Beaumont Heritage Society - Projects

JJ French Trading Post

Langham House

In 1898, the Langham family built their home at 1561 Park Street. Their daughter, Ellen, married William French (son of David French, son of John Jay French) and they lived there for a time. The house has been designated a Historical Cultural Landmark and is eligible to be on the National Register of Historic Places. The house was facing demolition, but was donated by the owner, Ms. Brenda Wilridge, to the Beaumont Heritage Society. The Heritage Society partnered with Beaumont Main Street's Save and Secure program to move it temporarily to the corner of Royal and Park. It has been purchased and will be permanently placed just one block away and restored.

Pig Stand

The Pig Stand on Calder was built in 1941 and is one of only two still standing in the country. Pig Stands, started in Dallas in 1921, were the first drive-in restaurants. They offered curb service to hungry motorists, creating the concept of fast food, including the first drive through window and neon signs. We enjoy deep-fried onion rings and the chicken fried steak sandwich thanks to Pig Stands, and Texas Toast was invented right here in Beaumont at the Calder Pig Stand.

According to the Texas Historical Commission, the Calder Pig Stand is eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places and is an outstanding example of Midcentury Modern roadside restaurant design. It is also an icon known outside of Beaumont. A mural painted on the side of a building on Route 66 in McLean, Texas prominently features an image of the Beaumont Pig Stand.

The Calder Pig Stand closed its doors in early 2005 but the building is in very good condition. The whole corner has been purchased and the Pig Stand was going to be torn down so that a convenience store could be built on the site. When Executive Director Darlene Chodzinski explained to the new owners the significance of the building, they agreed to save the Pig Stand, as long as someone was willing to lease it from them. They will still build the convenience store, but it will be on the MLK corner.

Visionaries in Preservation

VIP is the community planning program of the Texas Historical Commission. VIP asks residents how they want their community to look and feel and provides the necessary tools to help Beaumont retain its identity and sense of place as it changes and grows.

Beaumont VIP Goals

Short Term Goals:

  • Create the Beaumont 10 Most Endangered Historical Assets List
  • Compile a list of underutilized historic commercial buildings and encourage appropriate development of the structures
  • Initiate a marketing campaign to highlight the benefits of historic rehabilitations of commercial and residential properties
  • Initiate the creation of new historic, cultural and conservation districts and assess the boundaries of the current historic district
  • Create a procedure to notify preservation groups of potential demolitions at initiation of process
  • Initiate a campaign to encourage Beaumont citizens to take advantage of their historic, cultural and natural resources
  • Investigate opportunities to create multi-income housing, loft and apartment living in downtown Beaumont
  • Establish greater authority for local preservation groups

Mid Term Goals:

  • Establish and expand financial incentives for preservation and property maintenance
  • Review, revise and enforce city ordinances to support preservation and aesthetic goals
  • Update Beaumont's existing historic preservation ordinance to protect historic resources
  • Investigate funding options for historic rehabilitation, including grants, low interest loans and tax credits
  • Create illustrated design guidelines to encourage context sensitive new development and appropriate preservation work

Long Term Goals:

  • Survey and identify all historical assets in the community, including commercial, industrial, residential, and religious properties
  • Beautify the entrances, gateways and main corridors in Beaumont
  • Increase community and organizational involvement in preservation planning and historic preservation efforts
  • Implement economic strategies to revitalize downtown Beaumont and enhance the local business markets
  • Identify Beaumont's "Sense of Place" to establish a strong local identity