Sarah Bellian: Betting, Brothels and Booze in Southeast Texas

For this episode, we're sharing a conversation with Sarah Bellian from 2017. At the time, Sarah was the Curator for the Museum of the Gulf Coast in Port Arthur, Texas and had just unveiled a temporary exhibition exploring the underworld of vices in southeast Texas that led to the infamous James Commission in 1961. Although the exhibition is no longer on view, our discussion still offers some insight into a fascinating period in southeast Texas history. Our thanks to Sarah Bellian. The Museum of the Gulf Coast plans to incorporate objects from the exhibition into the permanent exhibits at some point. Beyond that, the Museum has a wide range of exhibits that cover the history, natural history and popular culture of southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana. It is located at 700 Procter Street in Port Arthur. For more information check out their website at museumofthegulfcoast.org. If you enjoy the conversations shared in this podcast, please remember to share it and subscribe to Bayoulands TALKS wherever you find your podcasts. You can also listen on NPR One along with other podcast offerings from KVLU public radio. And join us on social media at 91.3 KVLU Public Radio on Facebook and bayoulands on Instagram. Bayoulands TALKS is produced in the studios of 91.3 KVLU Public Radio in Beaumont, Texas by Shannon Harris and Jason M. Miller. For more information and to stream KVLU online visit: kvlu.org.