Region: Gulf Coast
On the northwest shore of Sabine Lake nine miles from Gulf of Mexico, this
was the site of a settlement known as Aurora in 1840. The city was named after
Arthur E. Stilwell, Kansas City financier, who was instrumental in building a
railroad to the edge of the town site. It is the home of Lamar State College
(formerly Port Arthur College).
Port Arthur comes alive during Mardi Gras. This pre-Lenten family-oriented
celebration is growing in the Cajun city.
The city is a year-round fisherman's destination. Average temperature varies
from 55 degrees in winter to 82 in summer. Port Arthur Convention and Visitors
Bureau has an area Waterways Guide, which shows excellent locations to catch
more than 25 varieties of freshwater and saltwater fish, along with charts,
marina, fuel and services information.
From the port, view the harbor and the largest gantry crane on the Gulf Coast
from the observation deck, and see the Rainbow and Veterans' memorial bridges.
The Rainbow Bridge's 176-foot clearance height resulted from a requirement that
any U.S. Navy ship at that time (1938) could pass under. Veterans' Bridge,
completed in 1991, with 143-foot navigation clearance, is the first cable-stayed
bridge on Texas highways.