The History Of Port Arthur, Texas
- ThePersaudCatalog
- 5 hours ago
- 10 min read
In today's article, we will be discussing the History of Port Arthur, Texas. Port Arthur is a small town on the Northeast coast of Texas. Port Arthur is approximately 90 miles (144.841 kilometers) east of Houston, & 317.1 miles (510.32298 kilometers) south of Dallas. Port Arthur is extremely economically important to Texas, as Motiva Oil Refinery, the largest oil refinery in the U.S, is located in Port Arthur.
As the town is located directly on the coast, the town is only approximately 7 feet (2.1336 meters) in elevation. Due to this low elevation & proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, the town is extremely susceptible to hurricanes.
The town is primarily located in Jefferson County, however, it does have a small strip of land in the neighbouring Orange County. The town census-designated area is approximately 144.1 square miles (373.21729 square kilometers), 46.61% of which is covered in water. The town's coastlines have a very high amount of marine mammals, which have been written about in the town's newsletter. These marine mammals can be seen around the port or prancing off the coast in the ocean.
As of 2025, Port Arthur is 125 years old, however, the history of the town doesn’t start at its official establishment. The history of Port Arthur starts approximately 1,500 years ago with the Atakapaka Native American Aboriginals. Before Port Arthur was settled, the lake that the town is connected to was used as a base for trading by French, English, & Spanish Explorers. These explorers traded mainly with the natives. Some of these explorers attempted to stay, while the majority didn’t. The first attempt at settling the area was in the area of the community of Aurora. Some plots of land were sold, however, the community never took form.
With such a vast history, the town has a few different historical museums that document the history of the town. Unfortunately, we will not he interviewing any museum officials for this article.
In this article, we will discuss the history of Port Arthur, the documented aboriginals of Port Arthur, the Most Destructive Man-Caused & Natural Disasters To Affect Port Arthur, & the Economic state of Port Arthur. With that being said, let us delve into the history of this sleepy Texas town.
The Documented History Of Port Arthur
Before Colonization
Historical Events From The 1700s
Port Arthur has been inhabited by the Atakapa Native Americans for 1,500 Years. In the 1700’s, Spanish, English, & French sailors ventured to Sabine Lake, which is a lake connected to Port Arthur. This lake quickly became a a popular trading area.
Historical Events From The 1800s
The first group of people to be forced to build a town where Port Arthur now stands was an unfortunate group of British Sailors. A small group of British Sailors crash-landed along the coast, & promptly built a shed & a small garden to live in. The group managed to keep from starvation by planting seeds that they had brought from their ship. Unfortunately, this solution didn’t work forever, & the group soon faced starvation.
A group of Mexican Soldiers from Mexico City found them before they could become emaciated, however, the soldiers thought that these British sailors were attempting to establish a British Colony in Texas. Try as they might, they were unable to convince the Mexican Soldier that they were not trying to establish a colony. Unfortunately, these sailors were then taken back to Mexico City, thrown in prison, & left to die. The next person to use the land was a man by the name of Jean Lafitte.
Jean Lafitte would use the area as a hideaway, & passing commercial ships. The pirate wouldn’t use the town forever, though, & eventually stopped using it. In the 1840s, a small area in the modern-day Historic District of Port Arthur was almost settled. Some plots of land were sold; however, the community never fully took form. Ultimately, the project was abandoned.
There are very few records about anything going on until the American Civil War. During the Civil War, the Union Army noticed that the Sabine River was incredibly important, as much of the cotton exported between Texas & Louisiana went through the river. A few different battles were fought over the river, & ultimately, the river was won by the Confederacy. Approximately 350 war prisoners were the result of said battles, along with mass casualties.
In the 1890s, Railroad Extraordinaire Arthur Stilwell was readying himself to build a railroad in Galveston. However, according to him, few brownies came & spoke to him, & told him that he shouldn’t build in Galveston. Brownies are British Fairies that will come out at night when the owners of houses are asleep, & then do household tasks, such as cleaning. They are said to enjoy milk & cream, & are not harmless unless insulted. Additionally, they are said to pull harmless pranks on bad Household Servants. Generally, Brownies are regarded as good. These particular Brownies told Stilwell not to build in Galveston, as there would be large floods. Stilwell listened to the brownies, & instead established Port Arthur, & built a railroad terminal there. These alleged brownies would prove to be somewhat correct, as the 1901 Galveston Hurricane would flood the entire area.
In 1895, Stilwell began to settle the city with the financial support of various Dutch Investors. The founder of the Kansas City Southern Railroad began envisioning Port Arthur as a southern terminal for his new railroad, & a new center for tourism, & trade. Before Incorporation, the population was still growing quite fast, & the citizens realized that education was a necessity. They decided on March 28th of 1897, to build a small one-room school. They miraculously completed this in one day, through volunteer labor.
The town of Port Arthur was officially incorporated in 1898, when the town was officially incorporated. The rest of the historical events concerning Port Arthur will be under the subsection “After Official Incorporation”.
After Official Incorporation
Historical Events From The Rest Of The 1800s
Port Arthur was officially established in the year 1898. Around this time, Stilwell began digging the Port Arthur Channel, which is a channel leading from Sabine Lake to the Gulf of Mexico. This channel opened in 1899, & was used for shipping the town of Port Arthur. In the same year, Stilwell invited his close friend John. W. Gates, to view the town. Upon arrival, Gates decided he wanted to be a part of this upcoming town, & wanted to develop it. So, He applied & was denied the position on the board of railroads. Gates promptly had Stilwell's interests declared bankrupt, & became the President of the Kansas City Southern Railroad. Despite getting his position in a rather suspicious way, & he genuinely wanted to develop Port Arthur, & push it forward in the economy.
Historical Events From The 1900s
Beginning in the early 1900s, pioneers began moving to Port Arthur, & increasing the population rapidly. Homes were being built at a massive rate, streets were being made, & new businesses were added to the town. Additionally, around this time, Stilwell built a hotel, a swimming pool, & an export pier. Stilwell brought 300 Dutch settlers to begin a new life as farmers, whose culture still survives in the nearby town of Nederland.
Beginning in 1901, the Petrochemical industry boomed. Subsequently, the economy of the port quickly shifted to serve the needs of the petrochemical industry. In the same year, the Gulf Oil Corporation set up its first oil refinery in the port. Texaco followed soon after, & quickly set up their oil refinery in 1902. Though these oil refineries were experimental, they would go on to be some of the largest oil refineries on earth. These oil refiners would go on to massively boost the economy, & by 1957, Port Arthur was the center for petrochemicals.
In 1909, the first hospital in the area was built by Henry W. Gates. This hospital was known as Mary Gates Hospital. In the same year, Gates founded the Port Arthur Business College, which is modernly known as Lamar State College-Port Arthur. As education became an increasingly popular issue in the U.S, more schools began to be built in Port Arthur. The first of which was Webster Elementary School, built in 1909. The next one to be built was Port Arthur High School in 1911.
The last large school to be built was Franklin School, which began construction in 1917 but was not opened until 1919. This school had a massive auditorium, with a maximum capacity of 750. This made the school not only valuable to students, but also valuable to the community. Many theatre performances, as well as lectures, were held on this stage. The school would also use this auditorium for educational films, having at least 1 per week. In addition to the auditorium, the school had 2 separate gymnasiums, one for young men, & one for young women. Physical workshops, such as metal shops, were a part of the school’s curriculum.
Modern-day Schools in Port Arthur use a structure of school days known as the Gary System, which is designed so that students don’t get muscle cramps from sitting at their desks, as well as have plenty of time for recreation & study.
When World War 1 Struck, large amounts of rice, cotton, wheat, & lumber were sent to be exported from Port Arthur through the Sabine Canal. At this time, the canal was very small, & not built to handle so much commercial traffic. To handle this problem, the canal was to be made 150 feet (45.72 meters) wide, as well as 50 feet (15.24 meters) deep. Thankfully, Port Arthur was not affected by any major damages after this point, & modernly houses the largest Oil Refinery in the United States of America.
The Aboriginals Of Port Arthur
The Atakapa Indigenous Aboriginals
The Atakapaka are an indigenous group of people who have inhabited a strip of land that borders the Gulf Coast, located between Louisiana & Texas. The name “Atakapa” comes from the Choctaw word for “Eaters of Men”, as this tribe would allegedly practice Cannibalism. It is unclear whether or not this was for sustenance or religious purposes, though. They spoke the Atapakan Language, which is now extinct. This language was a language Isolate, & is not similar to any surrounding tribes' languages.
This group inhabited the saltwater Bayous of Western Louisiana & East Texas until the late 1800s. It is not known how long they have inhabited the land, but archeological studies suggest that they have lived on the land since the beginning of the A.D period.
Individual villages of Atakapans were composed of small bands that would move around in a set area to hunt & gather more effectively as the seasons passed. The alligator was an important creature to them, as this creature would give them oil, a large amount of meat, & hides. The oil of an alligator can be used as a natural insect repellent, which is useful in the heat of Texas & Louisiana during the summer.
These individual villages would trade with other Natives, as well as English, Spanish, & possibly French Explorers. These people were said to be short, & dark skinned. Their Clothing was largely made of Buffalo Hides, & largely consisted of breechcloths. For children, they would use damp bark for baby carriers, & Spanish Moss for diapers.
A custom that was kept amongst Atakapan men was that fathers would rename themselves at the birth of their firstborn son, or rename themselves if their son became notable. Additionally, they believed that if a man died from snake venom, he would be denied an afterlife. Extremely little is known of the Atakapan religion, though their creation myth has been preserved. The Atakapans believed that man was cast out from an oyster shell onto land.
Unfortunately, the Atakapans were virtually extinct in 2025. The population of the Atakapans dropped massively, mainly due to disease. By 1805, there were only 175 known Atakapans left, most living in Louisiana. Unfortunately, by the beginning of the 1900s, there were only 8 Atakapans left. Both the Language, & the People are extinct as of 2025.
The Most Destructive Natural & Man-Caused Disasters To Affect Port Arthur
Disaster No. 1: Hurricane Harvey
On August 25th of 2017, a Category 4 Hurricane named Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Southern Texas. This hurricane lasted from August 17th to September 3rd of 2017. The hurricane caused approximately 20 inches worth of rain in Port Arthur, & turned the streets into streams. Many people were stuck in their homes, & needed assistance, including a 99-year-old man.
A large portion of these people had to climb onto their roofs to get away from the floodwater. Over 100 people were taken into shelters after the rain had ceased, & thankfully, no one lost their lives. This event was undoubtedly one of the most destructive disasters to affect the town in recent years.
The Economic State Of Port Arthur
The economy of Port Arthur is relatively stable, & is rising. The main industry of Port Arthur is Petrochemicals, the largest exporter of which is Motiva Oil Refinery. This refinery is so large that 94 percent of all cargo going through Port Arthur is petroleum-related. Additionally, Motiva Oil Refinery is the largest in the United States of America. Though it is the largest oil refinery, it is not the largest employer in the town. As of 2021, the average household income is 42,933 U.S.D.
Unfortunately, the area has a rather high poverty rate, with 25.8 percent of the population below the poverty line. This number is slowly declining, as more employers, & better opportunities come to Port Arthur.
Directories / Credits
Citation No. 1: “Jefferson County, Texas History Of Port Arthur”, Written by Leland L. Lacy, & Published at an Unclear Date. Published by Genealogy Trails. Retrieval Date: December 5th, 2023.
Citation No. 2: “A Brief History Of Port Arthur”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the Port Arthur Bureau of Visitors. Retrieval Date: December 5th, 2023.
Citation No. 3: “Atakapa Indians”, Written By Dorothy Couser, & Published on July 1st of 1995. Published By the Texas State Historical Association. Retrieval Date: December 5th, 2023.
Citation No. 4: “Port Arthur Faces Harvey Flooding Disaster, 'Our Whole City Is Underwater', Written by Jonah Engel Bromwich, & Published on August 30th of 2017. Published by the New York Times. Retrieval Date: December 5th, 2023.
Citation No. 5: “Port Arthur, TX”, Written by Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Data USA. Retrieval Date: December 5th, 2023.
Citation No. 6: “Port of Port Arthur”, Written by Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the Comptrollers of Texas. Retrieval Date: December 5th, 2023.
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