Deep Water: The story of Beaumont and its Port was released by Donning Publishers and the Port of Beaumont last week. A schooner's chance encounter while escaping a storm helped found one of the most vital ports in the United States. It was fueled by the discovery of oil at Spindletop, transforming a sleepy little timber town an industrial Mecca. In just a few years, extensive railroad connections, new refineries and pipelines lined the Neches River. Sophisticated wharves and docks replaced the natural wharves., And since its recognition as a deepwater port in 1916, the Port of Beaumont has worked diligently to expand and improve its facilities furthering its role as a major partner in worldwide commerce. But its road to deep water was not an easy one—and not without some worthy tales to tell from the process.
