The Pompeian Villa in Port Arthur will hold a reopening celebration with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, tours and a reception on Wednesday, Nov. 4, from 4 to 6 p.m. The public is invited to the historic residence at 1953 Lakeshore Drive. The event is sponsored by the Museum of the Gulf Coast, the City of Port Arthur, the Port Arthur Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Port Arthur Historical Society and the Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce.
The home was built in 1900 by Isaac Ellwood, known as the "Texas Barbed Wire King," according to the Visit Port Arthur Texas website. The Port Arthur Historical Society acquired the home in the early 1970s. Members said the villa has furniture and paintings once owned by John W. "Bet-a-Million" Gates. Former Texas Governor Allan Shivers, a Port Arthur native, donated the crystal chandelier in the living room.
The villa closed in 2024. The city and the Historical Society made improvements guided by National Register of Historic Places standards. Repairs include storm-damaged roof railings, a replaced front portico and an updated electrical system. The home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has a Texas Historical Marker. For more information, call the Museum of the Gulf Coast at 409-982-7000.