Port Arthur

Once the site of a Civil War battle, Sabine Pass is now a small, waterfront town with a portfolio of recreational opportunities. “The majority of people move here for fishing, hunting and for work at the refineries,” Buck Henderson, a resident of the community for 35 years says. “The scenic beauty of the place is what keeps people around. It is very serene.”     Sabine Pass sits on the boarder of Texas and Louisiana and includes access to both the Sabine Pass and the Gulf of Mexico. Known for its refineries, many of the residents of Sabine Pass work in the industry.    Outside of work, locals love visiting Sea Rim State Park to fish or to go kayaking in the marsh. Life in Sabine Pass is a rural lifestyle with all the benefits of living in isolation with an abundance of shopping and dining options right up the road in Port Arthur.     The majority of homes in Sabine Pass sit atop stilts due to their proximity to the Gulf of Mexico and the threat of harsh storms and hurricanes. Most of the shoreline in Sabine Pass is industrial but at Sea Rim State Park, residents can go take advantage of the beaches that look out onto the Gulf of Mexico.     Beachy cottages and cabins are common here, as well as some two-story craftsman-style homes. Price points here range from the low $200,000s to upwards of $400,000 depending on the age, size and condition of the property—with newly renovated homes featuring the higher price tags. Due to the industrialization of the shoreline where most houses are located, there is not much of a price difference based on how close you are to the shoreline.       Sabine Pass is home to Sea Rim State Park, an outdoor enthusiast’s dream featuring 5.2 miles of Gulf shoreline and 4,000 acres of marshlands. Residents can enjoy tranquil activities here like bird-watching or fishing or opt to head out on the water in a kayak. Park-goers can also stroll down the Gambusia Nature Trail Boardwalk, which takes you through the marshlands.     For hunting, Sabine National Wildlife Refuge consists of 125,000 acres of coastal marsh and hosts a popular general-access waterfowl hunt that residents frequent.     For history buffs, the nearby Sabine Pass Battleground State Historic Site, is a place where visitors can explore the grounds and brush up on their Civil War knowledge too.     For dining and shopping options, residents of Sabine Pass can head into downtown Port Arthur, just 13 miles away. There, locals enjoy dining on fresh seafood options at casual spots like Tia Juanitas Fish Camp known for its seafood nachos and enchiladas, or Tracy’s Seafood Deli, for some delicious Cajun shrimp.    For the everyday essentials, residents can make the 15-mile trip up TX 87 North to Market Basket to pick up some fresh produce; or opt to head to the Port Arthur H-E-B, which is 21 miles away.      Local kids pack their bags and head off to the highly regarded Sabine Pass School, a kindergarten through Grade 12 school that received an A-minus rating from educational review site, Niche. GreatSchools also gives Sabine Pass high marks, with a ten-out-of-ten on its ‘College Readiness’ grade. The institution is also known for its 11-to-1 student-teacher ratio and 90% graduation rate. “Everyone from the neighboring areas tries to go to Sabine Pass,” Henderson says. “They submit applications to go there from out of town because Sabine Pass School is highly regarded when it comes to the state—They keep knocking it out of the park.”     Getting around Sabine Pass requires a car. The neighborhood does not have sidewalks, and businesses are spread out. When leaving Sabine Pass, residents take TX-87 North, the only way in or out of the neighborhood, to reach Port Arthur. In Port Arthur, Sabine Pass residents use Jack Brooks Regional Airport for additional travel, and The Medical Center of Southeast Texas for medical attention.

Located on the outskirts of downtown Port Arthur, West Port Arthur’s history is rooted in the Texas oil boom. Thousands of out-of-towners, specifically Louisianians from across the Sabine River, flocked to Southeast Texas over 100 years ago in search of work. Port Arthur remains an oil town today, with Motiva, the largest oil refinery in the country, just east of West Port Arthur. “Motiva continues to draw people into the neighborhood,” says Lisa Marino, a Realtor with Marino Real Estate and a native of nearby Nederland. While Motiva and other refineries in the area provide ample job opportunities, the Environmental Protection Agency reports elevated levels of pollutants in West Port Arthur that are known to cause cancer and other health problems. “For the most part, there’s no smell. At times in Port Arthur, if the wind blows a certain way, it smells from the paper mill and the dump. If you live here, you’re used to it,” says Ashley Higginbotham, a Realtor with The Real, who lives in the area. “From what I understand, the air quality is better here than in LA, and I’m from LA.” In West Port Arthur, 1960s cottages in need of a fresh coat of paint and sometimes more intensive structural repairs range from $40,000 to $70,000. These properties are often under 1,000 square feet and rest on compact lots. “It’s cheaper over there. It’s a good place for first-time homebuyers or investors,” Higginbotham says. “There are a lot of rentals in that area.” Homebuyers can also find newer subdivisions full of traditional-style homes with two-car garages. Depending on square footage, these properties sell between $150,000 and $300,000. West Port Arthur has a CAP Index Crime Score of 2 out of 10, lower than the national average of 4. Just north on West Port Arthur Road, there’s Big Doobie’s Boudin & Cracklins’ for authentic Cajun fare and La Salsitas Express serves up burritos and horchata. Market Basket is a small grocery store along the strip. Big-box retailers like Best Buy, Lowe’s and Walmart Supercenter are 10 miles away at Park Central Crossing shopping center. Four miles away in downtown Port Arthur, the Museum of the Gulf Coast showcases 35,000 artifacts ranging from prehistoric fossils to some of Janis Joplin’s original artwork. The 1960s rockstar grew up in Port Arthur. The Port Arthur Yacht Club, 6 miles away on Pleasure Pier Boulevard, offers adult sailing lessons and members can rent boats for the day. The club also holds regular racing events. Students in West Port Arthur attend multiple public schools including Port Acres Elementary, Abraham Lincoln Middle and Memorial High School. Part of the Port Arthur Independent School District, the elementary and middle schools score C-minus Niche grades, while the high school has a C rating. Texas takes football seriously, and The Port Arthur Memorial Marching Heat, Memorial High School’s marching band, choreographs elaborate field shows for Friday night games. The Heat consistently takes first place in the Northwest Battle of the Bands, a regional competition for students across Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. At Lakeside Park, on Queens Drive, locals play basketball, and kids put the small playground to good use. Five miles away on Pleasure Island, an 18-mile-long manmade strip of land, there’s Berry’s Treasure Disc Golf Course, a pirate-ship-themed playground at Lakefront Park, and fishing from the pier at Sabine Lake. Texas State Highway 73 lines West Port Arthur's northern border, and a 90-mile trip west leads to Houston. Jack Brook’s Regional Airport is 12 miles north. American Airlines flights take off daily to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, and from there, locals can connect with flights to over 250 destinations around the world. West Port Arthur residents can access healthcare at the Medical Center of Southeast Texas, a 204-bed hospital, 10 miles away on Jimmy Johnson Boulevard. Given their proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, Southeast Texans keep a watchful eye on the forecast during hurricane season. The region was hit particularly hard during Hurricane Harvey in 2017. “Everybody comes together to help one another,” says Holly Hinds, a Realtor with JLA Realty who has over 35 years of experience. “It’s really something special.” West Port Arthur is at severe risk of flooding, according to First Street, an organization that provides climate risk data. The area sees more than 60 inches of rainfall annually.

Located 6 miles from the largest oil refinery in America, Port Acres has remained largely rural since the oil boom's beginnings over 100 years ago. While there are a few newer subdivisions in this area of Port Arthur, most properties feature stand-alone vintage homes with lots roomy enough to grow vegetable gardens and raise chickens. “The best part about Port Acres is that you have more of a country feeling, but it’s close to the town center where all the restaurants and shopping are,” says Ashley Higginbotham, a Realtor with The Real who lives in the area. Once an unincorporated community, Port Acres is primarily residential with a few mom-and-pop establishments along West Port Arthur Road. However, big box chains like Walmart Supercenter are just 4 miles away in greater Port Arthur. “It’s a blue-collar area. There are a bunch of refineries around there where everybody works,” Higginbotham says. “You can see smoke from the refineries everywhere. That’s just part of life here. People don’t even pay attention to it.” Along West Port Arthur Road, there’s a bright red sign outside of Big Doobie’s Boudin & Cracklins advertising “A big Cajun taste from a little Cajun place.” It’s one of the best places in the city to pick up authentic Cajun food like hog head cheese and boudin balls, and it’s not uncommon to hear conversations in Louisiana French while waiting in line for food. Along the same strip, La Salsitas Express serves tacos and homemade horchata and a grocery run can be easily handled at the Market Basket. Four miles away, at Park Central Crossing shopping center, there are familiar chains like Walmart Supercenter, Lowe’s and Texas Roadhouse. Texas State Highway 73 traces Port Acres’ southern border and following it 85 miles west leads to entertainment opportunities in Houston. Jack Brook’s Regional Airport is 6 miles north. American Airlines flights take off daily to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, and from there, locals can take connecting flights to over 250 destinations worldwide. The Medical Center of Southeast Texas, a 224-bed hospital, is 4 miles away on Jimmy Johnson Boulevard. At Eagles Park, on West 59th Street, kids play hopscotch and run around the playground after school. There are also paved walking and jogging trails. Just south, the 25,000-acre J.D. Murphree State Wildlife Management Area is a go-to spot to fish and hunt for alligators. In Port Acres, buyers will primarily find ranch styles and bungalows built from the 1960s through the ‘80s. There are also some recently constructed homes in traditional styles with two-car garages. “It’s a great place for first-time homebuyers because it’s not as expensive, and you can get some land,” Higginbotham says. “I’d say a half-acre is the average, but you can find up to three acres there.” Investment properties that need a fresh coat of paint and sometimes more intensive structural repairs range from $40,000 to $75,000, while move-in-ready homes sell for $150,000 to $250,000. “There are a lot of flippers going in there, fixing up properties and then reselling them,” Higginbotham says. Port Acres has a CAP Index Crime Score of 4 out of 10, on par with the national average. Port Acres is served by the Port Arthur Independent School District. Students can start off at the community's Port Acres Elementary, which earns a C-minus Niche grade. From there, they move on to C-minus-rated Abraham Lincoln Middle School and C-rated Memorial High School. Students at the high school can earn college credit through a dual enrollment program with Lamar State College Port Arthur. During the oil boom, thousands of Louisianans crossed the Sabine River in search of wealth in Southeast Texas. They celebrate their roots in April at the Cajun Heritage Festival, held at Robert A. Bowers Civic Center, 7 miles away. The festival features crawfish racing and eating competitions, live music, and food vendors. While the refineries in the area provide ample job opportunities, the Environmental Protection Agency reports elevated levels of pollutants in the area that are known to cause cancer and other health problems. In addition, Port Arthur is prone to hurricanes, so purchasing flood insurance is recommended. In 2017 Hurricane Harvey dumped more than 40 inches of rain on the area. “There are people who still haven’t finished fixing their houses from Harvey,” Higginbotham says.