In celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, the First SETX Resiliency Digital Collection consists of 250 items, including digital images, photographs, documents, and personal letters dating as early as 1878. This collection, catalogued online, represents photographs for which printed copies exist, including 75% original images never digitized before.
This digital collection is a manifestation of the resilient spirit of Southeast Texas and its people. The images offer a look at struggles overcome and sacrifices made, as much as the successful recovery and celebration of life, in a region notable for natural disasters and significant resources. Our hope is that this collection will generate curiosity about the context of these images and result in awareness of what it takes to be resilient anywhere.
The First SETX Resiliency Digital Collection is designed and led by Dr. Nina Gjoçi, as part of the Center for Resiliency’s Historical Research Project. The collection is made possible by Judson Ripper and Mathew Ard, both undergraduate honors students at ÃÛÌÒÊÓÆµ University. Matt and Jud traveled throughout the region, from Jasper, Hardin, Orange, and Jefferson counties, collecting images and then editing and preparing them for cataloguing. Dr. Theresa Hefner-Babb led and finalized online cataloguing of the images.
This collection is made possible by our remarkable contributors, as follows: Margaret Toal (Historian & Journalist, Orange County), Julia Napper (Women’s Civic Club, Jasper Historical Museum), Gayle Meigs (Jasper County Historical Commission), Pastor Billy Kilpatrick (Freedom Fellowship Silsbee), Lisa Kotz (Jasper County Historical Museum), Susan Kilcrease (Ice House Museum, Hardin County), Christina Babcock (Dow Sabine River Operations and the Orange House Museum), Adam Conrad (Heritage House Museum of Orange County), Jeff Loftin (Pine Ridge Baptist Church), Dr. Theresa Hefner-Babb and Charlotte Holliman (LU Library), Shelby Brannan and Jayden Franke (Beaumont Heritage Society), and William Grace and Sarah Grimm (Tyrrell Historical Library).
Copyright: The First SETX Resiliency Digital Collection is to be used for academic research and strictly for non-commercial purposes. Any other use of these images is illegal. This is a product of the Center for Resiliency at ÃÛÌÒÊÓÆµ University.
View the full collection of 250 pictures
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For the full transcription of this episode, visit .
Hero image was made possible by Judson Ripper and Mathew Ard

Photograph of a man in a hard hat looking up at plant infrastructure at DuPont Sabine River Works.

Photograph of a group of WPA workers paving Peachtree Street in Jasper, TX.

Photograph of contractor Laurence Winfree on a horse, pointing at DuPont Sabine River Works (now Dow Sabine River Operations).

Photograph taken by Eulis Hancock of men gathered around rubble in downtown Jasper, TX, after a fire caused by the detonation of a large amount of dynamite used in an attempted robbery.

Photograph of the Jasper State Bank on the north side of the courthouse square in Jasper, TX.

Photograph of floodwaters and residents in downtown Beaumont, Texas.

Photograph of a fleet of ships at the U.S. Naval Station in Orange, TX. Note HHM 1337.

Photograph of the Rainbow Bridge, constructed in 1936 over the Neches River.

Photograph of members of the Sabine River Works DuPont Plant Fire Brigade seated under a covered area during training.

Photograph of two DuPont plant employees standing in front of an American National Red Cross vehicle, sipping from paper cups.

Photograph of Cornerstone laid for First Baptist Church of Orange, TX.

Undated photograph of men standing on the platform of an oil derrick at the Toal Industrial Oil Company in Orange, TX. The man second from the left is Tom Toal Sr.; the seventh man from the left is Oscar Winfree; the eight man from the left is Charlie Schrieber; the eleventh man from the left is Dave Craft. The caption at the bottom right reads, "WARD JAYCOX / BEAUMONT TEXAS."

Photograph of T.G. Warren guiding mules, Bess and Kate, along a field in order to cut the grass.

Photograph of the exterior of the Jasper County Jail following its completion in 1937.

Photograph of the Woman's Civic Club Clubhouse and members.

Photograph of a Civilian Pilot Training class from ÃÛÌÒÊÓÆµ State College standing in front of an airplane.

Photograph of the exterior of the Jasper Community House, on the corner or North Bowie Street and West Milam Street.

A map detailing the locations of concrete street marker locations in Jasper, TX.


Photograph of a car with a banner attached to the door reading, "RED CROSS KIT BAGS / Come on Good People For that Kit / A Dollar Please For Overseas."

Undated photograph of an aerial view of the Levingston Shipbuilding Company in Orange, TX. Warehouses and shipbuilding equipment extend along the coastline. Several boats are stationed along the docks, and one boat sits in a dry dock. Downtown Orange is visible in the background.

Photograph of the Jasper Steers semi-professional baseball team based in Jasper, TX.

The Silsbee Bee issue dated August 12, 1927, headline article detailing the improvements to the upcoming Hardin County Fair.

An article from the Orange Leader details the start of production at the newly constructed DuPont Sabine River Works plant in Orange, TX.

Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition to Pine Ridge Baptist Church, congratulating them on their 150 year anniversary.

Photograph of the sign in front of the newly completed church building. It reads, "Building because Jesus saves."

Photograph of the Provost Umphrey Stadium, showing a flooded field and scattered debris in the distance.

Photograph of the ÃÛÌÒÊÓÆµ University quadrangle from the Setzer Center, showing fallen trees and scattered debris across the area.

Photograph of a torn American flag caught in the branches of a tree on ÃÛÌÒÊÓÆµ University campus after Hurricane Rita. Five white stars and two distinct red and white stripes are visible.