City of Port Arthur

Port Arthur has celebrated more than 100 years as a Gulf Coast city, but its timeline is only a fraction of the greater history of the region’s inhabitants. The shores of Sabine Lake have been occupied more than 1,500 years; American Indians, primarily the Atakapas, were the earliest known settlers. The late 1700s brought the first visits from Europeans — English, Spanish and French. Most were explorers who did not stay, but in the 1800s the lake became an avenue for trade. Among the traders was Jean Laffite, and legends of hidden treasure have lingered in Southeast Texas.
The earliest attempt at permanently settling the area was the community of Aurora, located in what is now historic Port Arthur. Some lots were sold around 1840, but the project failed to take off. The area was abandoned by the time Port Arthur was established.