“Tri-City Beach Road” rings a bell. That’s how FM-2354 was nicknamed back in the early 1950s. Today we stand near the area where that road helped shape a community and perhaps even influenced the naming of the Tri-City Beach Mission.
Let’s delve into the story of how this area evolved into what it is today. After World War II the economy boomed. People suddenly had more leisure time and money. This led to a surge in recreational activities. Folks from Baytown, which had been formed in 1948 from three smaller towns began building weekend houses or fishing camps along the shoreline. They were drawn by the bay breezes and the promise of good fishing near present-day Beach City. FM-2354 became their access route. It earned the moniker “Tri-City Beach Road”.
However many of these recreational visitors decided to stay. By the early 1960s the Tri-City Beach community had grown to about 500 permanent residents. This growth spurred discussions about incorporation. Annexation reform was on the horizon in the Texas legislature and the community sought to protect itself.
On April 6, 1963, the Tri-City Beach Civic Association was formed. The association explored various ways to improve the community. These ideas included building a breakwater. Eventually the association focused on incorporation. An Incorporation Committee was created.
Eloice Jordan presented a petition for an incorporation election to County Judge Oscar F. Nelson Jr. on March 8, 1966. The Baytown City Council adopted Ordinance 788 on March 24, 1966. It consented to the inclusion of part of Baytown’s extraterritorial jurisdiction within the proposed new municipality. The new municipality was to be known as the City of Beach City.
An election was held on April 5, 1966. The results were overwhelmingly in favor of incorporation with 103 votes for and only 4 against. Judge Nelson finalized the incorporation of Beach City on April 11, 1966.
Beach City was initially incorporated as a Type B General Law City. It was later changed to a Type A General Law City. The original boundaries stretched from Cedar Point Road in the south to FM-2354 in the west. Point Barrow Road marked the northern boundary and Trinity Bay the eastern one.
The incorporation of Beach City wasn’t without its challenges. Baytown executed six strip annexations into what Beach City believed was its extraterritorial jurisdiction. These annexations aimed to protect Baytown’s ability to form an industrial district.
The first municipal officers were elected on May 21, 1966. Eloice Jordan became the first mayor. W.D. Bush, Alvin J. Crawley, William D. Daniel, J.R. Holland and J.D. Nicholson were chosen as aldermen. Gus Dauzat was appointed as the first city marshal.
From its beginnings as a recreational haven to its incorporation as a city, the Tri-City Beach area has a unique history. The Tri-City Beach Mission stands as a testament to the community’s spirit. It is a reminder of the area’s evolution from fishing camps to a thriving city with a strong sense of identity.