Monthly Archives: July 2013

Tyrrell Park Community Building

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tcb

There has been much talk about the Tyrrell Park Community Building and the dire need to save this structure from demolition. In fact, this talk goes all the way back to 2005, after Hurricane Rita. The building is in a state of major decay. The roof has collapsed in three different places, and the plywood that was intended as a temporary fix in 2005 and 2008 (after Hurricanes Rita and Ike, respectively) has added considerable weight to what is left of the existing roof, adding to its demise.

Built in 1935 by the Civilian Conservation Corps, the Tyrrell Park Community Building was converted into a prisoner-of-war camp during World War II. The camp housed around 200 soldiers who worked in the rice fields until the end of the war. Later the building was used as a popular site for gatherings, such as weddings, parties, and other community get-togethers. It has been vacant since 2004.tcb5

In 2008, $90,000 was spent drawing up plans for the full restoration of the building as well as the surrounding grounds. The budgeted cost at the time was $2.5 million, but the Beaumont City Council did not move forward with the restoration. (It must be noted that a simple roof, even after Hurricane Ike, would not have cost near $2.5 million.) Five years later, there has still not been a shred of restoration activity, let alone an attempt to fix the roof.

As of the time of this posting, the 2014 budget for the Capital Program has been submitted, and it is clear that there will be no progress in this matter. To the Council’s credit, they have maintained the Jefferson and Julie Rogers Theaters, renovated the old Whitehouse and J.C. Penny’s department stores, and built a community center at Alice Keith Park. Furthermore, there is extensive provision in the new budget for street improvements, which I can understand. Roads and the upkeep of city services are an obvious priority.

tcb4What I don’t understand is how over $10 million can be spent on a brand new event center, which, in my opinion, is nice but will not make any money. Indeed, Beaumont politics is renowned for building unprofitable centers. (How’s Ford Park doing?)

Some of you may have seen a story in the news about drilling in Tyrrell Park. The gas well was to bring in millions in revenue to the Park, but as of this posting, just under $500k has found its way there. Again, a mere roof for the building will not cost millions.tcb3

Ultimately the resolution of this issue rests in the hands of the residents and voters of Beaumont. I am not a Beaumont resident, nor do I have a say in any of Beaumont’s internal affairs. However, as a U.S. citizen, I have vested interest in the restoration of our public buildings and the preservation of our heritage. I hope that Beaumont residents will contact their council members regarding this issue and also bear this in mind at election time.

Godspeed, Beaumont. May your roofs be sturdy and sound.

 

Interurban Railway

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Interurban Railcar

While browsing through old files of newspaper articles and photos at the Jefferson County Historical Commission I noticed the repeated mention of a train that travelled between Beaumont and Port Arthur. This is not unexpected since Port Arthur’s existence is owed to Arthur Stilwell’s dream of building a railroad between Kansas City and the Gulf coast. In fact, railroads were in place in this area even before the Civil War, but this particular railroad was different. And that is where our journey begins.

In the early 1900s, both Port Arthur and Beaumont were thriving. Oil had surpassed cattle and lumber as the major export of SETX, and many people had come here at the turn of the century to earn a better living. A burgeoning industry as well as a growing population had given rise to the need for transportation between the two cities, and in 1913, Jefferson County residents received a gem. DSC05506

Electric Interurban Railways had slowly been creeping into existence around the turn of the century, and in November of 1911, SETX would also benefit from this thanks to a Boston engineering company called the Stone and Webster Corporation (SWC). The SWC purchased the Beaumont Ice, Light, and Refrigeration Company, which later became the Beaumont Electric Light and Power Company, along with the Port Arthur Water Company, which became Port Arthur Power and Light Company, a year later. Both companies would be under the control of the Eastern Texas Electric Company (of Maine), a holding Company formed by the SWC.

In July of 1913, the SWC purchased the Beaumont Traction Company, thus acquiring 12 miles of track, the overhead electric lines, 20 passenger cars, and a car barn. This, along with the formation of the Jefferson County Traction Company, laid the groundwork for a rail system between Beaumont and Port Arthur. Acquiring the right of way through the county was a simple task since most of the landowners and farmers welcomed the idea of easy transportation to and from the cities. Most gave the required land away or sold it for a mere dollar.

The Interurban made its debut on December 15, 1913, much to the delight of the many local residents who would make use of its services rather than travel by horseback or wagon. The train would make 19 trips per day with an early start of 5:45 am and a midnight finish. Tickets cost 90 cents for a roundtrip or 50 cents one way and were prorated for the 10 stops between the two cities. Stops along the way included South Park, Spindletop, Nederland, Rice Farm, and Griffing/ Pear Ridge.

DSC05656Certainly the railway was a great asset to Jefferson County during its run, and in 1915, it aided the fleeing residents of Port Arthur during a hurricane until a power outage stranded the train. Some passengers rode out the storm, spending a total of 12 hours in the rail cars.

The Interurban and the elements collided at other times, too. In the Beaumont Enterprise dated December 21st, 1924, it was reported that an ice storm hit the area damaging some of the electric lines and leaving the street car service at a standstill until workers could repair the lines.

Finally in August of 1932, the Interurban railway made its final departure, ending 19 years of service. Although it had survived hurricanes, ice storms, and other element-related hardships, it could not survive progress. By the 1930s, private ownership of cars, and a bus system ultimately shutdown the need for a passenger railway between Beaumont and Port Arthur.

Sources: J.W. McManus, Handbook of Texas Online, Beaumont Enterprise (1924), and the Jefferson County Historical Commission.