Texas’s coastline is graced by the charming city of Beaumont, a picturesque urban center nestled in the Lone Star State.

Beaumont was officially established as a municipality on December 16, 1838, with Alexander Calder serving as its inaugural mayor. Since its inception in 1835, the town has been engaged in various business enterprises such as real estate, transportation, and retail.

Beaumont is situated on the coastal plain of Texas, approximately 30 miles away from the Gulf of Mexico inland. It is located 85 miles to the east of Houston and is positioned just south of the thick East Texas. To the east, the city is bordered by the Neches River, and to the north, it is bordered by Pine Island Bayou.

Beaumont boasts 8 structures that stand taller than 100 feet (30 m), with the tallest among them being the Edison Plaza at 254 feet (77 m). The historic Edson Hotel, established in 1928, closely matches this height at 240 feet (73 m). A notable downtown landmark is the San Jacinto Building, a 15-story structure erected in 1921, featuring a grand clock tower with each dial measuring 17 feet (5.2 m) in diameter. In 1922, the 11-story Hotel Beaumont was constructed opposite the San Jacinto, resembling the architectural style of the former Winecoff Hotel in Atlanta.

The Beaumont–Port Arthur region has been previously recognized as one of the most polluted urban areas in the country due to the presence of numerous energy industries and chemical plants in the surrounding area.

Beaumont has a humid subtropical climate and is located in the Piney Woods region of eastern Texas. It is known for receiving the highest amount of rainfall in the state, with over 60 inches (1,500 mm) each year. The city experiences two main seasons: a wet season from April to October and a dry season from November to March. Beaumont is also at risk of hurricanes, which can impact the city and surrounding metropolitan area.

According to the 2020 census in the United States, the population decreased slightly to 115,282 residents.

In Beaumont, Christianity is the dominant religion, followed by Islam and Judaism. Muslims make up the second largest religious group in the city and its surrounding area, while Jews form the third largest religious community.

The Port of Beaumont is a crucial component of the local economy, being among the United States’ largest seaports in terms of tonnage. Situated in Beaumont, this port is home to the 842nd Transportation Battalion and the 596th Transportation Group.

Southeast Texas is home to a diverse array of museums and historic buildings that offer tours in the Beaumont area. Some of the notable institutions include the Art Museum of Southeast Texas (AMSET), the Beaumont Children’s Museum, the Babe Didrikson Zaharias Museum, the Beaumont Art League, the Clifton Steamboat Museum, the Dishman Art Museum, the Edison Museum, and the Fire Museum of Texas.

The Beaumont Botanical Gardens can be found at the entrance of the expansive Tyrrell Park spanning 500 acres. Within its 23.5 acres, the gardens boast more than ten themed sections, the Warren Loose Conservatory covering 10,000 square feet, and a vast assortment of bromeliads. Moreover, Tyrrell Park and Cattail Marsh showcase botanical gardens and a conservatory, along with the Henry Homberg Municipal Golf Course, a 900-acre cattail marsh nature reserve, and a 2.8-mile nature trail. Visitors will also find amenities such as restrooms, shelters, the Babe Zaharias Drive Monument, a baseball backstop, illuminated basketball hoops, seating benches, water fountains, and picnic tables.

Throughout its history, Beaumont has been home to various professional and amateur sports teams. The Southeast Texas Mavericks of the American Basketball Association were based in the city before relocating to Shreveport, Louisiana in 2013. The Texas Strikers, a professional arena soccer team in the PASL, began competing at Ford Arena in 2012. Additionally, the Beaumont Exporters, a minor league baseball team, played at Magnolia Ballpark and Stuart Stadium during different periods from 1920 to 1949 and 1953 to 1955.

Every year, Beaumont holds elections for its council-manager form of government. The mayor and council members serve two-year terms. The council holds all the power in the city, passing local laws, approving budgets, and setting policies. Additionally, the council appoints important officials like the city attorney, city clerk, magistrates, and city manager. The council is made up of two at-large members and four members elected from single-member districts, also known as the four Wards of the city.

Lamar University, a member of the Texas State University System, is the sole public university in Beaumont. Established in 1923 as South Park Junior College, it has since grown to become a nationally recognized institution. The Carnegie Foundation has classified it as a “Doctoral Research University – Moderate Research Activity.” The university offers a diverse range of over 100 degree programs, with a focus on fields such as business, nursing, teaching, and engineering.

In Beaumont, the Beaumont Independent School District provides educational services, alongside various private schools within the city and its surrounding metropolitan region.

These are some of the high schools in the area:
– Early College High School
– West Brook Senior High School
– Beaumont United High School
– Monsignor Kelly Catholic High School
– Texas Academy of Leadership in the Humanities

Beaumont relies solely on The Beaumont Enterprise for its daily dose of news and updates.

The Jack Brooks Regional Airport (BPT) is situated 9 miles (14 km) to the south of the central business district of Beaumont. It offers regional jet flights directly to Dallas/Fort Worth Airport (DFW) in Texas, with American Eagle operating this scheduled passenger service on behalf of American Airlines. For general aviation travel, the Beaumont Municipal Airport (BMT) is conveniently located near the western city limit.

Beaumont’s Port is situated on the Neches River in Beaumont.

The Beaumont train station is a stop on Amtrak’s Sunset Limited train route.

The city manages the Beaumont Municipal Transit System (BMT), a comprehensive network of buses that serve the entire city.

Primary interstates
Interstate 10
United States Route 69
United States Route 90
United States Route 96
United States Route 287

Prominent individuals hailing from Beaumont include Jay Bruce, a three-time All-Star in Major League Baseball; Jerry Ball, a three-time Pro Bowl selection and former football player for SMU and in the NFL; Mel Farr, an NFL Rookie of the Year and first-round draft pick of the Detroit Lions who played for UCLA; Miller Farr, a three-time AFL All-Star and first-round draft pick in the NFL; Gus Zernial, the 1951 American League home run leader in Major League Baseball; Helen Vinson, an actress known for her roles in over 40 films from 1932 to 1945; Edgar Winter, a rock music artist who is the brother of Johnny Winter; Johnny Winter, a renowned blues and rock music artist and brother of Edgar Winter; Allan Ritter, a former member of the Texas House of Representatives representing Jefferson and Orange counties; Frank Robinson, a Hall of Fame player and manager in Major League Baseball who passed away in 2019; Kevin Russell, a musician who was born and raised in Beaumont; and Bob Mann, a political historian, columnist, and former head of the Department of Journalism at LSU.