Viterbo, Texas facts for kids
Viterbo is a small, unincorporated community located in the central part of Jefferson County, Texas, in the United States. An unincorporated community means it's a place where people live, but it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town.
Where is Viterbo Located?
Viterbo is situated along West Port Arthur Road and near the Southern Pacific Railroad tracks. It's about seven miles (11 kilometers) south of downtown Beaumont. Right across a highway from Viterbo, you'll find another unincorporated area called Beauxart Gardens.
How Viterbo Got Its Name
The community of Viterbo got its start as a railroad stop sometime after the year 1898. It was named after two brothers, J. and L. Viterbo. These brothers were Italian Americans who were rice farmers. They moved to Texas in 1895 from Lake Charles, Louisiana, because they were looking for land that was less expensive.
The Viterbo Brothers' Farm
The Viterbo brothers bought a large piece of land, about 1,600 acres (which is roughly 6.5 square kilometers), located north of a waterway called Hillebrandt Bayou. They set up their farm there, focusing on growing rice. Rice farming needs a lot of water, so by the 1970s, the Viterbo area had many special ditches, canals for irrigation, and pumping stations to help manage the water for their crops.
