Chambers County, Texas

65 topographic sheets cover 18 settlements here, and 3 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Research this county

From the record

3 National Register listings published here.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

Texas within the United States

Chambers County within Texas

What the record shows

222 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
3 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 2 buildings and 1 site.
1 of the 3 listings was added during the 1970s.
The Geographic Names Information System records 18 populated places in this county; 18 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Photographs

1 photograph,

Taken for the Office of War Information and the Farm Security Administration, who photographed the country between 1935 and 1944. Works of United States government photographers, with no known restriction on use. Each opens its catalogue record.

General Thomas Jefferson Chambers House, Cummings Street, Anahuac, Chambers County, TX
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress

Places on the National Register

Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.

Property	Type	Listed	Reference
Chambers County Courthouse	building	2008	08000339
Chambersea	building	1979	79002925
Fort Anahuac	site	1981	81000626

Bird's-eye views and land ownership maps

Drawn when these were printed as single large sheets: the town seen from the air, and the county divided into its farms with every owner named. Each opens the original at the Library of Congress.

Land ownership map, 1879 - Map of Chambers County, Texas — Land ownership map (1879) - Map of Chambers County, Texas. Library of Congress.

The county from the air

48 shown

Flown by the U.S. Geological Survey between 1937 and 1989, the Aerial Photo Single Frames collection is the definitive mid-century view of the land: fields, roads and rivers as the camera saw them. The Survey holds 7,115 frames inside the rectangle that bounds this county; the 48 frames below were taken over the county itself, chosen across the decades of flights (at most four a year from that rectangle), so one flight cannot crowd out the rest. The full set is free to browse and download at EarthExplorer under the dataset Aerial Photo Single Frames.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1953-01-03, scale 1:69000 — 1953-01-03, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1953-10-08, scale 1:34000 — 1953-10-08, scale 1:34000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1954-12-09, scale 1:34000 — 1954-12-09, scale 1:34000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1955-03-12, scale 1:34000 — 1955-03-12, scale 1:34000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1960-12-11, scale 1:25000 — 1960-12-11, scale 1:25000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1961-05-27, scale 1:25000 — 1961-05-27, scale 1:25000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1962-10-31, scale 1:16900 — 1962-10-31, scale 1:16900. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1966-10-16, scale 1:21400 — 1966-10-16, scale 1:21400. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1966-10-19, scale 1:21400 — 1966-10-19, scale 1:21400. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1969-05-01, scale 1:30800 — 1969-05-01, scale 1:30800. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1970-01-07, scale 1:122342 — 1970-01-07, scale 1:122342. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1970-01-07, scale 1:119288 — 1970-01-07, scale 1:119288. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1971-03-08, scale 1:16792 — 1971-03-08, scale 1:16792. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1971-03-08, scale 1:16373 — 1971-03-08, scale 1:16373. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1972-02-04, scale 1:9824 — 1972-02-04, scale 1:9824. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1972-02-04, scale 1:10774 — 1972-02-04, scale 1:10774. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1974-11-12, scale 1:76000 — 1974-11-12, scale 1:76000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

Weather records

13 stations

The thermometers that kept this county's weather, as the federal records hold them. The extremes below are measured values from those records, not estimates.

ANAHUAC 1909 to 2019, hottest 43.3 C, coldest -13.3 C
MONT BELVIEU 1909 to 1918
STOWELL 1911 to 1915, hottest 36.7 C, coldest -4.4 C
ANAHUAC NWR TEXAS 1994 to 2026, hottest 60.0 C, coldest -10.6 C
WINNIE 3.9 NNW 2008 to 2009
WINNIE 4.4 NNW 2008 to 2009
BAYTOWN 8.0 NE 2009 to 2011
ANAHUAC 8.4 S 2009 to 2012
MONT BELVIEU 1.5 NNW 2012 to 2026
ANAHUAC 5.7 N 2018 to 2026
MONT BELVIEU 1.3 NNE 2020 to 2024
BEACH CITY 4.8 SSW 2023 to 2026
MONT BELVIEU 1.8 NNE 2025

The 1950 census, district by district

11 districts

Who lived here in 1950, one enumeration district at a time, as the Census Bureau described each district. Each row opens its official National Archives result, with Population Schedules and ED Maps available there.

36-1Justice Precinct 1, including all islands in this Justice Precinct
36-2Justice Precinct 2
36-3Justice Precinct 3, including all islands in this Justice Precinct
36-4Justice Precinct 5: Mont Belvieu, unincorporated: Mont Belvieu, unincorporated - That part Bounded by Unnamed Rd.; Salt Water Canal; Unnamed st. Unnamed st., Unnamed st., New State Hwy. 146, Smith's Gully; mile offset line west of New State Hwy. 146
36-5Mont Belvieu, unincorporated - That part Bounded by Unnamed St., Unnamed St., Unnamed St.; Salt Water Canal; Salt Water Canal, Smith's Gully; New State Hwy. 146
36-6Justice Precinct 5 - That part outside the unincorporated place of Mont Belvieu. (See separate map for boundaries of Mont Belvieu), including all islands in this enumeration district
36-7Justice Precinct 6: Anahuac city
36-8Justice Precinct 6 - That part southeast of North Fork Double Bayou
36-9Justice Precinct 6 - That part northwest of North Fork Double Bayou, outside Anahuac city, including all islands in this enumeration district
36-10Justice Precinct 7: Justice Precinct 7 - That part north and west of State Hwy. 124, and north of State Hwy. 73
36-11Justice Precinct 7 - That part south and east of State Hwy. 124, and south of State Hwy. 73

Wildfire, 1992 to 2020

344 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 344 of them, burning about 74,371 acres. 55 started naturally and 32 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause	Fires
Missing data/not specified/undetermined	151
Debris and open burning	78
Natural	55
Arson/incendiarism	32
Equipment and vehicle use	12
Recreation and ceremony	8
Power generation/transmission/distribution	2
Railroad operations and maintenance	2
Misuse of fire by a minor	2
Smoking	1
Fireworks	1

The five largest, by the area the report gives. None of them was recorded as arson.

Date	Cause	Size	Reported by	Name on the report
3 March 2007	Missing data/not specified/undetermined	5,976 acres	McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge	WF BILL WHITE EASEMENT OP'S
5 November 2012	Natural	5,021 acres	Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge	WF FROZEN ;POINT
16 November 2020	Missing data/not specified/undetermined	4,016 acres	Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge	WALKIN FIRE
27 April 2014	Natural	2,254 acres	Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge	WF NORTH ROBERTS/MUELLER
6 September 2014	Natural	2,250 acres	Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge	WF JACKSON'S DITCH 2014
30 July 2013	Missing data/not specified/undetermined	2,116 acres	McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge	WF CADE MUD BAYOU
13 July 2014	Missing data/not specified/undetermined	1,873 acres	Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge	WF MIDDLETON 2014
16 April 1996	Missing data/not specified/undetermined	1,407 acres	Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge	YELLOWRAIL

Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.

Storms, 1954 to 2024

60 of 227 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 227 reports for this county, causing 6 deaths, 10 injuries and about $83,191,530 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event	Reports
Thunderstorm Wind	76
Hail	53
Flash Flood	44
Tornado	33
Funnel Cloud	15
Lightning	4
Waterspout	1
Coastal Flood	1

The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.

When	Event	Place named	Harm	What the report says
May 1969	Tornado (F3)	not stated	3 killed, $25,000	no account filed
June 2010	Lightning	Whites Ranch	1 killed, 1 hurt	A lightning strike from an anvil cloud after a thunderstorm moved through their location struck two people on a boat near the Texas 124 bridge over the Intercoastal Waterway in Chambers County. One victim was killed and the other was injured.
August 2000	Lightning	Hankamer	1 killed	Lightning struck and killed 27 year old man.
October 1974	Tornado (F3)	not stated	1 killed	no account filed
November 2003	Tornado (F1)	Wallisville	5 hurt, $100,000	Tornado crossed the Old Trinity River Bridge on I-10, blowing over 10 semi trucks. One eastbound semi was dumped onto two cars. Another westbound semi was picked up, blown across a stone retaining wall, ripped through metal fencing and landed on a car in the westbound lane. Description of trucks were one loaded with 60K pounds of nuts and bolts, another with 42K pounds of paper towels, and a tanker truck filled with spring water. 5 injured transported to local area hospital.
June 1981	Tornado (F2)	not stated	1 hurt, $250,000	no account filed
September 1980	Tornado (F1)	not stated	1 hurt, $25,000	no account filed
March 1971	Tornado (F2)	not stated	1 hurt, $25,000	no account filed
December 2024	Tornado (EF3)	Oak Island	1 hurt	The local fire department initially reported that a car near Smith Point was thrown by a tornado.\|\|The survey team found evidence of long track tornado from just east of Smith Point through the Chambers/Jefferson County border. Multiple spots of EF2 damage were found with snapped wooden power line poles and a tossed and destroyed mobile homes. EF3 damage was found along FM 1941 and TX-124 where two steel transmission lines were blown down. One injury was reported with this tornado, which had occurred along Smith Point Rd where a pickup truck was tossed, confirming the initial report by the fire department.\|\|Based on radar data, it is likely this track is a direct continuation of the tornado on the west side of the Galveston Bay. However, there is no way to confirm this is the case as the tornado entering the bay was completely rain wrapped and there is no evidence confirming the tornado crossed Galveston Bay.
September 2019	Flash Flood	Lake Anahuac	$80,000,000	Numerous roads in Winnie and Hankamer areas closed. Numerous structures flooded.
November 2003	Tornado (F1)	Oak Island	$300,000	Tornado touch down in White Harring Estates area between Oak Island and Smith Point. One home destroyed with seven other homes receiving damage.
May 1983	Tornado (F0)	not stated	$250,000	no account filed
October 1974	Tornado (F2)	not stated	$250,000	no account filed
September 2000	Thunderstorm Wind	Anahuac	$150,000	Windows blown out of house with large tree down on Bayshore Road. Most of a two story home under construction destroyed. Trailer destroyed just north of Oak Island.
April 2000	Tornado (F1)	Anahuac	$100,000	Tornado near FM 1985 with rice dryers demolished and major tree damage at several homes.
September 2000	Thunderstorm Wind	Hankamer	$100,000	Two cars and a motorcycle overturned on Loop 562 with wind gusts to 60 mph.
September 2000	Thunderstorm Wind	Hankamer	$100,000	Back porch ripped off home with barn damaged. Two metal outbuildings damaged on FM 563.
December 1997	Thunderstorm Wind	Anahuac	$75,000	90 mph wind recorded at Chambers Co Airport. One aircraft destroyed. Damage to a high school roof, mobile home roof lifted, garage destroyed, powerlines down, and damage to a Putt-Putt golf course.
September 2019	Flash Flood	Winnie	$50,000	Riceland Medical Center taking on water, evacuated. Six patients and staff.
October 2018	Tornado (EF1)	Cove	$50,000	An EF-1 tornado touched down and caused damage within the Lanai Subdivision along Interstate 10 between FM 3180 and FM 565. Several homes sustained minor roof damage and numerous trees were uprooted. There were some snapped trees and power lines. One large trailer was overturned.
May 2006	Flash Flood	Winnie	$50,000	Flooding in and around the city with at least twenty homes receiving water damage.
May 2000	Flash Flood	West Central Portion	$50,000	Flooding on SH 124 with street flooding in Anahuac. Rainfall totals up to 8 inches in western part of county.A stationary front combined with deep tropical moisture to produce widespread slow moving thunderstorms over Houston, Galveston, and surrounding areas. Northeast Harris and western Liberty Counties were the hardest hit by a large supercell thunderstorm which remained nearly stationary for several hours. The storm produced over 18 inches of rainfall in Liberty in only 5 hours with widespread flash flooding from near Intercontinental Airport eastward to the Liberty/Dayton areas. Over 300 homes and businesses were damaged in western Liberty County with 60 to 80 people rescued from flood waters. Strong winds resulted from some of the storms, downing trees and power lines, especially near Liberty and Dayton. A storm survey revealed an F0 tornado south of Dayton.
October 1997	Thunderstorm Wind	Anahuac	$50,000	90 mph wind recorded at Chambers County Airport. One aircraft destroyed. Damage to high school roof, mobile home roof lifted, garage destroyed, powerlines down, and minor damage to a miniature golf course.
May 1993	Tornado (F0)	not stated	$50,000	The Chambers County Sheriff Department reported a tornado sighted by law enforcement official between Mont Belvieu and Anahuac. Several patrol units experienced winds in excess of 60 mph pushing autos off Interstate 10 near Mont Belvieu.
November 1993	Tornado (F1)	Mont Belvieu	$50,000	Houston Power and Light Company lost two long line transmission circuits in Mont Belvieu.
September 1996	Flash Flood	Countywide	$50,000	no account filed
July 2007	Flash Flood	Stowell	$40,000	Water entered a Post Office building.
April 2006	Thunderstorm Wind	Winnie	$35,000	One business damaged with numerous trees down near the hospital in the town of Winnie.
November 2004	Thunderstorm Wind	Anahuac	$35,000	Tree on carport with damage to two vehicles. Storage building had roof damage. Four power poles on Poskey Road were snapped.
April 2016	Lightning	Winnie	$30,000	A lightning strike damaged a nursing home's fire alarm system.
November 1995	Thunderstorm Wind	not stated	$30,000	EMC reported trees blown down. One limb fell on a camper in a mobile home park causing major damage.
May 2018	Thunderstorm Wind	Winnie	$25,000	There was damage to a hangar at the Winnie-Stowell Airport.
June 2004	Flash Flood	Mont Belvieu	$25,000	Flooding in and around Mont Belvieu.
August 2002	Thunderstorm Wind	Winnie	$25,000	Power lines down in Winnie and tree down on a car in Ahahuac.
November 2002	Flash Flood	Countywide	$25,000	Numerous roads closed due to high water on extremely saturated grounds.
September 2000	Thunderstorm Wind	Anahuac	$25,000	Trees and power lines down on FM 563.
September 2000	Thunderstorm Wind	Hankamer	$25,000	Truck blown off highway on I-10 at mile marker 829.
July 2000	Thunderstorm Wind	Countywide	$25,000	Numerous trees down across county with power lines down in Smith Point.
March 1992	Tornado (F1)	not stated	$25,000	no account filed
June 1981	Tornado (F0)	not stated	$25,000	no account filed
September 1981	Tornado (F1)	not stated	$25,000	no account filed
May 2017	Lightning	Beach City	$20,000	Lightning struck some crude oil tankers and set them on fire. Residents within a half mile radius were evacuated until the fire was contained.
November 2004	Thunderstorm Wind	Winnie	$20,000	Restaurant and homes damaged.
December 2002	Thunderstorm Wind	Mont Belvieu	$20,000	Wind damage.
April 2001	Hail	Winnie	$20,000	no account filed
October 2021	Thunderstorm Wind	Mont Belvieu	$18,000	There was minor damage to a school building. Trees and fences were down in the area.
March 2015	Flash Flood	Winnie	$15,000	There were flooded and impassable roadways, with a few flooded vehicles, around town. A local rain gauge at Spindletop Bayou near Winnie reported 6.89 inches of rainfall.
April 2006	Hail	Winnie	$15,000	Golfball-size hail.
April 2006	Hail	Winnie	$15,000	Golfball-size hail.
April 2004	Hail	Mont Belvieu	$15,000	Quarter-size hail damaged sheriff vehicle's windshield.
September 2000	Thunderstorm Wind	Anahuac	$15,000	Power poles down on FM 563.
July 2000	Thunderstorm Wind	Monroe City	$15,000	Power lines down along SH 65.
August 1999	Thunderstorm Wind	Winnie	$15,000	Power lines down.
May 1999	Thunderstorm Wind	Hankamer	$15,000	Tree down on Hwy. 61.
September 1997	Hail	Hankamer	$15,000	Hail near HWY 61.
September 1997	Hail	Anahuac	$15,000	Hail from Anahuac to I-10.
September 1997	Thunderstorm Wind	Anahuac	$15,000	Numerous trees blown down from Anahuac to I-10.
April 2001	Hail	Winnie	$15,000	no account filed
April 2000	Hail	Wallisville	$15,000	no account filed
August 2000	Thunderstorm Wind	Winnie	$15,000	no account filed

Mines and quarries

8 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 8 workings inside this county. 4 still produce and 4 are closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity	Workings
Halite	3
Sulfur, Gypsum-Anhydrite, Limestone, Ultra Pure	1
Sand and Gravel, Construction	1
Clay, Sand and Gravel, Construction	1
Clay	1
Iron	1
Salt	1

The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.

Site	Commodity	Status	Recorded
Barbers Hill Mine	Halite, Sulfur, Gypsum-Anhydrite, Limestone, Ultra Pure	Past Producer	1908, 1955
Baytown Sand and Clay Co	Clay, Sand and Gravel, Construction	Producer
Diamond Shamrock Barbers Hill Brine	Salt	Producer
Gulf Coast Portland Cement Co	Clay	Past Producer
U S Steel Texas Works	Iron	Producer
Unnamed Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Producer	Sand
Lost Lake Salt Dome	Halite	Occurrence	1925
Red Fish Salt Dome	Halite	Occurrence	Halite

Every populated place in the county

Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on.

Anahuac

Anahuac census division · 77514 · Anahuac quadrangle

12 sheets, 1942 to 1993
Beach City

77523 · Morgans Point quadrangle

17 sheets, 1916 to 1995
Clifton Beach

77518 · Bacliff quadrangle

15 sheets, 1932 to 1993
Cove

Mont Belvieu census division · 77523 · Near Bird Island · Cove quadrangle

12 sheets, 1950 to 1995
Double Bayou

Anahuac census division · 77514 · On Chimney Bayou · Oak Island quadrangle

10 sheets, 1950 to 1994
Eminence

Anahuac census division · 77597 · On Turtle Bayou · Anahuac quadrangle

12 sheets, 1942 to 1993
Figridge

Winnie-Stowell census division · 77665 · Stowell quadrangle

12 sheets, 1943 to 1993
Hankamer

Anahuac census division · 77560 · On Spring Branch · Anahuac quadrangle

12 sheets, 1942 to 1993
Monroe City

Anahuac census division · 77514 · Monroe City quadrangle

10 sheets, 1950 to 1994
Mont Belvieu

Mont Belvieu census division · 77580 · Near Barbers Hill · Mont Belvieu quadrangle

15 sheets, 1916 to 1994
Oak Island

Anahuac census division · 77514 · On West Fork Double Bayou · Oak Island quadrangle

10 sheets, 1950 to 1994
Old River-Winfree

Mont Belvieu census division · 77523 · Near Cherry Point Gully · Cove quadrangle

12 sheets, 1950 to 1995
Sea Breeze

Winnie-Stowell census division · 77665 · Whites Ranch quadrangle

10 sheets, 1950 to 1993
Smith Point

Anahuac census division · 77514 · Near Vingt-et-un Islands · Smith Point quadrangle

15 sheets, 1933 to 1993
Stowell

Winnie-Stowell census division · 77665 · Stowell quadrangle

12 sheets, 1943 to 1993
Turtle Bayou

Anahuac census division · 77514 · On Turtle Bayou · Anahuac quadrangle

12 sheets, 1942 to 1993
Wallisville

Anahuac census division · 77597 · Anahuac quadrangle

12 sheets, 1942 to 1993
Winnie

Winnie-Stowell census division · 77665 · Stowell quadrangle

12 sheets, 1943 to 1993

Everything this county holds

The complete index, with nothing left out. Each of these is a separate record with its own page: a federal survey report, or the case file that argued a property on to the National Register. Both are public domain and reproduced word for word.

Surveyed structures

1 structure

General Thomas Jefferson Chambers House

Provenance

Topographic sheets. USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection, county index, measured from the bulk metadata.
Fire insurance maps. Library of Congress Sanborn collection, faceted to this county.
Photographs. Each place queried individually against the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs search.
Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.