West Orange - Vidor, TX

Established at the turn of the 20th century, the community of West Orange developed quickly into a residential neighborhood thanks to its position between the Orange industrial facilities and the oil and brick businesses at Port Vernon. The population doubled in the 1950s, and the neighborhood was incorporated in 1954. Though it declined during the 1960s along with many other industrialized parts of Jefferson and Orange Counties, the population has stabilized.

Head slightly to the east to find the W. H. Stark House, displaying American brilliant-cut glass, as well as the Stark Museum of Art featuring artifacts from the American West and the Heritage History Museum. Mark your calendar for the annual Holiday in the Park in November, with food and craft booths as well as holiday entertainment.

Head to the Edgar Brown Drive at the northern border of the neighborhood, and you'll start to see more and more restaurants and nightlife opportunities along the way, mostly limited to chain restaurants and fast food joints such as Sonic Drive-In, Papa John's and Wienerschnitzel. Hidden between these familiar sights, you'll come across some treats that are unique to the area.

Stop in at the Old Orange Cafe and Catering Company, an old-fashioned restaurant serving traditional American cuisine in a historic dairy building. Open for lunch every day except Saturday and for dinner prior to performances at the Lutcher Theater by reservation only, the menu at this eatery changes every night. Enjoy a stacker entree such as chicken cordon bleu or a reuben melt, or tuck into a burger with pepperjack cheese or BBQ sauce. Try a country-fried steak or Cajun grilled shrimp, or enjoy dinner entrees ranging from prime rib to grilled redfish.

At small local burger chain Novrozskys, the emphasis is on a satisfying meal. The burgers at this establishment utilize Akaushi beef from cattle imported from Japan and now raised in Texas, two or three grades higher than prime beef and claimed to be a healthier alternative than even fish or chicken. Try an Akaushi burger topped with fried egg or bacon, or opt for the chicken strip tray or a baked potato with mushroom chicken, shrimp or Texas chili.

Another local favorite, Spanky's Bar & Grill, was remodeled after Hurricane Rita devastated the area in 2005. Enjoy the locally recommended nachos, a Tex-Mex mix of sizzling fajitas or taco salad, a seafood basket of fantailed shrimp or oysters or a BBQ platter with meat choices that include sliced beef, ribs, smoked sausage, chopped beef and pulled pork.

West Orange may not offer a whole lot of nightlife, but crossing the highway will also bring you in range of a modest number of bars and lounges. Catch a movie at Showbiz Cinemas or a live performance at the Lutcher Theater.

West Orange residents rarely go without their own vehicles because the easiest and most efficient way to travel within the neighborhood and beyond is by car. You'll find the nearest public transportation at the Amtrak station located in Beaumont, roughly 20 miles from the neighborhood, while Uber and other ride-share services do not operate in the area. One taxi company located in Beaumont does service the West Orange area, but these cabs cannot be hailed and must be called in advance for a reservation.

You won't find any public parking in West Orange beyond what is available when patronizing local businesses, but the neighborhood does border two major roadways: Interstate 10, located due north of the town, and Highway 87, which passes through West Orange. Both routes connect West Orange with Beaumont, while interstate 10 facilitates travel to Lake Charles.

Due to the spread-out nature of the businesses, with the best and most convenient usually located in nearby Beaumont or Lake Charles, walking this neighborhood is seldom feasible. This neighborhood also features little to no biking infrastructure.

While West Orange itself lacks any parks of its own, you’ll find a few options located nearby in Orange. The biggest and best of these options is the Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center. A historic garden with a variety of flora and fauna in a family friendly environment, this center also hosts educational and ecological restoration efforts.

For a more traditional park environment for the kids, head to the Orange Lions City Park, a small park located along Adams Bayou with an extensive playground space. You’ll also find a number of basic parks throughout the nearby city of Orange, mostly open grassy fields with trees dotting the landscape and basic infrastructure such as paths or benches.

There are no annual events held in any of these parks, but West Orange does have a community center which can be made available for local events and happenings. All of the parks mentioned, with the exception of the Botanical Gardens, are free to the public. The parks don't offer any specific exercise areas, but all are suitable for basic walking or jogging. Be sure to keep pets leashed at all times unless otherwise noted.

Living in West Orange demands a trade-off. While the average cost of living is 20 percent below the average for nearby Beaumont city, the latter features a much greater number of amenities, housing and education opportunities. The median rental cost for a one-bedroom apartment sits at around $737, considerably cheaper than the Texas average. You can expect to pay over $8.50 for a glass of beer in a local establishment, and the price per gallon of gasoline is 6.6 percent lower here than the national average.

You'll find a reasonable selection of shopping opportunities within West Orange, largely concentrated along the northern and southern edge. Though most are chain and national stores such as Wal-Mart and Game Stop, watch out for some unique establishments along the way.

Pick up your precious gems and metals at Mathews Jewelers, or choose some new furniture at the Welch Furniture Co. or Parlours Orange Texas. Try the Swamp Pop Sound Shop for unique car audio and audio visual equipment or McCoy's Picture Frames for elegant framing styles.

Pick up your groceries at one of many convenience stores throughout the neighborhood, or head to larger grocery stores including Danny's Super Foods, Tommy’s Food Services, or the Veteran's Grocery and Market. On Saturdays, Danny's Super Foods also hosts a farmers market filled with fresh fruit and vegetables, locally prepared foods, and meats.