Port Arthur, Texas
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Port Arthur is a city in Jefferson County within the Beaumont–Port Arthur metropolitan area of the
U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...
of
Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
. A small, uninhabited portion extends into
Orange County Orange County most commonly refers to: *Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area Orange County may also refer to: U.S. counties *Orange County, Florida, containing Orlando *Orange County, Indiana *Orange County, New ...
; it is east of
Houston Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...
. The largest oil refinery in the United States, the Motiva Refinery, is located in Port Arthur. The population of Port Arthur was 53,818 at the 2010 census, down from 57,755 at the 2000 census. By 2020, its population rebounded to 56,039. Early attempts at settlements in the area had all failed. However, in 1895,
Arthur Stilwell Arthur Edward Stilwell (October 21, 1859 – September 26, 1928) was the founder of the Kansas City, Pittsburg and Gulf Railroad, predecessor to the Kansas City Southern Railway. He served as KCPG's president from 1897 to 1900. He was also t ...
founded Port Arthur, and the town quickly grew. Port Arthur was incorporated as a city in 1898 and soon developed into a seaport. It eventually became the center of a large oil refinery network. The Rainbow Bridge across the
Neches River The Neches River () begins in Van Zandt County west of Rhine Lake and flows for through the piney woods of east Texas, defining the boundaries of 14 counties on its way to its mouth on Sabine Lake near the Rainbow Bridge. Two major reservoirs, ...
connects Port Arthur to Bridge City. Port Arthur is vulnerable to
hurricanes A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depend ...
and extensive damage to the city has been caused several times.


History

Aurora was an early settlement attempt near the mouth of Taylor Bayou on
Sabine Lake Sabine Lake is a bay on the Gulf coasts of Texas and Louisiana, located approximately east of Houston and west of Baton Rouge, adjoining the city of Port Arthur. The lake is formed by the confluence of the Neches and Sabine Rivers and connec ...
, about long and wide. It is a saltwater estuary formed by the confluence of the Neches and
Sabine The Sabines (; lat, Sabini; it, Sabini, all exonyms) were an Italic people who lived in the central Apennine Mountains of the ancient Italian Peninsula, also inhabiting Latium north of the Anio before the founding of Rome. The Sabines di ...
Rivers. Through its tidal outlet,
Sabine Pass Sabine Pass is the natural outlet of Sabine Lake into the Gulf of Mexico. It borders Jefferson County, Texas, and Cameron Parish, Louisiana. History Civil War Two major battles occurred here during the American Civil War, known as the First and ...
, Sabine Lake drains some of Texas and Louisiana into the
Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an oceanic basin, ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of ...
. The town was conceived in 1837, and in 1840 promoters led by Almanzon Huston were offering town lots for sale. Some were sold, but Huston's project failed to attract many settlers. The area next was known as "Sparks", after John Sparks, who moved his family to the shores of Sabine Lake near the site of Aurora. The Eastern Texas Railroad, completed between Sabine Pass and
Beaumont, Texas Beaumont is a coastal city in the U.S. state of Texas. It is the county seat, seat of government of Jefferson County, Texas, Jefferson County, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur, Texas, Port Arthur Beaumont–Port Arthur metropolitan area, metropo ...
, passed west of Sparks. However, the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
soon began, and rail lines were removed. In 1886, a destructive hurricane hit the coast, causing the remaining residents to dismantle their homes and move to Beaumont. By 1895, Aurora had become a
ghost town Ghost Town(s) or Ghosttown may refer to: * Ghost town, a town that has been abandoned Film and television * Ghost Town (1936 film), ''Ghost Town'' (1936 film), an American Western film by Harry L. Fraser * Ghost Town (1956 film), ''Ghost Town'' ...
. Arthur Stilwell led the resettling of the area as part of his planned city as the southern terminus of his
Kansas City, Pittsburg and Gulf Railroad The Kansas City, Pittsburg and Gulf Railroad was a railway company that began operations in the 1890s and owned a main-line between Kansas City, Missouri, and Port Arthur, Texas. It was led by Arthur Stilwell before being thrown into receiversh ...
, predecessor to the
Kansas City Southern Railway The Kansas City Southern Railway Company is an American Class I railroad. Founded in 1887, it operates in 10 midwestern and southeastern U.S. states: Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and ...
. Stilwell named the city Port Arthur after himself, not the British Royal Navy Lieutenant who gave his name to
Port Arthur, China A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ha ...
. Pleasure Island now separates the city from the
Gulf Intracoastal Waterway The Gulf Intracoastal Waterway is the portion of the Intracoastal Waterway located along the Gulf Coast of the United States. It is a navigable inland waterway running approximately from Carrabelle, Florida, to Brownsville, Texas. The waterwa ...
. The man-made island was created between 1899 and 1908 by the Corps of Engineers to support development of the port. Arthur Stilwell founded the Port Arthur Channel and Dock Company to manage the port facilities. The port officially opened with the arrival of the British steamer ''Saint Oswald'' in 1899. When oil was discovered at
Spindletop Spindletop is an oil field located in the southern portion of Beaumont, Texas, in the United States. The Spindletop dome was derived from the Louann Salt evaporite layer of the Jurassic geologic period. On January 10, 1901, a well at Spindleto ...
, the J.M. Guffey Petroleum Company, later
Gulf Oil Gulf Oil was a major global oil company in operation from 1901 to 1985. The eighth-largest American manufacturing company in 1941 and the ninth-largest in 1979, Gulf Oil was one of the so-called Seven Sisters oil companies. Prior to its merger ...
, had run pipelines to Port Arthur as a shipping point and a location for an
oil refinery An oil refinery or petroleum refinery is an industrial process plant where petroleum (crude oil) is transformed and refined into useful products such as gasoline (petrol), diesel fuel, asphalt base, fuel oils, heating oil, kerosene, lique ...
. In November 1901, the first tanker, the ''Cardium'', departed with Spindletop oil. The refinery was enlarged in 1902, and a pipeline connected to the
Glenn Pool Oil Reserve The discovery of the Glenn Pool Oil Reserve in 1905 brought the first major oil pipelines into Oklahoma, and instigated the first large scale oil boom in the state. Located near what was—at the time—the small town of Tulsa, Oklahoma, the res ...
in Oklahoma. The Texas Company, later
Texaco Texaco, Inc. ("The Texas Company") is an American Petroleum, oil brand owned and operated by Chevron Corporation. Its flagship product is its Gasoline, fuel "Texaco with Techron". It also owned the Havoline motor oil brand. Texaco was an Indepe ...
, also started building a refinery in 1902. By 1916, the Port Arthur refinery was one of the three largest in the United States.Hunt, Herschiel. ''The History of Port Arthur''. Southern Publishing Concern, 1926. In 2015, the city council proposed an ordinance to declare Port Arthur a "film friendly city." In October 2021, Governor Abbott announced that Port Arthur has been declared a "film friendly city" by the Texas Film Commission.


Geography

Port Arthur is located on the eastern edge of Jefferson County at (29.884864, −93.939902), on the west side of Sabine Lake. It is bordered to the northeast by Orange County, Texas, and to the southeast, across Sabine Lake, by
Cameron Parish, Louisiana Cameron Parish (french: Paroisse de Cameron) is a parish in the southwest corner of the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,617. The parish seat is Cameron. Although it is the largest parish by area in Louisia ...
. The Port Arthur city limits extend south along the west side of
Sabine Pass Sabine Pass is the natural outlet of Sabine Lake into the Gulf of Mexico. It borders Jefferson County, Texas, and Cameron Parish, Louisiana. History Civil War Two major battles occurred here during the American Civil War, known as the First and ...
, the outlet of Sabine Lake, as far as the Gulf of Mexico on the city's southern border. To the north, the city limits extend across the Neches River into Orange County. Port Arthur is bordered to the northwest by the cities of Nederland, Groves, and
Port Neches Port Neches is a city in Jefferson County, Texas, United States. The population was 13,692 at the 2020 census, up from 13,040 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Beaumont–Port Arthur metropolitan area. History The area known as Port Nech ...
, and to the northeast by Bridge City in Orange County. According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the city has a total area of , of which are land and , or 46.61%, are covered by water.


Communities

Communities in Port Arthur include: * El Vista * Griffing Park * Lakeview * Pear Ridge * Port Acres *
Sabine Pass Sabine Pass is the natural outlet of Sabine Lake into the Gulf of Mexico. It borders Jefferson County, Texas, and Cameron Parish, Louisiana. History Civil War Two major battles occurred here during the American Civil War, known as the First and ...
* West Side


Tropical cyclones


Hurricane of September 12, 1897

Celebrations in Port Arthur on completion of the Kansas City, Pittsburg and Gulf Railroad between Kansas City and Port Arthur occurred Saturday, September 11, 1897. The celebrations brought additional people into town. The next day, a major hurricane hit Port Arthur. Water flowed five feet deep in the streets. People loaded into the unfinished railroad roundhouse seeking shelter; the building promptly collapsed, killing four. In the end, 13 people died, homes were destroyed, and a pleasure pier was severely damaged.


Hurricane Audrey

In June 1957,
Hurricane Audrey Hurricane Audrey was one of the deadliest tropical cyclones in U.S. history, killing at least 416 people in its devastation of the southwestern Louisiana coast in 1957. Along with Hurricane Alex in 2010, it was also the strongest June hur ...
made landfall just east of Port Arthur in
Cameron Parish, Louisiana Cameron Parish (french: Paroisse de Cameron) is a parish in the southwest corner of the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,617. The parish seat is Cameron. Although it is the largest parish by area in Louisia ...
, as a category 3 hurricane. The storm caused extensive wind damage around the city and significant storm surge flooding just east in Southwest Louisiana.


Hurricane Rita

On September 24, 2005, Hurricane Rita made landfall between
Sabine Pass, Texas Sabine Pass is a neighborhood in Port Arthur, Texas. It lies at Sabine Pass, on the west bank of the Sabine River, the border between Louisiana and Texas, and was incorporated in 1861. Formally annexed by Port Arthur in 1978, Sabine Pass has its ...
, and
Johnson Bayou, Louisiana Johnson Bayou is a small unincorporated community located on the Creole Nature Trail along the Gulf Coast in Cameron Parish, Louisiana, United States, and is named after Daniel Johnson, who came to the area ''circa'' 1790. The village is a barr ...
, as a category 3 hurricane. A wind gust of was recorded in Port Arthur. The storm caused widespread significant wind damage throughout the city, with power outages lasting several weeks in some locations. Some areas of the city also received flooding due to Rita.


Hurricane Humberto

On September 13, 2007, Hurricane Humberto made landfall west of Port Arthur as a category 1 hurricane. The storm moved northeast across the
Golden Triangle Golden Triangle may refer to: Places Asia * Golden Triangle (Southeast Asia), named for its opium production * Golden Triangle (Yangtze), China, named for its rapid economic development * Golden Triangle (India), comprising the popular tourist ...
, causing widespread wind damage; however, most of the damage was relatively minor. An wind gust was recorded at the
Southeast Texas Regional Airport Jack Brooks Regional Airport , formerly Southeast Texas Regional Airport, is near Port Arthur, Texas, nine miles (14 km) southeast of Beaumont and northeast of Port Arthur. It was Jefferson County Airport, but its name was changed to honor ...
just northwest of the city.


Tropical Storm Edouard

On August 5, 2008, Tropical Storm Edouard made landfall just west of Port Arthur. The effects felt in the city were light; however, wind gusts up to were recorded.


Hurricane Ike

On September 13, 2008, Hurricane Ike made landfall on
Galveston Island Galveston Island ( ) is a barrier island on the Texas Gulf Coast in the United States, about southeast of Houston. The entire island, with the exception of Jamaica Beach, is within the city limits of the City of Galveston in Galveston County. T ...
as a category 2 hurricane. Due to the storm's unusually large size, effects were widespread and were felt across much of
Southeast Texas Southeast Texas is a cultural and geographic region in the U.S. state of Texas, bordering Southwest Louisiana and its greater Acadiana region to the east. Being a part of East Texas, the region is geographically centered on the Greater Houston ...
. Port Arthur sustained significant wind damage and many of the city's residents lost power. The Port Arthur seawall protected the city from the major flooding that surrounding cities experienced.


Hurricane Harvey

On August 29, 2017, after Harvey made a second landfall at tropical storm status, 26 inches of rain fell in a single day at the airport near Port Arthur, triggering widespread flash flooding in the city. According to the Port Arthur mayor Derrick Freeman, 20,000 homes were flooded with up to 6 ft of water. On August 30, Freeman posted on
Facebook Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin M ...
, "Our whole city is underwater right now."


Hurricane Laura

Hurricane Laura Hurricane Laura was a deadly and destructive Category 4 hurricane that is tied with the 1856 Last Island hurricane and 2021's Hurricane Ida as the strongest hurricane on record to make landfall in the U.S. state of Louisiana, as measu ...
was expected to make landfall as a major hurricane with Port Arthur in its direct path. Port Arthur was evacuated. However, turning almost due north, Laura ended up making its final landfall near
Cameron, Louisiana Cameron is a census-designated place (CDP) in and the parish seat of Cameron Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is part of the Lake Charles Metropolitan Statistical Area. After sustaining extreme damage from Hurricane Rita in 2005 and Hurricane ...
.


Climate

Port Arthur is tied with
Lake Charles, Louisiana Lake Charles (French: ''Lac Charles'') is the fifth-largest incorporated city in the U.S. state of Louisiana, and the parish seat of Calcasieu Parish, located on Lake Charles, Prien Lake, and the Calcasieu River. Founded in 1861 in Calcas ...
, and Astoria, Oregon, as the most humid city in the
contiguous United States The contiguous United States (officially the conterminous United States) consists of the 48 adjoining U.S. states and the Federal District of the United States of America. The term excludes the only two non-contiguous states, Alaska and Hawaii ...
. The average relative humidity is 90% in the morning, and 72% in the afternoon.


Demographics

At the 2010 census, 53,818 people, 20,183 households, and 13,191 families resided in the city. The
population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was 654.6 people per square mile (250.5/km). The 23,577 housing units averaged 284.4 per square mile (109.8/km). At the 2020 census, the population increased to 56,039. The
racial makeup A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...
of the city was 41.7% African American, 37.9% White, 1.2% Native American, 6.3% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, and 15.3% from other races in 2010. Hispanics or Latino Americans of any race were 29.6% of the population. In 2019, the
American Community Survey The American Community Survey (ACS) is a demographics survey program conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the decennial census, such as ancestry, citizenship, educati ...
estimated 18.7% of the population was non-Hispanic white, 38.1% Black and African American, 0.2% Native American, 7.3% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.2% some other race, and 34.5% Hispanic or Latino American of any race. Of the 20,183 households in 2010, 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.2% were married couples living together, 19.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.6% were not families; 30.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.31. In the city, the population was distributed as 27.0% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 24.7% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.1 males. From 2014 to 2019, the median household income was $36,557; families had a median income of $44,115; married families $56,304; and non-family households $24,280. Among the population, 27.2% lived at or below the poverty line, against the state's 13.6% impoverished population from 2014 to 2019 census estimates. In contrast, the nearby city of
Beaumont Beaumont may refer to: Places Canada * Beaumont, Alberta * Beaumont, Quebec England * Beaumont, Cumbria * Beaumont, Essex ** Beaumont Cut, a canal closed in the 1930s * Beaumont Street, Oxford France (communes) * Beaumont, Ardèche * ...
had a poverty rate of 16.7%, down from 17.6%.


Economy

Home to a large portion of United States oil refining capacity, Port Arthur has seen renewed investment in several key installations.
Motiva Enterprises Motiva Enterprises, LLC, is an American company that operates as a fully-owned affiliate of Saudi Aramco. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, it had a revenue of $500 Million . Motiva operates as a distributor of Shell and 76 branded gasoli ...
began undertaking a major addition to its western Port Arthur refinery, expanding capacity to . This $10.0 billion project is the largest U..S refinery expansion to occur in 30 years. Premcor Refining (now Valero) completed a $775 million expansion of its petrochemical plant, and BASF/Fina commenced operations of a new $1.75 billion gasification and cogeneration unit on premises of its current installation, which had just completed its own $1 billion upgrade. These operations are supported by the
Port of Port Arthur The Port of Port Arthur is a seaport in Port Arthur, Texas (United States). 2010 tanker collision On 23 January 2010, an oil tanker and barge collided in the channel leading to Port Arthur, spilling up to 450,000 gallons of oil into the seaway ...
, one of Texas' leading seaports. Port Arthur still suffers, though, from one of the highest unemployment rates in the state. The city was the site of an oil spill in 2010, when an
oil tanker An oil tanker, also known as a petroleum tanker, is a ship designed for the bulk transport of oil or its products. There are two basic types of oil tankers: crude tankers and product tankers. Crude tankers move large quantities of unrefined crud ...
and
barge Barge nowadays generally refers to a flat-bottomed inland waterway vessel which does not have its own means of mechanical propulsion. The first modern barges were pulled by tugs, but nowadays most are pushed by pusher boats, or other vessels ...
collided, causing 450,000 gallons of oil to spill into the Sabine/Neches waterway alongside the city.


Central business district disintegration

The commercial center of Port Arthur was at its peak in the early 1900s. Together with the effects of suburbanization, which drew off wealthier residents to new housing away from town, gradually taking businesses with them, from 1960 until 1974, successive waves of economic recession caused much distress in the town. The central business district has many boarded up and vacant locations.


Hotel Sabine

The Hotel Sabine opened at 600 Proctor Street in 1929 and operated as the Vaughn Hotel until the mid-1930s. At 118 feet, 10 stories, and the tallest building in Port Arthur, the building is of
Beaux-Arts architecture Beaux-Arts architecture ( , ) was the academic architectural style taught at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, particularly from the 1830s to the end of the 19th century. It drew upon the principles of French neoclassicism, but also incorpora ...
style, built with steel-reinforced concrete and brick on 640 steel-laced wooden cypress pilings driven 60 ft into the ground. It was designed to withstand the most severe coastal storms. The hotel closed down in the mid-1980s. The ''Port Arthur News'' reported August 28, 2010, that "DWA (Digital Workforce Academy) Buys Sabine Hotel", By November 2011, the hotel was reported to be slated for demolition. The cost of renovations were estimated at $10,000,000–12M dollars and demolition estimates as $500,000 to $1.2 million. As of April, 2021, Motiva was still considering buying the hotel, but remained uncertain and uncommitted to it. Hurricane Rita struck a direct hit on the Proctor Street Seawall, and damaged many downtown businesses and homes. As economic activity picked up in the region, calls for downtown revitalization have been advanced. The true center of commercial activity has gravitated from downtown to other areas. The main shopping center is Central Mall, opened outside the downtown in 1982.


Arts and culture

Port Arthur's
Museum of the Gulf Coast The Museum of the Gulf Coast, located in Port Arthur, Texas, specializes in Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast history. A 39,000 sq. ft. facility with its most notable exhibits are a gallery of Robert Rauschenberg Milton Ernest "Robert" Rauschenberg ...
is recognized as the area's definitive collection of items and displays for figures from Port Arthur and the surrounding communities.


Government

The mayor of Port Arthur is Thurman "Bill" Bartie. The county operates the Jefferson County Sub-Courthouse in Port Arthur.


Politics

* Nat R. Strong, 1898–1899 * Charles Eugene Smith, 1899–1902 * Rome H. Woodworth, 1902–1905 * Joseph P. Landes, 1905–1906 * J.H. Drummond, 1906–1908 * P.C. Pfeiffer, 1908–1911 * George N. Bliss, 1911–1915 * R.H. Dunn, 1915–1917 * John W. Tryon, 1917–1921 * James Pinckney Logan, 1921–1929, 1931–1932, 1950–1952 * J.W. O'Neal, 1929–1931 * H.M. Smith, 1932–1933 * H.O. Preston, 1933–1934 * E.R. Winstel, 1934–1935 * Fred L. Bachert, 1935–1936, 1939–1940 * Inman H. Wheless, 1936–1937 * Frank J. Imhoff, 1937–1938 * Neal D. Rader, 1938–1939 * L.C. Heare, 1940–1942 * R.L. Rutan, 1942–1944 * Leland Lacy, 1944–1945 * Walter H. Bailey, 1945–1947 * H.L. Crow, 1947–1948 * James Walter Long, 1948–1950 * Chris F. Petersen, 1952–1953 * Myron J. Babin Jr., 1953–1954 * Nick Norris, 1954 * A.L. Gillman, 1954 * C.R. Eisler, 1954–1957, 1959–1960, 1960–1961 * Zane Q. Johnson, 1957–1958 * M.B. Avila, 1958–1959 * Herman T. Schneider, 1960 * Harvie A. Parker, 1961–1963 * R. B. McCollum, 1963 * Lloyd Hayes, 1963–1969 * Bernis Sadler, 1969–1984 * Malcolm Clark, 1984–1990 * Mary Ellen Summerlin, 1990–1994 * Robert T. Morgan Jr., 1994–1998 * Oscar Ortiz, 1998–2007 * Delores "Bobbi" Prince, 2007–2016 * Derrick Freeman, 2016–2019 * Thurman Bartie, 2019–present The
United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the U ...
operates the Port Arthur Post Office, the Port Acres Post Office, and the Sabine Pass Post Office in
Sabine Pass Sabine Pass is the natural outlet of Sabine Lake into the Gulf of Mexico. It borders Jefferson County, Texas, and Cameron Parish, Louisiana. History Civil War Two major battles occurred here during the American Civil War, known as the First and ...
.


Education


Colleges


Lamar State College-Port Arthur

Located in downtown Port Arthur, celebrated its 100th birthday in 2009. Offering a full variety of basic core curriculum classes in which credits are transferable throughout Texas public universities, Lamar State College is recognized for associate programs in commercial music, nursing, legal assistant, and process technology. The college also fields competitive teams in men's basketball and women's softball.


Galveston College (for Sabine Pass)

The section of Port Arthur within the Sabine Pass School District is assigned to
Galveston College Galveston College (GC) is a public community college in Galveston, Texas. History On November 2, 1935, voters approved the creation of the Galveston Junior College District. However, a subsequent 1936 election to support the new district via ...
in
Galveston Galveston ( ) is a coastal resort city and port off the Southeast Texas coast on Galveston Island and Pelican Island in the U.S. state of Texas. The community of , with a population of 47,743 in 2010, is the county seat of surrounding Ga ...
.


Career and Technical Education Center

It was formerly named Stilwell Technical Center and is the second college in Port Arthur. The Port Arthur Independent School District is now headquartered at its former location on 9th Avenue. In 2012 the school was relocated to a new building built on the same property of Memorial High School at 3501 Sgt Lucian Adams Dr.


Primary and secondary schools

Most of the city is served by the
Port Arthur Independent School District Port Arthur Independent School District is a public school district based in Port Arthur, Texas, United States. The district serves most of Port Arthur and a portion of Groves. In 2012, the school district was rated "academically acceptable" b ...
. It operates a single high school, Memorial High School, formed in 2002 by the consolidation of three high schools:
Stephen F. Austin Stephen Fuller Austin (November 3, 1793 – December 27, 1836) was an American-born empresario. Known as the "Father of Texas" and the founder of Anglo Texas,Hatch (1999), p. 43. he led the second and, ultimately, the successful colonization ...
,
Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...
, and
Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States from 18 ...
. The portion around
Southeast Texas Regional Airport Jack Brooks Regional Airport , formerly Southeast Texas Regional Airport, is near Port Arthur, Texas, nine miles (14 km) southeast of Beaumont and northeast of Port Arthur. It was Jefferson County Airport, but its name was changed to honor ...
is served by the Nederland Independent School District. Some parts are served by Port Neches-Groves Independent School District. The
Sabine Pass Sabine Pass is the natural outlet of Sabine Lake into the Gulf of Mexico. It borders Jefferson County, Texas, and Cameron Parish, Louisiana. History Civil War Two major battles occurred here during the American Civil War, known as the First and ...
community is served by the
Sabine Pass Independent School District Sabine Pass Independent School District is a public school district in Sabine Pass, a community in Port Arthur, Texas ( USA). The school serves sections of Port Arthur and unincorporated Jefferson County. The district has one school that serves ...
. The Bob Hope Charter School is located in Port Arthur. It formerly had a Catholic high school, Bishop Byrne High School, which closed in 1983.


Public libraries

The Port Arthur Public Library, at 4615 9th Avenue at
Texas State Highway 73 State Highway 73 (SH 73) is a Texas state highway that runs from Winnie through Port Arthur to near Orange. In September 2008, Hurricane Ike forced the closure of SH 73. Among other road debris left by the storm were two 200-t ...
, serves as the public library system for the city.


Media


Newspapers

The ''
Port Arthur News ''The Port Arthur News'' is six-day morning newspaper published every day except Mondays in Port Arthur, Texas, covering Jefferson County. It is owned by Boone Newspapers. The newspaper has not missed an issue since March 17, 1897, when the St ...
'' is the only daily newspaper serving Port Arthur. Operating since 1897 ''The News'' is one of the oldest continually operated businesses in Port Arthur. It is currently owned and operated by Boone Newspapers. From 1932–1941 Port Arthur had a second newspaper called The Peoples Press.


Television

* KBTV (
Dabl Dabl () is an American lifestyle-oriented digital multicast television network owned by the CBS Media Ventures subsidiary of Paramount Global. The company's formerly-owned other subchannel network, Decades, through CBS News and Stations was l ...
) channel 4


Radio


Transportation


Air

The
Jack Brooks Regional Airport Jack Brooks Regional Airport , formerly Southeast Texas Regional Airport, is near Port Arthur, Texas, nine miles (14 km) southeast of Beaumont and northeast of Port Arthur. It was Jefferson County Airport, but its name was changed to honor ...
in the northwest part of Port Arthur serves
Beaumont Beaumont may refer to: Places Canada * Beaumont, Alberta * Beaumont, Quebec England * Beaumont, Cumbria * Beaumont, Essex ** Beaumont Cut, a canal closed in the 1930s * Beaumont Street, Oxford France (communes) * Beaumont, Ardèche * ...
and Port Arthur.


Bus

Local bus service is provided by Port Arthur Transit.


Rail

The nearest
inter-city rail Inter-city rail services are express passenger train services that run services that connect cities over longer distances than commuter or regional trains. There is no precise definition of inter-city rail; its meaning may vary from country ...
station to Port Arthur is
Beaumont station Beaumont station is an Amtrak station in Beaumont, Texas, served by the ''Sunset Limited'' service. Station buildings The current station building and adjacent police substation were constructed in 2012 and opened on September 14 of that year. ...
in nearby Beaumont, which serves the greater area. The station is served by Amtrak’s '' Sunset Limited'' line, with a train arriving thrice weekly in each direction.


Notable people

*
Lucian Adams Lucian Adams (October 26, 1922 – March 31, 2003) was a United States Army soldier during World War II who received the Medal of Honor for single-handedly destroying enemy machine gun emplacements to re-establish supply lines to U.S. Army comp ...
, recipient of
Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...
,
Bronze Star The Bronze Star Medal (BSM) is a United States Armed Forces decoration awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service in a combat zone. Wh ...
, and
Purple Heart The Purple Heart (PH) is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those wounded or killed while serving, on or after 5 April 1917, with the U.S. military. With its forerunner, the Badge of Military Merit, w ...
*
Jonathan Babineaux Jonathan Joel Babineaux (born October 12, 1981) is a former American football defensive tackle who played all 12 seasons of his career with the Atlanta Falcons. He was drafted by the Falcons in the second round with the 59th overall pick in th ...
, professional football player *
Jordan Babineaux Jordan Jude Babineaux (born August 31, 1982) is a former American football safety. He was signed by the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 2004 out of Southern Arkansas University. Babineaux is most notable for his game-saving effo ...
, professional football player *
G.W. Bailey George William Bailey (born August 27, 1944) is an American actor. Although he appeared in many dramatic roles, he may be best remembered for his "crusty" comedic characters such as Staff Sergeant Luther Rizzo in ''M*A*S*H'' (TV series 1979–19 ...
, actor *
Zachary Breaux Zachary Charles Breaux (June 26, 1960 – February 20, 1997)Mark Gilbert: 'Breaux, Zachary', ''Grove Music Online'' ed. L. Macy (Accessed November 5, 2007), was an American jazz guitarist who was influenced by George Benson and Wes Montgome ...
, jazz musician * Aaron Brown, professional football player *
J'Covan Brown J'Covan Marquis Brown (born February 14, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for Hapoel Tel Aviv of the Israeli Basketball Premier League. He played college basketball for the University of Texas before playing professionally in G ...
(born 1990), basketball player in the
Israel Basketball Premier League Ligat HaAl ( he, ליגת העל, lit., ''Supreme League or Premier League''), or the Israeli Basketball Premier League, is the top-tier level league of professional competition in Israeli club basketball, making it Israel's primary basketball c ...
*
Jamaal Charles Jamaal RaShaad Jones Charles (born December 27, 1986) is a former American football running back. He played college football for the University of Texas, where he won the 2006 Rose Bowl, and was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the third ro ...
, professional football player * C. J. Chenier, musician *
Babe Didrikson Zaharias Mildred Ella "Babe" Didrikson Zaharias (; Didrikson; June 26, 1911 – September 27, 1956) was an American athlete who excelled in golf, basketball, baseball and track and field. She won two gold medals in track and field at the 1932 Summer O ...
, American athlete who excelled in golf, basketball, baseball and track and field *
Todd Dodge Todd Russell Dodge (born July 21, 1963) is an American football coach and former player, and recently retired head coach at Westlake High School in Austin, Texas. After graduating from the University of Texas at Austin where he played quarterba ...
, American football coach *
Ted Dunbar Earl Theodore Dunbar (January 17, 1937 – May 29, 1998) was an American jazz guitarist, composer, and educator. Career Born in Port Arthur, Texas, Dunbar trained as a pharmacist at Texas Southern University, but by the 1970s he only did pharma ...
, jazz musician *
Kevin Everett Kevin Everett (born February 5, 1982) is a former American football tight end who played for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Bills in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at th ...
, professional football player *
Mitch Gaspard Mitch Gaspard (born May 26, 1965) is an American college baseball coach and former second baseman. He is the hitting coach and recruiting coordinator at Louisiana Tech University. Gaspard played college baseball at Louisiana State University fro ...
, college baseball coach * John Warne Gates, wire and steel magnate, railroad and oil financier *
Danny Gorrer Danny Gorrer (born June 1, 1986) is a former American football cornerback. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football at Texas A&M. Gorrer was also a member of the St. Louis Rams, Baltim ...
, professional football player * Jason Halbert, musical director for Kelly Clarkson * Kree Harrison, runner-up on ''American Idol'', American Idol (season 12), 12th season * Lee Hazlewood, musician, was raised in Port Arthur. * Tom Hicks, former owner of Texas Rangers, Dallas Stars, Liverpool FC, and Dr Pepper/7-UP * Jim Hurtubise, race car driver, moved to Port Arthur as an adult. * Stephen Jackson, former professional basketball player, who played in the NBA for 14 seasons * Jimmy Johnson (American football coach), Jimmy Johnson, football broadcaster, player, coach, and executive * Janis Joplin, singer/songwriter * Bobby Leopold, professional football player * Kenneth Lofton Jr., college and FIBA U-19 Team USA player * Inika McPherson, track and field athlete * Donald Narcisse, player in Canadian Football League * Pimp C & Bun B of UGK, rappers * Johnny Preston, pop singer * Robert Rauschenberg, painter and graphic artist * Leah Rhodes, Hollywood costume designer * The Big Bopper, J.P. Richardson aka "The Big Bopper", singer and songwriter born in the Port Arthur neighborhood of
Sabine Pass Sabine Pass is the natural outlet of Sabine Lake into the Gulf of Mexico. It borders Jefferson County, Texas, and Cameron Parish, Louisiana. History Civil War Two major battles occurred here during the American Civil War, known as the First and ...
* Elandon Roberts, professional football player * Raymond Strother, political consultant * Tad Tadlock, choreographer * Joe Washington, college and professional football player * Ken Webster (director), Ken Webster, actor and director * Earl Evans (basketball), Earl Evans, college and professional basketball player


See also

* List of oil pipelines * List of oil refineries


Notes


References


External links


City of Port Arthur official website

Historic Article on Port Arthur (WWII)




{{authority control Port Arthur, Texas, 1899 establishments in Texas Cities in Jefferson County, Texas Cities in Texas Cities in the Beaumont–Port Arthur metropolitan area Port cities and towns in Texas Ports of the Gulf of Mexico Populated coastal places in Texas Railway towns in Texas