Port Neches, Texas

Port Neches, Texas
City
Location of Port Neches, Texas Location of Port Neches, Texas
Coordinates:
Country	United States
State	Texas
County	Jefferson
Area
• Total	9.2 sq mi (23.8 km2)
• Land	9.1 sq mi (23.6 km2)
• Water	0.1 sq mi (0.2 km2)
Elevation	16 ft (5 m)
Population (2000)
• Total	13,601
• Density	1,490.4/sq mi (575.4/km2)
Time zone	Central (CST) (UTC-6)
• Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code	77651
Area code(s)	409
FIPS code	48-58940
GNIS feature ID	1375534
Website	ci.port-neches.tx.us

Port Neches is a city in Jefferson County, Texas, United States. The population was 13,040 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

The area known as Port Neches was once inhabited by tribes of the coastal-dwelling Karankawa and Atakapa Native Americans. Smith’s Bluff (the future site of Sun Oil and Union Oil of California riverside property) and Grigsby’s Bluff (now Port Neches) were the only two high land bluffs on the Neches River south of Beaumont. Before 1780, Grigsby’s Bluff, explicitly that part of Port Neches immediately east of Port Neches Park, had been a Native American town for at least 1,500 years, at first of the Karankawa tribe, whose 7-foot skeletons were often found in the burial mounds there; and after 1650 of the Nacazils, a sub-tribe of the Attakapas, who were a short and stocky people before their extinction about 1780. As of 1841, there were six large burial mounds at Grigsby’s Bluff, size about 60 feet wide, 20 feet tall, and 100 yards long, consisting entirely of clam and sea shells, skeletons, pottery shards, and other Native American artifacts. Between 1841 and 1901, all six of the mounds disappeared, a result of human actions. Grigsby’s Bluff became a post office in 1859 (there was also a store and sawmill there), but the office was discontinued in 1893. The city of Port Neches was later incorporated in 1902.

Port Neches was also the site of Fort Grigsby, a set of American Civil War-era defenses intended to stop a Union advance up the Neches River. The fort was constructed in October 1862, and abandoned sometime after July 1863. Its guns, munitions, and stores were moved to the then-unfinished Fort Griffin, the site of the famous Second Battle of Sabine Pass, often credited as the most one-sided Confederate victory of the American Civil War.

Over 130 years later, Her Majesty Beatrix, Queen of the Netherlands, appointed W. T. Block Jr. (his son) as "Knight of the Royal Order of Orange-Nassau" in a ceremony held at the Tex Ritter Park in Nederland, Texas. The award was presented by the Consul General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. W.T. Block, Jr. is known for his work in reconstructing the history of Dutch settlers in the Port Neches areas.

Through its history, beginning in 1834 as Grigsby's Bluff and continuing after its incorporation in 1902, the City of Port Neches has had a special relationship with the natural environment, particularly the Neches River. From agriculture and timber to oil and synthetics, the City has depended heavily on the river as its lifeline. Today, the greater Neches River Basin is an international attraction for "experiential" tourism; whether that might be fishing, hunting, birding, boating or many other out-door experiences that are abundant and readily available.

The Oak Bluff cemetery, located near the river, is the burial site of famed country music singer and actor Tex Ritter.

Geography

Port Neches is located 20 miles inland from the Gulf of Mexico.

Port Neches is located at (29.980863, -93.960382).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 9.2 square miles (24 km²), of which, 9.1 square miles (24 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km²) of it (0.76%) is water.

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1930	2,327		—
1940	2,487		6.9%
1950	5,448		119.1%
1960	8,696		59.6%
1970	10,894		25.3%
1980	13,944		28.0%
1990	12,974		−7.0%
2000	13,601		4.8%
2010	13,040		−4.1%
Est. 2014	12,755		−2.2%
U.S. Decennial Census

As of the census of 2000, there were 13,601 people, 5,280 households, and 3,975 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,490.4 people per square mile (575.2/km²). There were 5,656 housing units at an average density of 619.8 per square mile (239.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.75% White, 0.93% African American, 0.47% Native American, 1.57% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.18% from other races, and 1.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.07% of the population.

There were 5,280 households out of which 34.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.6% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.7% were non-families. 21.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the city the population was spread out with 25.5% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $47,523, and the median income for a family was $53,729. Males had a median income of $43,089 versus $27,847 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,273. About 4.4% of families and 5.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.7% of those under age 18 and 4.7% of those age 65 or over.

Government and infrastructure

The United States Postal Service Port Neches Post Office is located at 1324 Port Neches Avenue.

Education

Most of the City of Port Neches is served by the Port Neches-Groves Independent School District. Parts are within the Nederland Independent School District.

External links

• City of Port Neches
• Nederland, Texas from the Handbook of Texas Online
• W. T. Block Website
• PortNechesCOOL.com Community Website