City of Nederland
Settled by Dutch immigrants in 1897; named for their native Netherlands, which in the 1890s suffered overcrowding, worn-out soil, and scant hope for prosperity. Thus when the Port Arthur Land...
- texas
- city
- immigrants
First Baptist Church of Nederland
This congregation grew out of a revival held by a Baptist minister in the local Dutch Reformed Church. Seven charter members met in March 1907 to organize the First Baptist Church in...
- texas
- church
- religion
Arthur Edward Stilwell
Son of Charles H. and Mary Stilwell, was born on October 21, 1859, in Rochester, New York. Young Arthur was greatly influenced by his grandfather, railroad builder Hamlin Stilwell, and according...
- texas
- railroad
Israel Chapel A.M.E. Church
Frederick Shepherd, who helped the Rev. Napoleon Harris establish an African Methodist Episcopal (A. M. E.) mission in nearby Sabine in 1902, founded this church at his Port Arthur home in 1903...
- texas
- church
- religion
- african american
To the unknown vanished stars
aux etoiles inconnues disparues dont les explosion repandirent dans le milieu interstellaire tous les noyaux atomiques dont nous sommes constitues To the unknown vanished stars whose explosions...
Tex Ritter (January 12, 1905 - January 2, 1974)
Western singing star Woodward Maurice ("Tex") Ritter was born in Panola County, Texas. After attending college, he began singing cowboy ballads on a Houston radio station in 1928. He advanced...
- texas
- country music
- cowboy
- entertainment
- movies
Interurban Rail Service
On Dec. 15, 1913 The Eastern Texas Electric Co., now GSU, commenced the rail service between Beaumont and Port Arthur. The deluxe electric trolley cars ran once an hour. The Nederland Station, 50...
- texas
- rail
- jefferson county
Grigsby's Bluff (1834-1902)
Joseph Grigsby (1771-1841) and family migrated from Kentucky to the Sabine area in 1827. He is said to have been the first grower of cotton in East Texas. In 1834 he received a grant of 17 labors...
- texas
- port neches
- jefferson county
- settlers
First United Methodist Church of Port Neches
Before 1881 Methodists in Port Neches, then known as Grigsby's Bluff, were served by occasional circuit Riders who preached in private homes. On Sept. 6, 1881, the Rev. W. H. Crawford conducted...
- texas
- church
- religion
W. M. "Tex" Ritter 1905-1974
Western singing star Woodward Maurice "Tex" Ritter was born in Panola County Texas. He grew up in Nederland and after attending college, began singing cowboy ballads on a Houston radio station in...
- texas
- country music
- cowboy
- entertainment
- movies
- park
Lakeshore/Lions Park
The Port Arthur Townsite Company, planning the layout of Port Arthur in 1898, set aside Lakeshore Park along the Sabine Lake shoreline. In 1920 a portion of the park was named Lions Park in...
- texas
- park
- jefferson county
Site of First Mercantile Building
As agent for the Port Arthur Land Company, Dutch immigrant G. W. Kilsdonk, Jr., worked to encourage people from his native Holland to settle in this area in the late 1890s. He built a number...
- texas
- early business
- commerce
Hood Home Plantation
Contemplative family occupied home plantation says the antebellum period. Originally built in a dogtrot style, the house had front and back porches that were social gathering places, like most...
- louisiana
- cotton
- farming
- agriculture
- museum
Farming by Hand
The earliest farming implements used in Louisiana were simple tools. Before tractors and other mechanized farm equipment changed the way people picked cotton, workers spent long hours in the...
- louisiana
- cotton
- farming
- agriculture
- museum
Farming with Plows
The four most common plows in the history of Southern agriculture are the walking plow, the sulky plow, the gang plow, and the tractor plow. The walking plow, usually pulled by mules, was guided...
- louisiana
- cotton
- farming
- agriculture
- museum