We'd Like Some Information On Beaumont

[doctorjef]

Beaumont is smellier than Houston by a long shot. Reading this thread brought back to me an actual sense-memory of the sulphurous odor of the heavy, humid and sultry air in the Triangle.

[T Poe]

I have had a laugh reading these items in criticism of Beaumont. Like any city, you have to get to know it before you can like it. It is like asking where is good Mexican food in San Antonio and the folks will say in Austin. Or that San Antonio is laid out by a drunk Mexican on a blind mule. Or Aggie Jokes in College Station. and so on.

The only odor I have ever noticed in Beaumont is 2. Old money and new money. That of oil, called in the olden days, Black gold. That strange odor on a crisp morning is from Evadale paper mill. I do miss the aroma of fresh bread baking that used to come from the bakeries Fair Maid and Tastee. I miss the odors of hot buttered popcorn and cotton candy and circus animals marching down Ave C from where they got off the train over by Wall street at College going to the old Stuart Stadium center and the elephants putting up the tent. But I don't miss the odor they made.

Is there anyone out there that knows that College street is part of the OST (Old Spanish Trail). What about the ships in the Port. And the red light district now called Crockett Street Entertainment center. And the wonderful Jefferson theater which was the social center for junior high, senior high dating with the Pig Stand on 11th Street, Play Ground Park and the Skating Rink and the big alagator pond. The Fair Grounds where the Southeast Texas Fair took place in October. The Harvest Club which was overseen by the Knights of the Neches I think and those fine dances there which young men in tux and young ladies in formal dresses and screen wire petticoats. Howabout the City Auditorium where we all graduated. And South Park High School and Greenie Stadium. Where was the old Multimax Village which was the closest I ever recall seeing to poverty. The finest stores I ever saw were The White House downtown, Rosenthawls. The ice skating rink, Hotel Dieu with the Dominican nuns in full black habits, and so on and so forth.

It has been about 116,000 in population since my family came here from the oil patch in Hardin County 17 miles away in 1942. Roughly 1/3 white; 1/3 black 1/3 others. Desegregation occurred in the late 1950's and was hardly noticed with the first case being the golf course at Terrell Park. No case at all. About the same at Lamar College. just register. The lunch counters were lost, however. Merchants just removed everything over night and put in merchandise. Said; we don't want to risk having trouble. Would not everyone have rather integrated and had a place to sit down and snack? That was a nail in the coffin of downtown in my opinion. About that race rite in 1943? The Texas Guard was not called out. Those were men who lived here and they were assigned a place to be on duty for a couple of days in case there was any trouble. My daddy's spot was the corner of Corley and Ave B. We kids walked down to deliver his sack lunch and some coffee several times a day.

Beaumont is a city. Buses, shopping, movies, churches, major medical center, university, all those things within about 10 minutes of residential. We residents like to frequent them during the week because they are mighty full of those small towners on Saturday. Best kept secret in town is the businesses on College and 11th street where you can get in and out of without congestion. Races are so tense they speak and nod their heads to each other. And we could sure use even more of those Tx Mex places to eat. We are going to be lucky when we get some Asian businesses. This place has not been hasselled by the feds, so the "races" have been allowed to live and socialize with their own kind.

Ask why blacks don't go to white churches? I have heard the same answer every where I have knowledge of. Because white churches are boring.

The lack of things to do exists everywhere, not just Beaumont. You got to make your own entertainment. I am amazed at how many people have never even found Terrell Park.

You outsiders just believe all that negative stuff you read by those people from elsewhere or the ones that hightailed it out of town the day of graduation. They will return for retirement here. Stagnant population to them now is likely stable population. They have the point of view of youth. Same as I had. The problem was I was not allowed to use much of Bmt. Don't go where you have no business going is what parents try to instill in their young. A good rule. Now I drive all around and look at things. What I notice that disappeared was substandard looking poverty houses. Flat disappeared with the contruction of freeways, wide streets, etc. Then those people, in the later generations moved into the area around Roberts Park, Central Park, Alice Keith Park, Attendance zones of David Crockett/ Martin L King. These are great neigborhoods.

And so it goes, best regards, T Poe

[jborque]

Born in Beaumont in 1948, I remember living in Multimax Village before I started school. Funny how when you're poor you don't even know it. All of us pulled ourselves up by our bootstraps and became productive hardworking property owners in Beaumont.

Mr. Poe, your vivid memories are much like mine and sincerely appreciated..

[ClaraC]

I'm trying not to be negative, but honestly, if you don't have emotional ties to Beaumont and fond memories, I wouldn't consider moving there. Unless it's temporary because you have a fabulous job in oil and then can get out.

I'm sure there are friendly people there, and it sounds like there are neighborhoods that are being built that are an improvement over what's been there traditionally, but if you have complete freedom to choose an area in Texas to relocate to, Beaumont would be about my very last choice. It smells, is incredibly humid, and is just ugly. Sorry. I'm someone who can find something to like about just about anywhere, but not Beaumont. And I have spent time there due to family living there (temporarily) and family going to Lamar (who then moved out).

Best wishes with your job search and relocation.

[BobTex]

Originally Posted by ClaraC

I'm trying not to be negative, but honestly, if you don't have emotional ties to Beaumont and fond memories, I wouldn't consider moving there. Unless it's temporary because you have a fabulous job in oil and then can get out.

I'm sure there are friendly people there, and it sounds like there are neighborhoods that are being built that are an improvement over what's been there traditionally, but if you have complete freedom to choose an area in Texas to relocate to, Beaumont would be about my very last choice. It smells, is incredibly humid, and is just ugly. Sorry. I'm someone who can find something to like about just about anywhere, but not Beaumont. And I have spent time there due to family living there (temporarily) and family going to Lamar (who then moved out).

Best wishes with your job search and relocation.

Nice, Clara, anyone could say that about any place. BTW, this thread is over a decade old, I don't think your hit piece will have an effect on them. I do not live in Beaumont, have no family there, and never have, but live 50 miles away but work there. I can notice NO smells there...NONE and I come from the heavily forested Big Thicket with all its clean forest smells!

Texas Gulf Coast with prevailing SE winds ... humid, like every other Gulf Coast community. All of them, Florida to Brownsville!

Originally Posted by ClaraC

I'm someone who can find something to like about just about anywhere, but not Beaumont.

Well, you are either ignorant of Beaumont and its history or a very tiny thinker.

- Cradle of Texas' and thus the world's oil industry, in many ways Texas owes some of its greatness to Beaumont's legacy.

- Outstanding music/artist from the area ... George Jones, Tracy Bird, Mark Chestnut, Clay Walker, Harry James (not born here but started his professional career here while in HS in Beaumont), ZZ Top got there professional start here promoted by DJ Al Caldwell, J.P. Richardson ,a.k.a. The Big Bopper, from Sabine Pass had recording studios in downtown Beaumont, Johnny and Edgar Winter, Janis Joplin from nearby Pt. Arthur, and over a dozen others who had their starts here or locally or were influenced substantially locally. Don't like ANY of them????

- You mentioned Lamar University , this from the Wikipedia: "In August 2010, the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) released a study on core curriculum standards for 715 four-year institutions. The study compared colleges on their commitment to core subjects deemed essential to a well-rounded, competitive education. Lamar was one of only 16 institutions to receive an A rating.[20] The study was featured in the Washington Post with a tag line "Forget Harvard and think Lamar."

- The Port of Beaumont is one of the most important US mainland seaports and is vital in national strategic importance to the United States. Need a link?

So, you see there are SOME good things that can be said of Beaumont that could make one glad, thus should elicit some "like" of the town. I didn't mention, although alluded to, the economic boost the so called "stinky" petrochemical industry gives to the state and nation. I'm glad I'm not your spouse.

[ClaraC]

BobTex, I'm not here to pick a fight. If someone from out of state asks about whether a specific town would be a great place to live, this website would be worthless if people can't give an honest opinion.

It's unlikely that someone who knows little about Beaumont and is thinking of living there would like it - and that's why no one goes there on vacation.

But peace.