Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont, the county seat of Jefferson County, is in the northeast part of the county, at 30°05′ north latitude, and 94°06′ west longitude, on the west bank of the Neches River and Interstate Highway 10. It is eighty-five miles east of Houston and twenty-five air miles north of the Gulf of Mexico. With Port Arthur and Orange, it forms the Golden Triangle, a chief industrial area on the Gulf Coast.
History
The city of Beaumont was named by Henry Millard for the family of his deceased wife, Natchez, Mississippi, belle Mary Dewburleigh Barlace Warren Beaumont. Millard came to Texas in 1835 and, along with his business partners, purchased some land between the settlements of Tevis Bluff and Santa Anna. On this property, they founded the city of Beaumont.
The First Congress of the Republic of Texas made Beaumont the seat of the newly formed Jefferson County and granted it a charter in 1838. Under a second charter municipal government was organized in 1840, but it was soon abandoned. Beaumont was a small center for cattle raisers and farmers in its early years, and, with an active river port by the late 1800s, it became an important lumber and rice-milling town.
Geography
The city of Beaumont 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.
Government
Beaumont is a council-manager form of government. Elections are held annually, with the Mayor and Council members each having two-year terms. All controls 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.
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 annually. This is due to the warm gulf waters that carry humid air to the region, where it condenses and precipitates. 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.
Economy
Beaumont’s economy grew with petrochemicals and synthetic rubber in the post-war era and reached a plateau about 1960, when the growth slowed. In the mid-1950s the city, which had been segregated since Reconstruction, saw the civil rights movement begin to gain momentum, as the local chapter of the NAACP won two consecutive desegregation suits, one of them at Lamar State College.
These are some main aspects of the city of Beaumont.