Fannett, Texas
Encyclopedia
Fannett is an unincorporated town
in Jefferson County
, Texas
, United States
, about 15 miles (24 km) southwest of Beaumont
. It is part of the Beaumont–Port Arthur
Metropolitan Statistical Area
. The community is named after B. J. Fannett, a local landowner who opened a general store there in the 1890s. When Japan
ese immigrants brought rice
farming to the area, Fannett grew to meet the farmers' needs.
Although oil has been discovered near Fannett, the town's population has remained small. Official 2000 census estimates place its population at 105. In 1961, the Fannett Independent School District was combined with that of neighboring Hamshire
, forming the Hamshire-Fannett Independent School District
.
In 1993 and again in 2004, Fannett was the center of a controversy over the naming of Jap Road (now Boondocks Road
). The road had been named in the early 20th century to honor immigrant rice farmer Yoshio Mayumi. However, the meaning of the word "Jap
" had changed over time, transforming an honor into an ethnic slur.
Fannett is home to the Clifton Steamboat Museum, which features a large exhibit on Lieutenant Commander Harry Brinkley Bass
(after whom the USS Brinkley Bass
was named).
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in Jefferson County
Jefferson County, Texas
Jefferson County is a county located in the state of Texas, United States. As of 2000, the population was 252,051. Its county seat is Beaumont, and it is named for the former U.S...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, about 15 miles (24 km) southwest of Beaumont
Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont is a city in and county seat of Jefferson County, Texas, United States, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's population was 118,296 at the 2010 census. With Port Arthur and Orange, it forms the Golden Triangle, a major industrial area on the...
. It is part of the Beaumont–Port Arthur
Port Arthur, Texas
-Demographics:As of the 2000 census, there were 57,755 people, 21,839 households, and 14,675 families residing in the city. The population density was 696.5 people per square mile . There were 24,713 housing units at an average density of 298.0 per square mile...
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Beaumont–Port Arthur metropolitan area
The Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Area is defined by the United States Census Bureau as a three-county region in Southeast Texas, east of the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The area is also known as the Golden Triangle...
. The community is named after B. J. Fannett, a local landowner who opened a general store there in the 1890s. When Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese immigrants brought rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
farming to the area, Fannett grew to meet the farmers' needs.
Although oil has been discovered near Fannett, the town's population has remained small. Official 2000 census estimates place its population at 105. In 1961, the Fannett Independent School District was combined with that of neighboring Hamshire
Hamshire, Texas
Hamshire is an unincorporated community in western Jefferson County, Texas, United States. It is part of the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area. Hamshire, commonly referred to by some of its inhabitants as "Hamshire, America", is on State Highway 124 twenty miles southwest of...
, forming the Hamshire-Fannett Independent School District
Hamshire-Fannett Independent School District
Hamshire-Fannett Independent School District is a public school district based in the Hamshire community of unincorporated Jefferson County, Texas, United States. The district was formed in 1961 by the consolidation of Hamshire-New Holland I.S.D...
.
In 1993 and again in 2004, Fannett was the center of a controversy over the naming of Jap Road (now Boondocks Road
Boondocks Road
Boondocks Road is a 4.3-mile road in Fannett, Texas .- History :In the early 20th century, Japanese immigrant Yoshio Mayumi and his brother Yasuo settled in Fannett, purchasing 1734 acres of land...
). The road had been named in the early 20th century to honor immigrant rice farmer Yoshio Mayumi. However, the meaning of the word "Jap
Jap
Jap is an English abbreviation of the word "Japanese." Today it is generally regarded as an ethnic slur, although English-speaking countries differ in the degree to which they consider the term offensive. In the United States, Japanese Americans have come to find the term controversial or...
" had changed over time, transforming an honor into an ethnic slur.
Fannett is home to the Clifton Steamboat Museum, which features a large exhibit on Lieutenant Commander Harry Brinkley Bass
Harry Brinkley Bass
Harry Brinkley "Brink" Bass was a U.S. Navy pilot who was twice awarded the Navy Cross for his heroic actions in the Pacific theater during World War II. Bass died over Vanosc, in southern France when his plane was shot down by anti-aircraft fire...
(after whom the USS Brinkley Bass
USS Brinkley Bass (DD-887)
USS Brinkley Bass was a Gearing-class destroyer of the United States Navy. She was named for Lieutenant Commander Harry Brinkley Bass USN , who was killed in action when his plane crashed in combat during the invasion of southern France on 20 August 1944.-Construction:Brinkley Bass was laid down...
was named).