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Just to the north of Interstate Highway 10 and at the intersection of State Highway 146 and Farm Road 1942, you’ll find the town of Mont Belvieu, TX. Houston is about thirty-two miles away. Mont Belvieu is built on a salt dome in Chambers County and is has its roots deep in Texas history.
The first settler to the area was Amos Barber, who built a home that is now known as Barbers Hill in 1849. As more people joined Barber, the settlement became known as Barbers Hill shortly after this time period. The town’s name was changed to Mont Belvieu in order to avoid confusion since there were several other towns by the name of Barbers Hill.
The post office was built in 1890 and the first postmaster’s name was Z.T. Winfree. The community grew slowly, only 20 residents were believed to have lived there by 1920. The Barbers Kill oilfield was built in 1918 and the Goose Creek and Dayton Railroad came through in 1919.
Marion, Amanda, J.W. and Daisy Williams filed the first plat for the site of the town in 1922. A cotton gin was built and operated for nine years from 1924 to 1935. When more oil was discovered in the last part of the 1920’s the town’s fortunes began to change.
During the Great Depression, residents were assisted by the Work Projects Administration and kept afloat with jobs. This kept the town going until more businesses moved into the area in the 1930’s. Oil became the lifeblood of Mont Belvieu and by 1940, 500 residents lived in the town and forty businesses were operating.
The town was incorporated in 1970 and by 1980, the population grew to 1,730 residents. This jump is tied to the expansion of Houston during this time and the increased production of oil in the region. Even though oil was the main economy of the town, it has almost destroyed it. An explosion at a plant in 1985 put the salt dome in danger. The dome had been used to store liquid propane gas and this explosion jumpstarted many residents to force the petrochemical companies in the area to buyout the homes located nearest to the danger.
200 homes were bought out by 1990, and the residents of Mont Belvieu were re-located about two miles east of the dome. A new city hall was built at the new townsite, as well as seven churches, and a brand new school. The last recorded population estimate in 1990 was 1,323.
Mont Belvieu has weathered storms that would have killed other towns. This is mainly due to the strong community mindnedness of the residents and their commitment to their town. If you enjoy living in a tight-knit community, this is a great place to rent an apartment. Houston is just minutes away and provides many residents with not only employment, but recreation as well.
If you are interested in an apartment in Houston, feel free to contact us.
