Area Information
Barbers Hill Independent School District
 The history of Barbers Hill Schools reaches back to 1885 with the creation of the Barbers Hill Common School District in West Chambers County. Some years later in 1929, the Barbers Hill Common District was consolidated with the Winfree Common District to form what is now recognized as the Barbers Hill Independent School District.
Composed of some 98 square miles, the Barbers Hill ISD is bordered by Trinity Bay on the south, the Trinity River to the east, and the Texas Highway 146 corridor to the west. To the north, the boundary abuts the southernmost border of the Dayton Independent School District. The district is located some 35 miles east of Houston on Interstate 10 and encompasses four small communities including the City of Mont Belvieu, Old River-Winfree, Beach City, and Cove, all of which proudly claim Barbers Hill Schools as their own.
The school district has six individual campuses located on a 230-acre site that also provides space for an administration building, athletic facilities and field house, as well as transportation and maintenance facilities. Barbers Hill High School was completed and occupied in the fall of 2001; Barbers Hill Elementary, the most recent addition to the school complex, opened in the fall of 2006.
 Technology is an integral part of the instructional program. More than 3,500 computers in classrooms and laboratories throughout the district are supported by a fiber optic network that functions in tandem with an evolving wireless capability. Teachers and other staff enjoy a high level of technical support, as well as training opportunities, to better facilitate the integration of technology into the curriculum at all levels.
Beyond technology, Barbers Hill Schools offer a broad range of course offerings and learning activities including gifted and talented and Advanced Placement programs, foreign language instruction beginning in middle school, and a variety of high-interest electives to supplement the core content curriculum. A large percentage of students participate in extra-curricular activities including theater, choral and band music, as well as numerous student service organizations and clubs. The boys’ and girls’ athletic programs offer a full range of opportunities for University Interscholastic League competition in football, volleyball, basketball, tennis, golf, softball, baseball and track – with a legacy of success in all sports.
The Barbers Hill Independent School District is fully accredited. Academic excellence and student success are at the core of its We can . . . We will philosophy, and the faculty and staff of more than 480 dedicated professionals are committed to that end.
Industry in West Chambers County
Our Friends Behind the Fences
 The West Chambers County area is strong, and growing stronger because of our industry – our friends behind the fences. They provide the stable tax base, gainful employment, and incredible compassion and spirit for our community.
Two million years ago, heat and pressure deep within the earth forced the salt remains of an ancient sea upwards – within 1,000 feet of the earth’s surface. This natural salt, not resembling table salt, had been forced by pressure into an impervious geological formation with rocklike properties.
 Today, the massive Barbers Hill Salt Dome is one of the largest salt domes found along the Gulf Coast. It measures 2.02 miles long by 1.7 miles wide.
The salt dome offers a more cost effective and safer storage solution for natural gas liquids (NGLs) than above-ground alternatives. The salt dome received its first storage well in 1955 when Dynegy Midstream Services, then known as Warren Petroleum, washed the salt from a well 2,654 feet deep and filled the cylindrical cavern with NGL product. After NGLs are fed into a well, a brine solution flows up or down the well core to move the product in or out. Every major pipeline in the United States passes through Mont Belvieu.
Many petrochemical products produced in West Chambers County are utilized in several end-user consumer products. Natural gas liquids used to heat houses, fire up your barbeque pit, and blend into motor fuels are produced here. After further processing in petrochemical plants, NGLs become a host of everyday products found in homes, such as detergents, paints, plastics, synthetic clothing, tires, fertilizers, toys and toiletries.
In the City of Mont Belvieu, 95 percent of all tax revenues are generated by the industrial plant facilities. Tax contributions allow residents in the area to enjoy low tax rates while their children reap the benefits from one of the best public school systems in Texas.
Industry in West Chambers County is integral in the shaping and growth of the community. The dedication of industry members is appreciated and applauded as team members foster an environment of stability, growth and family values.
Recreation
 Recreational opportunities abound in West Chambers County, with access to wonderful municipal parks, motor sports racing, hunting, fishing, and golf courses.
For revving, racing fun, visit the Houston Raceway Park, one of the best motor sports facilities in North America. With bleacher seating for 20,000 spectators and room for 600 race cars in the pit – the complex serves as the host site for numerous major events, including the NHRA O’Reilly Spring Nationals.
Enjoy a relaxing round of golf at the Eagle Pointe Golf Club in Mont Belvieu, or the Chambers County Golf Course located in Anahuac.
McCollum Park, on the shores of Trinity Bay, provides both picnic and camping facilities with easy access to the bay. Always a family-friendly community, the City of Mont Belvieu provides an assortment of public parks with sports and recreational activities for all. McLeod Park provides an Olympic-sized swimming pool, lighted tennis courts, baseball fields, and a pavilion. Arthur B. Davis Park showcases the historic Barbers Hill Oil Field and displays the oil derrick and pumping unit along with the town’s first barbershop. Children of all ages enjoy the playground equipment at additional city parks – Cherry Point Park, Crown Colony Park and Joe Matthews Park.
Hunting enthusiasts discover an exciting variety of game, including deer, duck, geese, waterfowl and quail. Anglers trolling Old and Lost Rivers, Cotton Bayou, Cotton Lake and Trinity River find plentiful species of fish to reel in, including bass, catfish, crappie and bluegill.
Eagle Pointe Golf Club & Recreation Complex
Nestled in the City of Mont Belvieu, the Eagle Pointe Golf Club & Recreation Complex is an oasis of recreational fun for both families and corporations. This public facility, owned by the City of Mont Belvieu, features the highly acclaimed Eagle Pointe Golf Club – a top-ranked course with 40-foot elevation changes, cascading waterfalls, and forested surroundings. Eagle Pointe also offers a state-of-the-art health and fitness complex complete with racquetball and tennis courts, indoor heated lap pool, 4,300-square-foot strength and cardio area, basketball gymnasium, outdoor nature jogging trail, tanning salon, and restaurant. Services include personal training, group exercise, child watch, and massage therapy. During the summer months, guests can also enjoy the wave pool – a hot weather favorite that offers an exciting brand of entertainment for water lovers. The Eagle Pointe Conference Center also provides an outstanding venue for hosting banquets, meetings, and holiday parties.
 J.J. Mayes Wildlife Trace
Located within the Wallisville Lake Project, the new J.J. Mayes Wildlife Trace provides a wonderful opportunity for nature observers and families to enjoy a close-up view of the wildlife and natural habitats in West Chambers County. Visitors to the complex drive along a four-mile nature trail with birds-eye views of scenic marshes and abundant wildlife. The park offers a variety of trails, roads, boardwalks, and picnic facilities. The facility also offers observation decks overlooking the Trinity River, and a handicap-accessible trail containing over 1,000 feet of board-walk. The Wildlife Trace is named after Joshua Jackson Mayes, one of the largest cattle ranchers of Chambers County and a storied Texas soldier who fought in numerous battles around the time of the Mexican War.
Economy
 Chambers County is located in the Gulf Coast region of Texas surrounded by the industrial cities of Beaumont, Port Arthur, and the eastern portion of the Houston metropolitan area. The western section of Chambers County borders Baytown and the eastern quadrant of Houston, a region that thrives due to the heavy petrochemical and plastic industries at home there. With barge access to the Houston Ship Channel, its proximity to the Houston Port Authority, and the commercial air transportation facilities of Hobby Airport and the George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, the west side of the county is ideal for industrial and light industrial development.
In the past few years, Chambers County has seen a steady increase in the number of people moving into the area. This increase is primarily due to the availability of land, a low crime rate, excellent school districts, and the easy access to the surrounding larger metropolitan areas. With this influx of people, businesses have moved in, and people have been put to work.
The region offers a business climate conducive to success with a high-quality lifestyle that is rich in heritage. Chambers County possesses 40 state-recognized historical markers, as well as museums and libraries that provide information on the complex history of the area. In addition, recreation activities such as bird-watching, boating, fishing, hunting, camping, and other outdoor activities are plentiful due to the mild climate, lakes, beaches, and wildlife management areas in the county. Major universities, art museums, ballet companies, symphonies, professional sports, and numerous cultural facilities are in the area.
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