Might be moving to Beaumont (Houston, Baytown: transfer, construction, best schools)

[newbieinspokane]

I'm finishing up an internship in Spokane, Wash., and am originally from Detroit, Mich. I am almost 20. I may be moving to Beaumont, Texas for a job.
Considering these things ...

- What is Beaumont like?
- Are there things to do (meeting people, shopping, eating, culture/events/festivals, outdoorsy things, etc.)
- Is the dating scene good for young people?
- Where are nice places to live?
- Is Houston a far drive from Beaumont?

Thanks much everyone!

[Trainwreck20]

Do a search for Beaumont on this forum, and you will find lots of information. I worked in Beaumont in 1990, when I was in my early twenties. I have also been back several times for work and twice as an election inspector.

What is Beaumont like?
Beaumont itself is on the edge of the coastal plain, the east Texas piney woods, and the Big Thicket. If you like piney woods and outdoorsy type stuff, this can be very nice. That is, if you can take the heat and humidity, which is essentially the same as Houston.

Things to Do?
Fishing and hunting are high on the list of things to do, as well as go to LA and gamble or go to Houston. I haven't lived there for a while, but it is a kind of slow paced area. I am sure that there are things to do, but it is probably one of the 'biggest small towns' around.

Dating Scene.
Well, are you going as a professional? There are some huge petrochemical plants around the area, and I will assume for now that you are going to work in that or related industry. How does that relate to dating? If you are an engineer making good money, you are a much hotter (pun intended )commodity than an operator or pipefitter. I did not find much of a dating scene there, but I was not there long enought to connect into one, either.

Housing
I can't really help you here with specifics, but try to stay upwind, if possible, from Port Arthur. The nice areas will be expensive because you do not live in the cancer plume from the industrial complex.

Houston
Not a bad drive at all by distance, but traffic is probably bad anywhere near rush hour. Haven't driven that stretch on a regular basis for years.

[maluvfla]

I am from Atlanta, GA. My family and I are planning on moving to Texas because my husband job is transferring him to Port Arthur. I am currently in school studying for my Masters in Information System Management with a minor in Health System Management, and I will graduate in October of this year. Can anyone please give me some insight as to where we can move to in order to find good paying job for me and schools since we have five children that range from Middle to High School?

[southeasttexas]

The Beaumont area is called the "Golden Triangle", and consists of Beaumont, Port Arthur, and Orange. Jefferson County has a number of "bedroom" communities that lack industry but are minuits away from numerous places of employment. "Mid County" if you will, is Nederland, Port Neches and Groves. Great schools, and easy access to places of work. Lumberton, just north of Beaumont is a booming community that is attracting many...

[BobTex]

I have posted much detail on this forum over the last couple of years. This includes areas to avoid. Port Arthur ISD and the city itself are pretty much to be avoided. I live 75 miles from Pt. Arthur and my neighbor drives from here to work at the refineries. Lumberton is desirable and has an excellent public schools.

Do the search.

On the health systems available (your minor), majors are : Christus Health and Memorial Herman.

[tstone]

Originally Posted by maluvfla

I am from Atlanta, GA. My family and I are planning on moving to Texas because my husband job is transferring him to Port Arthur. I am currently in school studying for my Masters in Information System Management with a minor in Health System Management, and I will graduate in October of this year. Can anyone please give me some insight as to where we can move to in order to find good paying job for me and schools since we have five children that range from Middle to High School?

I can only tell you where not to live.

Port Arthur is to be avoided. It's quite run down from a hurricane that hit hard 2 1/2 years ago. Many people still haven't cleaned their messes up yet, much less rebuilt anything. It's a depressing place, and to some extent it is unfair how 3rd world-ish some AMERICANS are living there. But whatever your thoughts, there's a lot of money to be made there for those who want to go. Pipe fitters to construction managers. I may be working there and if I do, will try out an 89 mile, 75-80 minute commute before I consider moving.

I also have to ask, have you heard of Vidor?

Texas city haunted by 'no blacks after dark' past - CNN.com

Seems like much of that part of TX is stuck in the '50's.

If he doesn't mind driving 50 minutes or so to work, then Baytown or Mont Belvieu are places some folks live so they can be closer to Houston and everything it has to offer.

[BobTex]

Originally Posted by tstone

I can only tell you where not to live.

Port Arthur is to be avoided. It's quite run down from a hurricane that hit hard 2 1/2 years ago. Many people still haven't cleaned their messes up yet, much less rebuilt anything. It's a depressing place, and to some extent it is unfair how 3rd world-ish some AMERICANS are living there. But whatever your thoughts, there's a lot of money to be made there for those who want to go. Pipe fitters to construction managers. I may be working there and if I do, will try out an 89 mile, 75-80 minute commute before I consider moving.

I also have to ask, have you heard of Vidor?

Texas city haunted by 'no blacks after dark' past - CNN.com

Seems like much of that part of TX is stuck in the '50's.

If he doesn't mind driving 50 minutes or so to work, then Baytown or Mont Belvieu are places some folks live so they can be closer to Houston and everything it has to offer.

tstone ... did you even read the article that you posted the link to????

Doesn't even say what you alluded to with your "stuck in the 1950's statement. The article said the town was trying to change its image. There is no record of any racial tensions in over a decade and when they had it hthen the protestors were outnumbered 10 to 1 by anti protestors. Also the protestors were not residents of Vidor but racist factions from all over the country. These was the 1994 case mentioned in the article by CNN (not the best source, not always truthful and known to be agenda driven).

I am alway amused and sometimes even some perturbed by why folks from almost every other part of Texas goes out of their way to slam SE Texas. You really didn't have to put that blurb in your respons about Vidor but you did. Beaumont is as nice as Baytown....what's the deal?

The Beaumont area is also infused with the Cajun culture. What's Baytown got????? Mont Belview???? Did you mention that by traveling you would get a perdiem daily stipend??? Does that figure into you commuting?

Surprised you didn't decide to slander Jasper while you were at it. Plenty of lies going on about what happened up there too (perpetuated by CNN no less).

BTW Port arthur was run down long before the hurricane. It is a slum because of the population there has absolutely no pride. I have also lived there (on the outskirts) for a short ime in the early 80's. It was sliding into oblivion then. I do agree ... avoid it ... it is a dangerous place.


I hate this soapbox!

[tstone]

Baytown and Mont Belvieu have a 20 minute drive from all that Houston has to offer. Maybe not as much Cajun influence, but overall-worldly influences total up to a hell of a lot more than the Golden Triangle.

My family's experience with Vidor has to do with strange, unfriendly, ''you better get outta here'' stares and that's really it. I used to work with a guy (in 2005) from Vidor who said he personally knew several KKK members there. Though he tended to get along with everyone, his private attitude was "we'll take them all." I'll let you guess what that was supposed to mean. I suppose he's only one person, though, but the Vidor-KKK reputation is alive and well, deserved or not. ''Stuck in the '50's'' meant that + the fact much of the area is deeply segregated. I don't even need to put my glasses on to see it. Or is that just a coincedence?

Is it also a coincedence that many companies are bribing their employees so much to work out there? And even still most people won't even consider taking the bait!!!

I don't know anything about Beaumont, and didn't speak for it last time. I understand it can be a fine place to live. Expensive though, due to housing shortages. But all the people from Beaumont that I've met were normal folks, too. I didn't mention it because I only formed my last post on what I've personally experienced.

[Cdaniel]

Originally Posted by maluvfla

I am from Atlanta, GA. My family and I are planning on moving to Texas because my husband job is transferring him to Port Arthur. I am currently in school studying for my Masters in Information System Management with a minor in Health System Management, and I will graduate in October of this year. Can anyone please give me some insight as to where we can move to in order to find good paying job for me and schools since we have five children that range from Middle to High School?

I moved here to Beaumont from Houston where I lived most of my life about 15 yrs ago. Things have changed a lot in that time. The best schools are in Lumberton or Orangefield. Orangefield is closer to Port Arthur and is rural area. Port Arthur school are very low preforming and some of those people are going to Nederland ISD and PNG isd and they are hurting those schools preformances. Pay for women is lower in this whole area but it is improving. The cost of living is low and housing is still below most of the other areas of Houston and Baytown. There are only 2 malls in the area the most shopping choises are in Beaumont. I live in Beaumont close to the mall and I will put my child in private school in middle school..I only have one. She is in the GT program in elementry (gifted and talented ).