Port Arthur-Beaumont Interurban Railway

Port Arthur-Beaumont Interurban Railway Electric railways known as Interurbans existed in Texas from 1901 until the 1940s to provide frequent opportunities for the public to travel between urban centers. Interurban service between Beaumont and Port Arthur began on December 16, 1913, lasting until competition from automobiles and buses caused passenger use of the rail line to decline. The Jefferson County Traction Company and the Beaumont Traction Company, subsidiaries of the East Texas Electric Company, owned and operated the Port Arthur-Beaumont Interurban Railway. Tickets were 90 cents for a round trip. Passengers departed from Port Arthur at a terminal station and maintenance facility at this site and could board or get off the interurban at any of 10 stops along the route. The electric rail cars seated 48 people, but often there were many more on board. The cars could also be chartered for group trips and were popular for weekend excursions. The interurban service was used to evacuate Port Arthur citizens fleeing the 1915 hurricane until the high water caused a power failure. Some passengers were stranded in the cars for 12 hours. The last recorded trip of the Port Arthur-Beaumont Interurban was August 15, 1932. By that time, private automobiles had become the more popular mode of transportation, while increased consumption and new demands for electricity more than made up for the electric company's loss of the interurban's need for electric power. (2002)

Port Arthur-Beaumont Interurban Railway is a historical marker in Port Arthur, Jefferson County, dedicated in 2001. It is one of 109 historical markers documented in Jefferson County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 137 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 29.8712, -93.9343 near Port Arthur. The nearest cataloged historic site is South County Office Building (historical marker), about 0.1 miles away. Others within a short drive include US Post Office and Federal Building, Francis John (Frank) Trost (June 24, 1868 - August 4, 1944), and The Kansas City Southern Railway in Port Arthur.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5245012783. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.