VIDOR's beginnings date back before the civil war as pioneers settled in the area. Homesteaders came to raise cattle, the primary livelihood until the turn of the century.In 1902 the area turned to timber when the Miller-Vidor Lumber Company began operations. The town was named for lumberman Charles Shelton Vidor, the son of pioneer director King Vidor.
Located in western Orange County, Vidor began as a site heavy in lumbering activities with the construction of the Texarkana and Fort Smith Railroad in 1898. C.S. Vidor acquired the Beaumont Sawmill Company and later established the Miller-Vidor Lumber Company, the site of the current city. In 1913, a company tram road was built and became known as the Peach Line, opening thousands of acres of virgin timber to loggers. In 1924 the Miller-Vidor Lumber Company moved to Lakeview because local timber stands were depleted, but a small settlement remained, and the Miller-Vidor subdivision was laid out in 1929. Eventually rice, cotton, and cattle developed into important local industries along with the chief industry of lumber. The Vidor Independent School District had its beginnings in 1929 when four common school districts (Magnolia Grove, Doty, Terry and Pine Forest) consolidated to form the Vidor Rural School District. The District became independent in 1949. From 1920 to 1940, the population increased from 50 residents to 2136. Voters defeated an attempt to incorporate the community in 1959, but reversed their decision a year later in 1960 and became a home rule city in 1967. By 1970, the population had grown to 9738 and Georgetown Texas Steel announced plans to build a $50 million plant in 1974, thus encouraging further growth.

Situated at the intersection of Interstate Highway 10 and State Highway 105, six miles east of Beaumont, today the city covers about 10.6 square miles. Vidor's rural atmosphere is still prevalent with the added attraction of being right in the heart of the Golden Triangle Metropolitan Area with its plentiful supplies of medical facilities, shopping malls, and a variety of amusements. Major attractions are the wooded areas and the availability of fresh water lakes for swimming and fishing. Recreation is plentiful with many public parks, hunting, and golfing to enjoy. The Gulf of Mexico and Sabine Lake are close by as well.

Boasting a population of 11,440 residents now, Vidor has flourished as a community. It continues to grow with its businesses and excellent educational system making Vidor a great place to live.
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