Area: 11 sq. m.
Altitude: 4 ft.
Population: U. S. 1940 Census of city proper, preliminary report, 45,500; conservative estimate of metropolitan area, 62,000.
Railroad Stations: Kansas City Southern, Houston Ave. at foot of Procter St.; Southern Pacific, 449 7th St.
Airports: Parker Air Service, 5.5 m. north of city on US 96-69; charter service, flight instruction and pleasure trips; no facilities for servicing aircraft; taxi fare $1. The Texas Company Airport (private) 3 m. north of city on El Vista Road (extension of Savannah Ave.), permission to land available on request; gasoline for planes.
Bus Stations: Greyhound Lines, Inc., 327 Austin Ave., for Beaumont-Port Arthur Bus Line, Southwestern Greyhound Lines, Inc., Coastal Coaches, Inc., and P. & G. Bus Line (Port Arthur, Port Neches, Pear Ridge and Groves). Sabine-Neches Stages, 1048 Procter St.
City Bus Service: Fare 5c for adults, transfer 1c; special rates for children and students include transfer privileges.
Taxis: No zoning system; fare, from 1 to 25 blocks, 50c; 26 to 38 blocks, 75c; over 38 blocks, $1.
Traffic Regulations: Speed limit, 20 m.p.h. within city limits, except school zones, 10 m.p.h.; “no left turn” signs at some street intersections; no “U” turn at signal lights; right turn permitted through a red light after a full stop except where “no right turn on red light” signs are displayed; one- and two-hour parking limit in business district, where so marked, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; all-night parking on paved streets prohibited.
Street Order and Numbering: The city’s east-west street division line is Houston Ave., the thoroughfares running northwest and southeast on each side of this line being designated as avenues. Northeast-southwest thoroughfares, designated as streets, start with Lake Shore Drive, street numbers beginning at that point and running northwest.
Accommodations: 12 hotels for whites, 1 for Negroes; 6 tourist lodges; 3 trailer camps; an adequate number of boarding and rooming houses. Wide range of rates.
Information Service: Chamber of Commerce and Sabine Neches Automobile Association (branch of the A.A.A., both at 223 Adams Bldg., east corner 5th St., and Austin Ave.).
Radio Stations: KPAC, (1220 kc.), Port Arthur College, 1523 Lake Shore Drive; WPA, (500 kc., 418 kc. and 1175 kc.), marine coastal station, Radiomarine Corporation of America, Gulf Refinery, adjacent to west city limits on State 87.
Theaters and Motion Picture Houses: Port Arthur Little Theatre, headquarters, 223 Adams Bldg.; Memorial Armory Auditorium, 1048 Lake Shore Drive, local productions and occasional road shows; Thomas Jefferson Senior High School Auditorium, 3500 12th St., concerts, lectures and local productions; Woodrow Wilson Junior High School Auditorium, 1500 Lake Shore Drive, concerts, lectures and local productions; Lincoln High School (Negro), 800 W. 10th St., concerts, lectures, and local productions; 6 downtown motion picture theaters; 2 suburban motion picture theaters for Negroes, occasional road shows.
Athletics: Yellow Jacket Stadium, Stadium Road, one block north of Dryden Road; Pioneer Park, 1800 Ninth Ave., professional baseball in Evangeline League, Class D; Memorial Armory Auditorium, boxing; Y.M.C.A., 448 Lake Shore Drive, and Franklin School, 900 block 10th St., softball diamonds; Y M r q basketball courts.
Swimming: Pleasure Pier, foot of Austin Ave., Lake Sabine; on wooden pier extending into lake from Pleasure Pier, free fishing and swimming; Port Arthur Yacht Club, junction of Ship Canal and Neches River, 9 m. on State 87 and 0.5 m. along the river, for members and guests only; McFaddin’s Beach, surf bathing, 23 m. southwest of Port Arthur on State 87.
Fishing: Jaycee Fishing Pier (“Sidewalk in the Gulf”), at Sabine Pass, 19.1 m. southeast of Port Arthur; Lake Sabine; Port Arthur Ship Canal; Neches River; Intracoastal Canal.
Golf: Port Groves course, 6 m. on old Beaumont Highway, 9 holes, 50c greens fee from 8 a.m. until noon, or noon until dark; Country Club course, 6 m. northeast of city on State 87 and Port Neches Road, 18 holes, for members and guests only.
Tennis: Thomas Jefferson Senior High School, 4 concrete courts; Woodrow Wilson Junior High School, 4 concrete courts; all free. Horseshoe Pitching: Lions Park, 1400 Procter St.; Bluebonnet Park, Gillham Circle; Bryan Park, 1000 16th St.; Roosevelt Park, 1900 16th St.; West 18th St. Playground, 700 W. 18th St. (Mexican); Pearson Park, 200 Lake Shore Drive; all free.
Playgrounds: Bluebonnet Park; Bryan Park; Lions Park; Pearson Park; Pioneer Park; Roosevelt Park; West 18th St. Playground. Gymnasium: Y.M.C.A.
Library: Gates Memorial Library, open 9-9 workdays, 315 Stilwell Blvd.
Shopping: Procter St. between Houston Ave. and Shreveport Ave.; intersecting streets, and Houston Ave.
National Service Clubs: Optimist Club, meets Tuesdays at noon, Hotel Goodhue; Kiwanis Club, meets Wednesdays at noon, Hotel Goodhue; Rotary Club, meets Thursdays at noon, Hotel Sabine; Lions Club, meets Fridays at noon, Hotel Goodhue.
Annual Events: Bicycle Safety Drive Parade, March, date varies; Rose Club’s Rose Show and Flower Exhibit, May, date varies; Yard and Garden Contest, spring, date varies; Cinco de Mayo (May 5), anniversary of Battle of Pueblo, observed by Mexicans; Emancipation Day (June 19), observed by Negroes; Port Arthur News Amateur Golf Tournament, for residents of Port Arthur and environs, August, date varies; anniversary of Mexican independence from Spain, September 16.17, observed by Mexicans; Houston-Port Arthur cruise, date varies; Merchants’ Festival, October, date varies.