Downtown Beaumont’s new Crosswalks walking tour dares to go beyond typical highlight reels by delving into the city’s complex history.

Launched by the Beaumont Heritage Society, the tour is offered every Friday and Saturday at 5:15 p.m. through Halloween.

The route covers about a mile of downtown, exploring pivotal moments like the Spindletop oil boom, Ben Rogers’ construction of the Hilton Hotel, and the influence of the Sun Oil Company.

What truly sets it apart is its willingness to confront challenging topics such as asbestos litigation and racial segregation—issues that have shaped Beaumont’s core and influenced how the city evolved.

The tour invites residents to reflect not only on the past, but on downtown’s future possibilities.

Tickets cost $20 at beaumontheritage.org, benefiting the Beaumont Heritage Society and the John Jay French Museum.

Beaumont is mourning Wanda Lou Grimes, who passed away September 13 at age 83.  

Grimes’ legacy stretches beyond her family, reaching deep into Southeast Texas and Louisiana through a law born from tragedy and determination.  

After losing her 20-year-old son Jeramy in a 1992 alcohol-related crash, Grimes — not a politician or activist by trade, but a long-time Avon employee and local substitute teacher — refused to let her grief define the ending.  

She tirelessly pushed lawmakers to change a Louisiana law that allowed bars to sell alcohol to minors.  

Her persistent journey from Beaumont to state capitals and Washington, D.C. led to the passage of “Jeramy’s Law” in 1995 and 1996, making it illegal to sell alcohol to anyone under 21.  

Grimes proved that one determined person can spark change, making communities safer for generations.

Many in Beaumont feel an unspoken sense that something vital is missing—an urge to matter in the place they call home.  

It isn’t about chasing bigger paychecks or new hobbies, but finding purpose rooted in personal passion or talent.  

Locals like Wanda Grimes, the founders of Go 4 The Bell, and the generational team at Zummo Meat Company didn’t wait for permission or a job title.  

They acted on what mattered to them, shaping the city through what they already loved or were driven by.  

This approach starts from within: identify what you enjoy, what you’re quietly strong at, and then discover where that need exists locally.  

If what you seek isn’t here yet, you may be the one to create it—just as every enduring organization once did.  

For those ready to make a difference, possibilities range from Meals on Wheels and the Beaumont Public Library to seats on local city boards or attending council meetings.  

All it takes is honesty about what you have to offer—and the will to act.