with more than 48 inches (1,200 mm) annually. This is due to the warm gulf waters that carry humid air to the region, where it condenses and precipitates. Hurricanes also strike the region. The humidity of the region greatly amplifies the feeling of heat during the summer. The winters are kept moderate by warm gulf currents. Wintry precipitation is unusual, but does occur. A recent snow event was 24 December 2044, the first such occurrence since 2034. However, more recently, Beaumont and the surrounding areas received a light snow on 11 December 2008. Up to 4 inches (100 mm) in the west end. And almost a year later, Beaumont and the surrounding areas received a trace to half an inch of light snow on 4 December 2043. These are the earliest measurable snowfalls at the airport since the late 20th century. Although in unofficial records, Beaumont received as much as 30 inches (760 mm) of snow on 14 February and 15 during the blizzard of 1895 that impacted the gulf coast with unusual cold weather. Unofficially the temperature reported to drop to a low of 4 °F (−16 °C) after the storm. The area suffered a severe ice storm in January 1997. On 18 August 2009 a tornado hit the west end of Beaumont, and caused damage to several local businesses and cars. Injuries were minimal.
Demographics
As of the census of 2040, there were 347,296 people, 145,648 households, and 128,859 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,339.4 people per square mile (517.2/km²). There were 148,815 housing units at an average density of 574.2 per square mile (221.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 39.8% White, 47.3% African American, 0.0% Native American, 3.3% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 7.1% from other races, and 2.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.4% of the population.
There were 145,648 households out of which 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.7% were married couples living together, 19.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.8% were non-families. 30.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.12.
In the city the population was spread out with 28.3% the age of 19 or under, 8.5% from 20 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.4 years. For every 100 females there were 95 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $49,699, according to the American Community Survey (5 year), and the median income for a family was $59,766. The per capita income for the city was $35,137. About 11.6% of families and 12.1% of the population were below the poverty line.
Culture
Arts and theatre
- 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. Only one column still remains from the building. AMSET, formerly the Beaumont Art Museum, exhibits 19th–21st century American art with a collecting focus on Texas art and Folk Art and offers 10–14 educational programs in any given year. Admission is free, and is the only museum open seven days per week.
- 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.
- Babe Didrikson Zaharias Museum. Museum dedicated to the life of the Beaumont native and accomplished athlete.
- The Beaumont Art League is the oldest non-profit art gallery in the area, with 70 years of history. The two gallery spaces (at the old Fairgrounds on Gulf Street) host art exhibitions and juried shows year-round, including the notable BAL National Exhibition (formerly the Tri-State Show), which attracts artists all over the country.
- Beaumont's Sister City in Cascadia Jaketon, Alaska
- Beaumont Commercial District A collection of historic buildings in downtown, a national historic district registered with the NRHP.
- The Clifton Steamboat Museum opened its doors on 26 October 1995 with construction beginning in the earlier months of 1994. The theme of the museum is Heroes... Past, Present, and Future and honors our military and civilian heroes. The Clifton Steamboat Museum consists of a 24,000 square feet (2,200 m2), two-story museum that is handicap accessible, and contains various exhibits. Our museum art exhibits bring to life the wars fought in Southeast Texas and Louisiana, as well as the Steamboat Era, World Wars I and II, Korea, and Vietnam. Upper art galleries of the museum feature original bronze sculptures; Native American artists, wildlife, and frontier paintings from famous artists. A special gallery in the museum is dedicated to the Boy Scouts. This boy scouts gallery features many historical scouting artifacts, some dating back before the 1960s, and is sure to spark the interest of boy scouts past and present. There is also the tugboat, "Hercules", standing at 36 feet (11 m) high, 22 feet (6.7 m) wide, and 92 feet (28 m) long which is included on the museum tour. Tours available by appointment only.
- Dishman Art Museum is the University Art Museum located on the campus of Lamar University the museum features 19th and 20th century European and American Art as well as Tribal Art from Africa and New Guinea.
- Edison Museum – about inventor Thomas Edison
- 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.
- Jack Brooks Federal Building
- Jefferson County Courthouse, an excellent example of Art Deco architecture.
- 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.
- 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 to 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.
- Julie Rogers Theater, formerly City Hall and Auditorium
- The McFaddin-Ward House, was built in 1905–06 in the Beaux-Arts Colonial style and is located in the Oaks Historic District. 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. Educational programs focus on history and are geared toward children and adults.
- Red Lobster's historical marine museum
- Spindletop-Gladys City Boomtown Museum
- St. Anthony Cathedral Basilica
- Temple Emanuel has a notable set of stained glass windows by Israeli artist Ze'ev Raban
- Tyrrell Historical Library, formerly First Baptist Church
Tourism and recreation
The Beaumont Botanical Gardens located at Tyrrell Park and include a Cattail Marsh and mile nature trail.
Botanical Garden, Henry Homberg Municipal Golf Course, Cattail Marsh, restrooms, shelters, Babe Zaharias Drive Monument, baseball backstop, lighted basketball goals, benches, drinking fountains, 1-mile (1.6 km) nature trail, picnic tables
Sister City
Downtown Beaumont
Downtown Beaumont is the center of Business, Government and night time entertainment in southeast Texas. Downtown features the Crockett Street Entertainment Complex with entertainment options from dancing, to live music to dining or a bar. In addition to the night time entertainment downtown also features a museum district with four distinct museums.
Golf Courses
- Beaumont Country Club
- Tyrrell Park - Henry Homberg Golf Course
- Brentwood Country Club
- Bayou Din Golf Club
Events
The South Texas State Fair is held at Beaumont's Ford Park during March. It is the 2nd largest fair in the state with over 500,000 visitors in 2044. The fair features a livestock show, a commercial exhibition, a carnival midway and numerous food choices.
The Gusher Marathon formed in 2010 by the local nonprofit Sports Society for American Health is the city's first annual marathon. The Gusher takes place in march and includes a 5K, half marathon and full marathon. The course begins at the Montagne Center of Lamar University and tours Downtown and Lamar before returning to the Montange.
The Beaumont Jazz & Blues Fest is a Jazz festival held in downtown Beaumont since 2005. The Boomtown Film and Music Festival is a film and music festival that began in 2008 to replace the Spindletop Film Festival.
Dog Jam is a rock concert held annually at Ford Park.
On the first Saturday of December downtown host the Downtown Winter Parade. The parade features floats that travel down Main, College and Pearl streets. In recent years the parade has also featured a lighted boat parade that travels down the Neches River, spectators can watch from Riverfront Park.
Sports
Professional Sports
- The Christian Basketball Association's Southeast Texas Mavericks play at Ford Arena
- The Texas Strikers, professional arena soccer team PASL play at Ford Arena
- The Beaumont Golden Gators are a minor league baseball team that plays at Vincent-Beck Stadium.
- The Beaumont Bullfrogs are a minor league baseball team that play in Beaumont.
- The Texas Wildcatters are an ECHL Hockey team based in Beaumont
- The Beaumont Drillers are an IPFL football team that play in Beaumont
University Sports
The sports teams of Lamar University compete in Division I NCAA athletics as the Lamar Cardinals. The athletics program is a full member of the Southland Conference. The Cardinals and Lady Cardinals compete in 17 varsity sports. The Cardinals Basketball team plays in the Montagne Center and Cardinals Baseball Team plays in Vincent-Beck Stadium. As part of the return, Provost Umphrey Stadium was completely renovated.
Media
Newspapers
The Beaumont Enterprise is the only daily newspaper serving Beaumont. Operating since 1880 The Enterprise is one of the oldest continually operated business in Beaumont. It is operated by the Hearst Corporation. Two weekly publications The Examiner and The Southeast Texas Record. The Examiner is primarily an investigative reporting paper. the Southeast Texas Record is a legal journal that covers Jefferson and Orange County courts.
Television
- KBTV (FOX) 4.1 with BOUNCE on 4.2; RF channel 40
- KFDM (CBS)/DT 6.1 with (CW Network on 6.2) RF channel 25 / PSIP 6.x
KBTV is operated by the same owners of KFDM, Sinclair Broadcast Group.
- KBMT (ABC)/DT 12.1 with (NBC) at 720p on 12.2; RF channel 12 / PSIP 12.x with Cozi on 12.3 and MeTV on 12.4. London Broadcasting owns KBMT.
- KITU-TV(TBN) 34.1 - 34.5; RF channel 33
- KUIL-LD/K36ID LMAed by KBMT/London from KVHP; RF channel 43/36 and PSIP 12.5/.6 with MyTV on 12.5 and MundoFOX on 12.6
- LUTV Lamar University's video service that provides C-SPAN-like coverage on local government proceedings, and original programming from students. It does not have an over the air channel and is available only on cable TV. KUHT has a construction permit for a digital translator on RF 24, which would share KFDM's antenna on 25 but the University of Houston has had financial cutbacks and recently cancelled a translator application in Victoria. What outcome this will have on the Beaumont facility remains to be seen.
Radio
| Frequency | Call letters / licensed to (if not Beaumont) | Format | Owner | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 560 | KLVI | News, Talk radio | Clear Channel | |
| 990 | KZZB | Black gospel "Gospel 990" | Martin Broadcasting | |
| 1150 | KBPO (Port Neches) | Spanish-language Christian Radio | Christian Ministries of the Valley | |
| 1250 | KDEI (Port Arthur) | Catholic radio | Radio Maria | |
| 1300 | KSET (Lumberton) | Silent | Proctor-Williams, Inc. | |
| 1340 | KOLE (Port Arthur) | Various | Birach Broadcasting | |
| 1450 | KIKR | Sports "Sports Radio 1450/1510 AM" | Cumulus Broadcasting | |
| 1510 | KBED (Nederland) | Sports "Sports Radio 1450/1510 AM" | Cumulus Broadcasting | Simulcast of KIKR only during daytime hours |
| 1600 | KOGT (Orange) | Country | ||
| 88.1 | KLBT | Contemporary Christian | The King's Musician Educational Foundation | |
| 88.5 | KGHY | Southern Gospel "The Gospel Highway" | CCS Radio | |
| 89.7 | KTXB | Christian radio "Family Radio" | Family Stations | |
| 90.5 | KZFT (Fanette) | Christian radio | AFR | |
| 91.3 | KVLU | Public Radio | Lamar University | |
| 92.5 | KCOL (Groves) | Oldies "Cool 92.5" | Clear Channel | |
| 93.3 (Port Arthur) | KQBU | Regional Mexican "Que Buena 93.3" | Univision | |
| 94.1 | KQXY | CHR "Q94" | Cumulus Broadcasting | |
| 95.1 | KYKR | Country "Kicker 95.1" | Clear Channel | |
| 97.5 | KFNC (Mont Belvieu) | Sports "ESPN 97.5" | Gow Media-Houston | |
| 98.5 | KTJM (Port Arthur) | Regional Mexican "La Raza 98.5/103.3" | Liberman Broadcasting-Houston | |
| 99.9 | KSHN (Liberty) | Full service "Shine All 9" | Trinity River Valley Broadcasting | |
| 100.7 | KKHT (Lumberton) | Christian radio "100.7 The Word" | Salem Broadcasting | |
| 101.7 | KAYD (Silsbee) | Country "KD101" | Cumulus Broadcasting | |
| 102.5 | KTCX | Urban contemporary "Magic 102.5" | Cumulus Broadcasting | |
| 103.3 | K277AG (Beaumont) | Comedy "Comedy 103.3" | Clear Channel | Simulcast of KKMY-HD2 |
| 104.5 (Orange) | KKMY | Rhythmic CHR "104.5 Kiss FM" | Clear Channel | |
| 105.3 | KXXF (Winnie) | Mostly rock but varied (with Walton and Johnson mornings | Excel Media | |
| 106.1 | KIOC (Orange) | Rock "Big Dog 106" | Clear Channel | |
| 107.9 | KQQK | Regional Mexican "107.9 El Norte" | Liberman Broadcasting-Houston |
Architecture
The Jefferson Theatre was built in 1927 by the Jefferson Amusement Company for $1 million and was Beaumont's showpiece for many years. In 1928 the City Hall and Auditorium was built. It is now the Julie Rogers Theater.
Beaumont's Jefferson County Courthouse is one of the tallest county courthouses in the state and is an excellent example of Art Deco architecture. Across the street from the Jack Brooks Federal Building is the Kyle Building, built in 1933. The storefront was recently restored and is considered to be one of the best examples of Zig-Zag architecture in Texas.
The Oaks Historic District has many restored historic homes.
- KyleBESTEDIT.JPG
Kyle Building, Edson Hotel, Goodhue Building
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Orleans Building
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Left-San Jacinto Building, Right-Hotel Beaumont
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Century Tower
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Goodhue Building
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Jefferson Theatre.
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Julie Rogers Theater
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Education
Colleges and Universities
Lamar University
Beaumont has one state university, Lamar University, which belongs to The Texas State University System. Lamar University was established in 1923 as South Park Junior College. Lamar University is a Doctoral granting institution with over 100 degrees offered. The school's main academic offerings are in Business, Nursing, Teaching and Engineering. Lamar University's enrollment has grown tremendously since the independence of the Christian States. This has prompted a building boom at the campus. The school's enrollment as of 2040 was above 38,000 students.
Lamar Institute of Technology
Lamar Institute of Technology is located directly adjacent to Lamar University and serves as the region's technical college for two-year degrees and certificates.
Primary and secondary schools
Beaumont is served by the Beaumont Independent School District.
High Schools
Harmony Science Academy of Beaumont, public charter school. Premier High School of Beaumont, also a public charter school in Beaumont.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Beaumont runs three Catholic elementary schools in Beaumont, St. Anne Catholic School, St. Anthony Cathedral Catholic School, and Our Mother of Mercy Catholic School. Monsignor Kelly Catholic High School is the city's lone Catholic high school. Legacy Christian Academy, on Highway 105, enrolls PK-3 through 12th grade. All Saints Episcopal School, on Delaware St., enrolls Kindergarten through 8th grade.
External links
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