Idle Hours
National Register of Historic Places

Idle Hours

Beaumont, Jefferson County, Texas
Listed
May 21, 1978
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
78002961

About this property

The house nicknamed "Idle Hours" was built in 1903 by architect Frank T. Smith for L.P. Ogden and his wife Cynthia. Because the house was considered to be out in the country at the time of its construction, Mrs. Ogden preferred to retain her town home and named her new country estate "Idle Hours". The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. The home was owned by several prominent Beaumont families. In 1970 it was donated to Land Manor, a non-profit organization which subsequently converted the residence into a halfway house to help people return to society. In 2002 it once again became a private residence of the Bienvenu family and continues to be known by the many locals as "Bienvenu Manor". The Bienvenu family continues to do extensive renovations to restore the carriage house, servant's quarters and the large main house.

Location

1608 Orange St.
Beaumont, Jefferson County, Texas
30.06885, -94.09930

Categories

ARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Idle Hours

This page lists Idle Hours. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Idle Hours report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Hinchee House
Industrial
0.3 mi
Jefferson County Courthouse
Industrial
0.8 mi
Jefferson Theater
Pre Contact
0.9 mi
Beaumont Commercial District (Boundary Increase)
Industrial
0.9 mi
Beaumont Commercial District
Listed
1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Idle Hours listed on the National Register?

Idle Hours was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 21, 1978.

What type of historic resource is Idle Hours?

Idle Hours is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Idle Hours?

The period of significance for Idle Hours is recorded as the industrial era, specifically around 1903.

Can I research the history near Idle Hours?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Idle Hours will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Jefferson County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Jefferson County.

Explore JeffersonCounty ›

More historic places in Texas

Browse all historic places in Texas.

View Texashistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Texas history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Texashistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Idle Hours will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report