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70-610: The Julie Rogers Theatre is a historic performing arts theatre located on Pearl Street in downtown Beaumont, Texas . Built in 1928, the theatre was once Beaumont's City Hall and Auditorium . The capacity is approximately 1,663 seats. The building was renovated in 1982 when it was re-purposed from the city hall and auditorium combination to a theatre for the performing arts. The theatre was renovated again in 2007. It now features continental seating (no center aisle). Seating includes 1,253 seats in orchestra seating, 144 seats in loge seating, and 266 seats in balcony seating. This facility

140-682: A theater building in the United States is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Beaumont, Texas Beaumont is a city in the U.S. state of Texas . It is the seat of government of Jefferson County , within the Beaumont– Port Arthur metropolitan statistical area , located in Southeast Texas on the Neches River about 85 miles (137 km) east of Houston (city center to city center). With

210-549: A 9,000 square foot mosque in 2017. According to the city's 2018 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report the top employers in the city were: A significant element of the region's economy is the Port of Beaumont , one of the largest seaports by tonnage in the United States. The 842nd Transportation Battalion and the 596th Transportation Group are both stationed at the port in Beaumont. In addition to companies doing business within

280-587: A Recorded Texas Historic Landmark. Founded in 1953 as the Beaumont Symphony Orchestra, the Symphony of Southeast Texas has been performing several performances each year since then. Several guest artists including Van Cliburn and Ferrante & Teicher have appeared with the symphony. The Beaumont Botanical Gardens is located near the entrance to the 500 acre Tyrrell Park . On its 23.5 acre grounds, it includes over ten themed gardens,

350-654: A huge oil field lay underneath and adjacent to the city. With Spindletop, several energy companies developed in Beaumont, and some remain. The area rapidly developed as one of the country's major petrochemical refining areas. Along with Port Arthur and Orange , Beaumont forms the Golden Triangle , a major industrial area on the Texas Gulf Coast . Beaumont is home to Lamar University , a national Carnegie doctoral research university with over 14,000 students, including undergraduates and postgraduates. Over

420-620: A minor league baseball team that played at Magnolia Ballpark and the Stuart Stadium from 1920 to 1949 and 1953–1955. The Beaumont Golden Gators were a minor league baseball team that played at Vincent-Beck Stadium from 1983 to 1986. The Beaumont Bullfrogs were also a minor league baseball team that played in Beaumont. The Texas Wildcatters were an ECHL Hockey team based in Beaumont from 2003 to 2008. The Beaumont Drillers were an IPFL football team that played in Beaumont from 2003 to 2007, and The Basketball League planned to add

490-597: A mortgage. The median income for a household in the city was $ 39,699, according to the American Community Survey during 2010, and the median income for a family was $ 49,766. The per capita income for the city was $ 23,137. About 17.6% of families and 22.1% of the population lived at or below the poverty line. From 2014 to 2019, its median income for households was $ 54,488; families had a median income of $ 61,069; married-couple families $ 78,239; and non-family households $ 29,415. In 2019, an estimated 16.7% of

560-498: A new facility, to use as the city's first public library, now known as the Tyrrell Historical Library . When the city became a major center for defense shipbuilding during World War II , tens of thousands of rural Texans migrated there for the new high-paying jobs. The Roosevelt administration ordered the defense industry to be integrated, and many Southern white males were working closely with black males for

630-474: A number of professional and amateur sports teams throughout the city's history. The American Basketball Association 's Southeast Texas Mavericks were once headquartered in the city until moving to Shreveport, Louisiana in 2013. The Texas Strikers , a professional arena soccer team PASL , started playing at Ford Arena in 2012. Another notable team in the area has been the Beaumont Exporters ,

700-520: A population of 115,282 at the 2020 census , Beaumont is the largest municipality by population near the Louisiana border. Its metropolitan area was the 10th largest in Texas in 2020, and 130th in the United States . The city of Beaumont was founded in 1838. The pioneer settlement had an economy based on the development of lumber, farming, and port industries. In 1892, Joseph Eloi Broussard opened

770-410: A result of Hurricane Harvey . Due to the flooding, Memorial Hermann Baptist Hospital evacuated all of its highest level of acuity patients with the help of National Guard helicopters. In addition, many Beaumont residents had to be rescued by both boats and helicopters as a result of the floodwaters. As of March 2019 , many residents in the area are still attempting to recover from the hurricane as

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840-421: A town to be laid out on this land. Their partnership, J.P. Pulsifer and Company, controlled the first 50 acres (200,000 m ) upon which the town was founded. This town was named Beaumont, after Mary Dewburleigh Barlace Warren Beaumont, the wife of Henry Millard. They added more property for a total of 200 acres. Beaumont became a town on December 16, 1838. Beaumont's first mayor was Alexander Calder . From

910-484: Is free, and is the only museum open seven days per week. Likewise, Beaumont Children's Museum started in 2008 and opened in 2012; the museum moved to a temporary location in 2015 to the Beaumont Civic Center . Babe Didrikson Zaharias Museum is another notable museum dedicated to the life of the Beaumont native and accomplished athlete. The Beaumont Art League is the oldest non-profit art gallery in

980-696: Is home to the Symphony of Southeast Texas , and hosts performances of the Beaumont Civic Opera, the Beaumont Civic Ballet and the Beaumont Ballet Theatre. [REDACTED] Media related to Julie Rogers Theater at Wikimedia Commons This article about a property in Texas on the National Register of Historic Places is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article about

1050-604: Is the center of business for the metropolitan statistical area, governance and night time entertainment within 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 five distinct museums. Other entertainment and recreation venues located downtown include

1120-587: Is the river authority which oversees the Neches River in Tyler , Hardin , Liberty , Chambers , and Jefferson counties of Texas. The lower forty miles of the river is industrialized, from the Beaumont Interstate 10 bridge to Sabine Lake. The river is maintained as a deep water ship channel running between the Port of Beaumont to Sabine Lake . Currently 40 feet deep and 400 ft wide,

1190-605: Is within the Piney Woods region of eastern Texas. The area around Beaumont receives the most rainfall in the state: more than 60 inches (1,500 mm) annually. The city has two distinct seasons, a wet season from April to October and a dry season from November to March. Hurricanes also pose a threat to the city and greater metropolitan area. Hurricane Rita in 2005 and Hurricane Ike in 2008 both caused significant damage. Both Hurricane Harvey in 2017 and Tropical Storm Imelda in 2019 caused historic flooding throughout

1260-659: The Beaumont Panthers as a new team in 2022. Neches River It is believed that the name of the river was derived from the Caddo word "Nachawi", meaning "wood of the bow", after Spanish settlers called it Río Neches . With the exception of dams and manmade lakes, much of the river is in a natural state. Approximately 11 miles of the upper Neches flows through the Neches River National Wildlife Refuge , established to protect

1330-439: The U.S. Maritime Commission during World War II ; Dresser Industries , a Dresser-Ideco plant was a major employer for seventy-seven years; the plant, with around 350 employees, closed in 1985; Gulf Oil ; Humble Oil ; Magnolia Petroleum Company ; The Texas Oil Company; The Texas Coffee Company, the first company in the United States to begin packaging coffee in vacuum-packed foil bags; and Universal Coin & Bullion, one of

1400-487: The United States Fish and Wildlife Service purchased land along the Neches River for the creation of the Neches River National Wildlife Refuge . The refuge includes land on which the city of Dallas had proposed to build a reservoir to meet the water needs of the city and its surrounding suburbs . Tentatively named Lake Fastrill, this reservoir was not scheduled to be built until 2050. The city of Dallas and

1470-660: The Upland Island and Longleaf Pine Wilderness Area of Angelina National Forest. The Angelina Neches/Dam B Wildlife Management Area is situated at the confluence of the Neches and Angelina Rivers protecting 12,636 acres of the river's floodplain and bottomland, administered by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department along with the adjacent Martin Dies Jr. State Park on the eastern side of Lake B. A. Steinhagen. South of

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1540-684: The 10,000 sq ft Warren Loose Conservatory and a large collection of bromeliads . Additionally, Tyrrell Park and Cattail Marsh features botanical gardens and conservatory, the Henry Homberg Municipal Golf Course, a 900-acre cattail marsh nature area, and a 2.8 mile nature trail. There are also restrooms, shelters, the Babe Zaharias Drive Monument, baseball backstop, lighted basketball goals, benches, drinking fountains, 2.8-mile (4.5 km) nature trail, and picnic tables. As downtown Beaumont

1610-544: The 12-story Goodhue Building which included a penthouse. In 1928, the Edson Hotel was built. No other buildings were built until Century Tower in 1962 and in 1982 Edison Plaza was built. In 1994 the 12-story LaSalle Hotel, built in 1927, was demolished. 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

1680-510: The 1880s, it became an important lumber and rice-milling town. The city exported rice as a commodity crop. Beaumont's lumber boom, which reached its peak in the late 19th century, was stimulated by the rebuilding and expansion of the railroads in the state and region after the Civil War . The Beaumont Rice Mill, founded in 1892 by Joseph Eloi Broussard , was the first commercially successful rice mill in Texas. In addition, Broussard cofounded

1750-484: The Beaumont Irrigation Company in 1898 to operate an irrigation system to support rice culture. The company along with four others established around the same time helped stimulate the expansion of rice cultivation from 1500 acres in 1892 to 400,000 acres in 23 counties by his death in 1956. The other companies were The Port Arthur Rice and Irrigation Company, The McFaddin-Wiess-Kyle Canal Company,

1820-592: The Beaumont area on Christmas Eve 2004. In January 1997, a severe and historic ice storm struck the region, leaving thousands without power and major tree damage in its wake. In unofficial records, Beaumont received as much as 30 inches (760 mm) of snow during the blizzard of February 1895 that impacted the Gulf Coast. The city of Beaumont and its metropolitan statistical area have experienced slight population decline and stagnation since 2015's census estimates, while modest increases in population have assisted in

1890-854: 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. The Beaumont–Port Arthur region has historically been cited as one of

1960-854: The Fire Museum of Texas chronicle the history of firefighting in Texas. The McFaddin-Ward House was built in 1905–1906 in the Beaux-Arts Colonial style and is located in the Oaks Historic District . The structure and its furnishings reflect the prominent family who lived in the house for seventy-five years. This very large historic home has a substantial carriage house. The complex has a substantial permanent collection of antique furniture and household items. Educational programs focus on history and are geared toward children and adults. Spindletop-Gladys City Boomtown Museum includes several reconstructed buildings reminiscent of

2030-742: The Lake, beginning at Town Bluff Dam and running 56 miles south to Beaumont, is the Neches River Corridor Unit of the Big Thicket National Preserve , administered by the National Park Service . The Big Thicket National Preserve is recognized as a biosphere reserve by UNESCO , preserving an area where several ecosystems converge. The Big Thicket Visitor Center is off U.S. Highway 69 several miles north of Kountze , Texas. Beginning in 2006,

2100-409: The Neches River around the downtown area/port: Harbor, Smith and Clark. Beaumont is relatively flat compared to other Texas cites at being 16 ft. above sea level. South of Beaumont, Port Arthur is only 7 ft. above sea level. Several towns and communities have been absorbed into the city of Beaumont. These include: Amelia, established in 1885 and incorporated into Beaumont in 1956; Elizabeth,

2170-524: The Royal Air Force, flying from their training base at Terrell, Texas, routinely flew to Beaumont on training flights. The community served as a stand-in for the British for Paris, France, which was the same distance from London, England as Beaumont is from Terrell. In the postwar years, Beaumont's port continued in importance. As was typical with other cities, post-war highway construction led to

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2240-647: The Texas Water Development Board filed a lawsuit in 2007 against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, claiming the wildlife refuge was established without considering the economic and environmental impacts. However, in February 2010 the United States Supreme Court ruled in favor of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, paving the way for the acquisition of lands for the wildlife refuge. The Lower Neches Valley Authority

2310-763: The Treadaway or Neches Canal Company, and the Taylors-Hillebrand complex. The holdings of those companies formed the basis for the Lower Neches Valley Authority established by the state legislature in 1933. The rise of Beaumont's mill economy drew many new residents to the city, many of them immigrants. By the early 20th century, the city was served by the Southern Pacific; Kansas City Southern, Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe; and Missouri Pacific railroad systems. Oil

2380-488: The area's demographic sustainment. Similar to its population fluctuations from 1980 to 1990, Beaumont's population has shifted from roughly 115,000 to 118,000 residents from the 2020 and 2010 United States census . According to the 2010 United States census there were 118,296 people, 45,648 households, and 28,859 families residing in the city limits. Per the 2020 United States census, its population slightly declined to 115,282 residents. In 2010, Beaumont's population density

2450-499: The area, operating for 70 years. 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 from across the country. Within the city, the historic Chambers House, built in 1906, this home is open for tours. It is filled with period furniture, personal items, and artifacts used in

2520-584: The biologically diverse bottomland hardwood forest and habitat for migratory birds , and opened to the public as recently as 2019. Downstream, the river delineates the eastern border of Davy Crockett National Forest including more than nine miles of the Big Slough Wilderness Area of the National Forest. Further downstream the Neches defines much of the southern border of Angelina National Forest including roughly four miles of

2590-400: The city and area have included the following: Bethlehem Steel / Trinity Industries Shipyard, where over eight hundred (800) vessels were built and repaired at the shipyard including barges, ships, and offshore drilling rigs including seventy-two (72) jack up offshore drilling rigs, the second-most offshore drilling rigs built in the United States, and seventy-one (71) Type C1 ships built for

2660-532: The city and metropolitan area has been Islam , with religious Jews comprising the third largest religiously-affiliated demographic in Beaumont; Jewish Beaumonters settled the area in the 19th century, primarily affiliated with Orthodox Judaism . As the area has a substantial Islamic community, interfaith efforts among the dominant religions have occurred, and the Islamic Society of the Triplex completed

2730-505: The city and port. In 1824 Noah and Nancy Tevis settled on the west bank of the Neches River and developed a farm. Soon after that, a small community grew up around the farm, which was named Tevis Bluff or Neches River Settlement . In 1835 the land of Tevis, together with the nearby community of Santa Anna (in total, 50 acres (20 ha)), was purchased by Henry Millard ( c.  1796 –1844), Joseph Pulsifer (1805–1861), and Thomas Byers Huling (1804–1865). They began planning

2800-762: The city limits, several large industrial facilities are located within the city's five-mile extraterritorial jurisdiction boundaries including the ExxonMobil Beaumont refinery and chemical plants, Goodyear Beaumont chemical plant, and DuPont chemical plant. Jason's Deli has its headquarters in Beaumont. Conn's Appliances did have its headquarters in Beaumont; however, in mid-2012, Conn's moved its corporate headquarters to The Woodlands . Originally Sweet Leaf Tea Company had its headquarters in Beaumont. The headquarters moved to Austin in October 2003. Other prominent businesses which have been associated with

2870-560: The city received emergency assistance. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 85.8 square miles (222.3 km ), of which 82.8 square miles (214.5 km ) are land and 3.1 square miles (7.9 km ), or 3.53%, are water. Beaumont lies on Texas' coastal plain, about 30 miles (48 km) inland from the Gulf of Mexico , 85 miles (137 km) east of Houston , and just south of

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2940-556: 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

3010-499: The city. Hurricane Laura in 2020 posed a significant threat to the town, as it was forecasted to make landfall at the border of Texas and Louisiana, almost following the same track as Hurricane Rita in 2005. The storm turned more northerly close to landfall, and spared Beaumont the worst impacts and damage. Minor damage was reported with winds gusting around hurricane-force for a short period of time as Laura moved over Lake Charles, Louisiana . Also, Hurricane Delta in 2020 passed near

3080-406: 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

3150-399: The depot of Amelia that was established around 1903 or after and annexed into Beaumont in 1957; Elwood, established sometimes in the late 1800s, changed to Voth in 1902, and annexed into Beaumont in 1957; Guffey, post office was established in 1901 and closed in 1925 but is part of Beaumont now; Santa Anna, became part of Beaumont when it was founded; Tevis Bluff, became part of Beaumont when it

3220-829: The development of new suburbs and dispersal of the population in search of new housing. Recently, there has been some renewal in Downtown Beaumont and in other areas of the city. 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. This eliminated the need for law firms to print and mail reams of documents. In 2005 and 2008, Beaumont and surrounding areas suffered extensive damage from Hurricane Rita and Hurricane Ike , respectively. Mandatory evacuations were issued in advance of both storms. In August 2017, Beaumont and surrounding areas experienced severe flooding as

3290-526: The early 20th century, developing businesses during the Texas Oil Boom . An entrepreneur from Pennsylvania and Iowa, he arrived after the gusher at Spindletop , and invested in development of a commercial port in the city, and an irrigation system to support the local rice industry, as well as residential and retail development of suburban property. He was also a philanthropist. He purchased and donated First Baptist Church, whose congregation had moved to

3360-466: The first commercially successful rice mill in Texas, stimulating development of rice farming in the area; he also started an irrigation company (since 1933, established as the Lower Neches Valley Authority ) to support rice culture. Rice became an important commodity crop in Texas and is now cultivated in 23 counties. A big change occurred in 1901 with the Spindletop gusher, which demonstrated that

3430-529: The first time. Housing was scarce in the crowded city, and racial tensions increased. In June 1943 after workers at the Pennsylvania shipyards in Beaumont learned that a white woman had accused a black man of raping her, nearly 2,000 went to the jail where a suspect was being held, attracting more men along the way and reaching a total of 4,000. Ultimately the white mob rioted for three days, destroying major black neighborhoods and killing five persons. No one

3500-620: The following: Beaumont Civic Center ; the Event Centre and plaza features include a twelve-acre great lawn for concerts and a walking path, and a 3,800 sq ft canopy with stage overlooks the great lawn, and a 14,000 sq ft canopy overlooks a two-acre lake with a thirty-five foot fountain; and Beautiful Mountain Skate Plaza, opened in 2013. The park includes ledges, rails, banks, bank-to-bank, quarter pipes, and stairs. The park also has an amphitheater for other events. Beaumont has had

3570-518: The home. Among other museums, Clifton Steamboat Museum opened on October 26, 1995. The theme of the museum is "Heroes... Past, Present, and Future", honoring military and civilian heroes. The Clifton Steamboat Museum consists of a 24,000 square feet (2,200 m ), two-story museum. 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

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3640-471: The largest retailers in precious metals and rare coins. Beaumont hosts many museums and buildings open for tours within the Southeast Texas region. The Art Museum of Southeast Texas (AMSET), with its Perlstein Plaza, was 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

3710-587: The largest single denomination in the city as a result of Spanish colonialism and missionary work , and its increasing Hispanic or Latino population (reflecting nationwide trends); Roman Catholics have been primarily served by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Beaumont which is a jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Ecclesiastical Province of Galveston–Houston. Beyond Christianity, the second largest religion in

3780-617: The most polluted urban areas in the United States due to various energy industries and chemical plants in the area. Even so, as of July 2014 , the Beaumont-Port Arthur region was not under any Environmental Protection Agency non-attainment restrictions; however, counties in the Greater Houston area, the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex , and El Paso were. As of October 2014 , the Beaumont-Port Arthur area

3850-471: 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 of America . This gallery features many historical scouting artifacts, some dating before the 1960s. The tugboat, Hercules, 36 feet (11 m) high, 22 feet (6.7 m) wide, and 92 feet (28 m) long, is included on

3920-477: The museum tour. Dishman Art Museum is the university art museum of Lamar University . The museum features 19th and 20th century European and American Art, as well as Tribal Art from Africa and New Guinea. Nearby Edison Museum (about inventor Thomas Edison ) and the Fire Museum of Texas (home of one of world's largest fire hydrants ) are also located within the city. Antique fire trucks and equipment at

3990-553: The nation, each dial being 17 feet (5.2 m) in diameter. In 1922 the 11-story Hotel Beaumont was built across the street from the San Jacinto. The Hotel Beaumont bears a resemblance to the old Winecoff Hotel in Atlanta . The second oil boom of 1925 brought more people and wealth to Beaumont, the same year the 12-story American National Bank Building (now Orleans Building ), was erected, and in 1926 Forrest Goodhue built

4060-564: The original Gladys City. The buildings contain artifacts from the period. The Texas Energy Museum of Beaumont opened on January 10, 1990, the anniversary of the Spindletop gusher. Jefferson Theater , built in 1927, is a historic theater that presents live musical and stage performances as well as limited revival screenings of classic films. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) and recognized also as

4130-415: The population lived at or below the poverty line. According to the 2010 census, the racial and ethnic makeup of the city was 33.5% non-Hispanic white , 47.3% Black and African American , 0.0% American Indian and Alaska Native , 3.3% Asian , 0.0% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander , 7.1% from other races , and 2.0% from two or more races . Hispanic or Latino Americans of any race were 13.4% of

4200-624: The population were religious. Christianity , since colonial times, has remained the dominant religion by identification in Beaumont and its surrounding area. Among the Christian community, Baptists were the largest Protestant Christian tradition and spread among numerous denominations; the most notable denominational affiliations among Baptists were the Southern Baptist Convention and National Baptist Convention ( USA and America ). Roman Catholicism , however, remained

4270-443: The population. By 2020, its population increased to being predominantly Black or African American as its non-Hispanic white population slightly declined, reflecting nationwide demographic trends of diversification and self-identification. Also in 2020, its Hispanic or Latino American population of any race increased to 20,607 residents, or 17.88% of the total population. Religiously, Sperling's BestPlaces estimated roughly 78.6% of

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4340-752: The region as it made landfall in Southwest Louisiana . Impacts were about the same with Delta as they were with Laura. On August 18, 2009, a tornado hit the west side of Beaumont, causing damage to cars and several local businesses. Injuries were minimal. While wintry precipitation is unusual, it does occur. The most recent significant wintry event to occur was December 8, 2017 when the Southeast Texas Regional Airport recorded 3 inches (76 mm) of snowfall. December 11, 2008 and December 4, 2009, were also days that Beaumont saw measurable snowfall. Snow also fell across

4410-427: The town's founding in 1835, business activities included real estate, transportation, and retail sales. Later, other businesses were formed, especially in railroad construction and operation, new building construction, lumber sales, and communications. The Port of Beaumont became a successful regional shipping center. Beaumont was a small center for cattle raisers and farmers in its early years. With an active riverport by

4480-407: The years, several corporations have been based in this city, including Gulf States Utilities, which had its headquarters in Beaumont until its takeover by Entergy Corporation in 1994. GSU's Edison Plaza headquarters remains the tallest building in Beaumont. The ExxonMobil Beaumont Refinery and Petrochemical Complex is the largest private employer in the city and occupies more than 2,000 acres of

4550-483: Was 1,339.4 inhabitants per square mile (517.1/km ). Housing units were at an average density of 574.2 per square mile (221.7/km ). Of the 45,648 households at the 2010 United States census, 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

4620-404: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.12. Among its population at the 2019 American Community Survey , the median age was 34.6 and the average family size was 3.23. From an estimated 45,435 occupied housing units in 2019, 52.1% were owner-occupied and the median selected monthly costs for units with a mortgage were $ 1,366 and $ 412 without

4690-569: 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 more than tripled in two months from 9,000 in January 1901 to 30,000 in March 1901. William Casper Tyrrell , nicknamed "Captain W.C.", was a leading businessman and oil tycoon in the city in

4760-400: Was founded in 1835. Beaumont has 8 buildings over 100 feet (30 m) tall, the tallest being the Edison Plaza , which is 254 feet (77 m) tall. The old Edson Hotel , built in 1928 is nearly the same height at 240 feet (73 m). One of the most prominent downtown buildings is the 15-story San Jacinto Building . Built in 1921, it sports one of the largest four faced clock towers in

4830-424: Was not under any Texas Commission on Environmental Quality attainment compliance deadlines. Regardless, according to an article published in 2007 focusing on Port Arthur , a neighboring city to the southeast of Beaumont, pollution was believed to have caused some area residents to become sick. This has generated debates throughout the local media. The city of Beaumont experiences a humid subtropical climate and

4900-415: Was prosecuted for the deaths. The riot in Beaumont was one of several in 1943 which centered in the defense industry, including Los Angeles , Detroit , and Mobile, Alabama as well as other cities across the country. The wartime social disruption was similar to war time riots which had occurred in other parts of the country during and following World War I . During the war years, airmen cadets from

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