National Register of Historic Places listings in Jefferson County, Texas facts for kids
Have you ever wondered about the old buildings and special places around you? Some places are so important that they are put on a special list called the National Register of Historic Places. This list helps protect buildings, sites, and objects that are important to history. In Jefferson County, Texas, there are many such amazing places!
This article will tell you about some of these cool historic spots in Jefferson County. You can even see where they are on a map by clicking "Map of all coordinates" if you want to explore!
Contents
Exploring Beaumont's Historic Gems
Beaumont is a big city in Jefferson County with many historic buildings. These places tell us stories about how the city grew and changed over time.
Downtown Beaumont's Old Buildings
The Beaumont Commercial District is a whole area downtown. It's filled with many old buildings that were once busy shops and offices. Imagine what it was like when people first built these places! This district was added to the list on April 14, 1978.
Historic Homes in Beaumont
Beaumont has several beautiful old houses on the historic list.
- The Holmes Duke House at 694 Forrest Street is one of them. It became historic on October 4, 1984.
- The French Home Trading Post is another old house, located at 2995 French Road. It was listed way back on October 15, 1970.
- The Hinchee House at 1814 Park Street joined the list on November 21, 1978.
- Idle Hours is a unique name for a house at 1608 Orange Street. It was recognized on May 22, 1978.
- The McFaddin-Ward House at 1906 McFaddin Street is a very grand home. It became historic on January 25, 1971.
- The Sanders House at 479 Pine is another important home. It was added to the list on December 13, 1978.
Important Public Buildings in Beaumont
- The Beaumont Y.M.C.A. building at 934 Calder Street was built for the Young Men's Christian Association. It became historic on March 30, 1979.
- The Jefferson County Courthouse is where important legal decisions are made. This impressive building at 1149 Pearl Street was listed on June 17, 1982.
- The Jefferson Theatre at 345 Fannin Street is a beautiful old movie palace. It was added to the list on January 30, 1978. Imagine watching a movie there long ago!
- The Lamar State College of Technology Administration Building at 1026 Mirabeau Street is part of a college campus. It was recognized on November 27, 2015.
- The Mildred Buildings are a group of buildings in the 1400 block of Calder Avenue. They were listed on December 1, 1978.
- The Woman's Club of Beaumont Clubhouse at 575 Magnolia Avenue was a meeting place for women's groups. It became historic on August 16, 1994.
Spindletop: A Big Oil Discovery
The Lucas Gusher, Spindletop Oil Field is a very famous spot south of Beaumont. On January 10, 1901, a huge amount of oil burst out of the ground here. This event changed Texas history forever! It was listed as a National Historic Landmark on November 13, 1966.
Historic Places in Port Arthur
Port Arthur is another important city in Jefferson County with its own unique history.
Port Arthur's Special Buildings
- Eddingston Court at 3300 Proctor Street is a historic district in Port Arthur. It was added to the list on October 22, 2004.
- The First National Bank of Port Arthur at 501 Proctor Street was an important bank. Today, it houses the Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce. It became historic on November 24, 2015.
- The Gates Memorial Library at 317 Stilwell Boulevard is a beautiful old library building. It was listed on May 4, 1981.
- The Marconi Tower at Port Arthur College at 1500 Procter Street is a tall tower that was part of a college. It was recognized on August 5, 2008.
- The Pompeiian Villa at 1953 Lakeshore Drive is a unique house. It was listed on May 23, 1973.
- The Port Arthur Federated Women's Clubhouse at 1924 Lakeshore Drive was a gathering place for women's groups. It became historic on July 18, 1985.
- Rose Hill at 100 Woodworth Boulevard is another historic home in Port Arthur. It was added to the list on October 31, 1979.
- The US Post Office and Federal Building at 500 Austin Avenue is an important government building. It was listed on May 12, 1986.
The Rainbow Bridge
The Rainbow Bridge (also known as the Port Arthur-Orange Bridge) is a very cool bridge on TX 87. It connects Jefferson and Orange Counties. This bridge was listed on October 10, 1996.