Since this video is really about US Highway 90, we continue along the US-90/I-10 concurrency at warp speed until we get to the city of Beaumont, where US-90 travels through town. Here, we slow down and see the town.
At exit 855A, we leave I-10 and head into downtown Beaumont. Beaumont was founded as a town in 1835. The early European-American settlement had an economy based on the development of lumber, farming, and port industries. A big change occurred in 1901 with the Spindletop gusher, which demonstrated the potential of the huge oil field. With Spindletop, several energy companies developed in Beaumont, and some continue. The area rapidly developed as one of the major petro-chemical refining areas in the country. Along with Port Arthur and Orange, Beaumont forms the Golden Triangle, a major industrial area on the Texas Gulf Coast. Beaumont is home of Lamar University, a national Carnegie Doctoral Research university with 14,966 students, including undergraduates and post graduates. Over the years, several corporations have been based in this city, including Gulf States Utilities which had its headquarters in Beaumont until its takeover by Entergy Corporation in 1993. GSU's Edison Plaza headquarters is still the tallest building in Beaumont.
Prior to the birth of the Interstate Highway system in 1956, the US Highways were the main method of cross-country automobile travel, and in Beaumont, some reminders still remain here on the Old Spanish Trail. Vintage motels and gas stations still remain on what was once the most heavily traveled east-west corridor in the southern United States. Of special note is a former Alamo Plaza Hotel Courts on the right, originally opened in 1938, now operating as the Deluxe Inn. This was one of their 29 locations, and it still retains the unique Alamoesque facade. As I've mentioned in other videos, as a child, I spent many summer weekends at the Alamo Plaza in Gulfport, Mississippi, and it's interesting to see that some of these are still standing. We'll see another one later on in this series.
More about the Alamo Plaza and other vintage hotels: http://www.highwayhost.org
Some points of interest in Beaumont: Since 1907, Beaumont has been home of the South Texas State Fair and Rodeo, held at Ford Park during March. It is the second-largest fair in the state, attracting more than 500,000 visitors in 2009. The fair features a livestock show, a commercial exhibition, a carnival midway and numerous food choices. The Fair moved from the Fair Park Coliseum to Ford Park in 2004, a new, larger facility on the west end of Beaumont. The fair was previously held in the fall but was moved to spring after hurricanes Rita in 2005 and Ike in 2008 caused its cancellation twice within three years. The YMBL Championship Rodeo is held at Ford Park during the South Texas State Fair. The rodeo is an annual event and is sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. Admission to the rodeo is included in fair admission.
The Gusher Marathon, organized in 2010 by the local nonprofit Sports Society for American Health, is the city's first annual marathon. The Gusher takes place in March and includes a 5K, half marathon and full marathon. The course begins at the Montagne Center of Lamar University and tours Downtown and Lamar before returning to the Montagne.
The Beaumont Jazz & Blues Fest is a Jazz festival held in downtown Beaumont since 2005.
The Boomtown Film and Music Festival is a film and music festival that began in 2008 to replace the Spindletop Film Festival.
Dog Jam is a rock concert held annually at Ford Park.
Each year, a July 4th celebration is held in downtown Beaumont. The celebration includes live music in and around Riverfront Park, a concert by the Symphony of Southeast Texas in the Julie Rogers Theatre, followed by a fireworks display viewed from Riverfront Park.
Each Monday starting in March, the City of Beaumont provides live music and seating at the Event Centre in downtown Beaumont. Ten vendors feature a wide choice of food selections.
On the first Saturday of December, downtown hosts the Beaumont Downtown Winter Parade. The parade features floats that travel down Main, College and Pearl streets. In recent years the parade has also featured a lighted boat parade that travels down the Neches River; spectators can watch from Riverfront Park.
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