Houston, Texas
The City of Houston is the fourth largest city in the United States and one of the two largest economic areas in the state of Texas. The city is the county seat of Harris County, the third most populous county in the country. A portion of southwest Houston extends into Fort Bend County and a small portion in the northeast extends into Montgomery County. As of the U.S. Census 2000, the city had a total population of 1,953,631, but a July 1, 2003, U.S. Census estimate placed the city's population at 2,009,690. Houston is one of the newest and fastest growing major cities in the United States. In 1900, the population in Houston was about 45,000 and it was the 85th largest town in the United States. There are now approximately over 5,000,000 people living in the Houston—Sugar Land—Baytown Metropolitan Statistical Area, the eighth largest metropolitan area in the United States. |
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| City nickname: "Space City" |
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| Incorporated | 1837 |
| Counties | Harris County Fort Bend County Montgomery County |
| Mayor | Bill White |
| Area - Total - Water |
1,558.4 km² (601.7 mi²) 57.7 km² (22.3 mi²) 3.70% |
| Population
- City (2003) - Density |
1,301.8/km² |
| Time zone | Central: UTC-6 |
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Latitude |
29°40' N |
| www.houstontx.gov | |
The city of Houston was incorporated in 1837. Today, the city limits cover about 600 square miles (1,600 km²) in area, and it's also the largest city in the United States which does not have zoning laws.
Skyline of Downtown Houston from Eleanor Tinsley Park Houston Skyline DistrictHouston is world renowned for its energy industry (particularly oil), aeronautics industry and ship channel. The Port of Houston is one of the busiest ports in the United States, second in the world as far as foreign tonnage. Because of the economic trades, many residents have moved in from other U.S. states, as well as hundreds of countries worldwide. Houston is considered a "Gamma World City" by the GaWC.
Houston is home to many institutions of higher learning such as the University of Houston, which is Texas' premier metropolitan extensive research university and also the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Houston is also home to Rice University, a well known private institution which boasts one of the largest financial endowments of any university in the world. Other major institutions of higher learning in Houston include University of Saint Thomas, Houston Baptist University, University of Houston-Clear Lake, University of Houston-Downtown, and Texas Southern University.
Officially, Houston has been nicknamed the Space City. "Houston" was the first word uttered on the moon, as Neil Armstrong reported back to NASA. It is known by the locals, however, as the Bayou City. (Other nicknames include "H-Town", "Clutch City", and "Magnolia City".)
Rice Stadium, at Rice University, was the home to the Super Bowl VIII, and Super Bowl XXXVIII was played at the Reliant Stadium in February 2004.
In 2005, Men's Fitness magazine named Houston the fattest city in the U.S. The city has also the recipient of this award in years prior, including 2001, 2002, and 2003. Methodology for determining for the 2005 status included the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's survey which listed 23% of Houston residents as clinically obese, as well as other less serious statistics, such as Houston having twice the number of donut shops per capita compared to the national average.
Main article: History of Houston
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1,558.4 km² (601.7 mi²). 1,500.7 km² (579.4 mi²) of it is land and 57.7 km² (22.3 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 3.70% water.
Houston's climate is classified as being humid subtropical. The city is located in the gulf coastal plains biome, and the vegetation is classified as a temperate grassland. Much of Houston was built on forested land, marshes or prairie, all of which can still be seen in surrounding areas. Average yearly precipitation levels range from 36 to 48 inches. Prevailing winds are from the south and southeast during most of the year, bringing heat from the deserts of Mexico and moisture from the Gulf of Mexico.
In summertime, daily high temperatures are in the 90 to 105 °F range throughout much of July and August. The air tends to feel still and the humidity (often 90 to 100% relative humidity) makes the air feel hotter than it really is. To cope with the heat, people use air conditioning in nearly every car and post-war building in the city.
Summer thunderstorms sometimes bring the moderately common tornadoes to the area. Afternoon rains are not uncommon, and Houston meteorologists are not given to predicting a zero percent chance of rain on most days.
Winters in Houston are cool and temperate. The coolest period is usually in January, when north winds bring winter rains. Snow is almost unheard of, and typically does not accumulate when it is seen.
Houston has four major bayous passing through the city. The Buffalo Bayou, which runs into downtown, the Brays Bayou, which runs along the Texas Medical Center, White Oak Bayou runs through the Heights and near northwest area and the Sims Bayou in the south of Houston merge in downtown Houston into the Houston Ship Channel. The Ship Channel goes past Galveston, Texas into the Gulf of Mexico.
A simulated-color satellite image of Houston, Texas, taken on NASA's Landsat 7 satellite.Most of Houston is very flat and is about fifty feet above sea level in elevation; the Houston Heights area has the highest elevation in the city. The city once relied on groundwater for its water needs. Land subsidence forced the city to turn to ground-level water sources such as Lake Houston.
Hurricanes have slammed into the Texas Gulf Coast on numerous occasions; several have passed through Houston, causing death and destruction. The Galveston Hurricane of 1900 led to Galveston losing its status as the major port city and economic power in Southeast Texas; development of the Ship Channel and its port refineries shifted the honor to Houston. The last hurricane of consequence to hit Houston was Hurricane Alicia in 1983, but Tropical Storm Allison in 2001 caused billions of dollars in damages.
Flooding has proved to be an increasingly serious problem in Houston. Houston's worst contemporary flood was Tropical Storm Allison which passed through the city in June, 2001. Many neighborhoods have changed since the storm; older houses in some afflicted neighborhoods have been torn down and replaced with larger houses with larger foundations.
Houston's climate is often compared to that of Dallas, Texas. Dallas has a hot and dry climate while Houston has a hot and humid climate. While Dallas gets hotter temperatures, Houston's heat index is often higher.
Like many areas of Texas, Houston suffers from the Red Imported Fire Ant.
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 1,953,631 people, 717,945 households, and 457,330 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,301.8/km² (3,371.7/mi²). There are 782,009 housing units at an average density of 521.1/km² (1,349.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 49.27% White, 25.31% Black or African American, 0.44% Native American, 5.31% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 16.46% from other races, and 3.15% from two or more races. 37.41% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 717,945 households out of which 33.1% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.2% are married couples living together, 15.3% have a female householder with no husband present, and 36.3% are non-families. 29.6% of all households are made up of individuals and 6.2% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.67 and the average family size is 3.39.
In the city the population is spread out with 27.5% under the age of 18, 11.2% from 18 to 24, 33.8% from 25 to 44, 19.1% from 45 to 64, and 8.4% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 31 years. For every 100 females there are 99.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 97.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $36,616, and the median income for a family is $40,443. Males have a median income of $32,084 versus $27,371 for females. The per capita income for the city is $20,101. 19.2% of the population and 16.0% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 26.1% of those under the age of 18 and 14.3% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
The Hispanic population in Houston is increasing as more and more people from Latin countries try to find work in Houston. Hispanics make up a significant amount of the population. Houston has the third largest Hispanic population in the United States. People from Asia such as China, South Korea, Japan, India, Pakistan, and Vietnam have been immigrating to Houston. Houston has two Chinatowns, as well as the third largest Vietnamese American population in the United States. Recent redevelopment of Midtown from run-down to upscale has increased property values and property taxes thus forcing the Vietnamese American out of their current neighborhood into other areas. Houston has the second highest South African population in the United States, after Miami, Florida. Houston also boasts of having a population with a younger age than the national average.
Like many other large cities in the United States, Houston is a very diverse city with a variety of different ethnic groups. About 90 languages are spoken in the area. In some neighborhoods, street signs are seen in Chinese and Vietnamese.
Because the Houston—Sugar Land—Baytown and the Dallas—Fort Worth—Arlington metropolitan areas are both the major economic centers of the state, they enjoy a friendly rivalry. Houstonians often consider themselves more "down to earth" than their neighbors to the north. This rivalry often leads to comparison of the assets of one city to the assets of the other. For example, although Dallas has more restaurants per person than even New York City, Houstonians eat out more often than residents of any other city in the United States, and the only city in which eating out is cheaper than Houston is New Orleans, Louisiana.
Several Houston-based restaurants, such as Ninfa Laurenzo's Mama Ninfa's Mexican restaurant chain, Johnny Carrabba's Carrabba's, and Kim Su Tran La's Kim Sơn Vietnamese restaurant chain, have become well known in Texas and throughout the country. The design for the first Compaq computer was sketched on a napkin at House of Pies, a notable diner near the Montrose area.
Furthermore, aided by the popularity of the late hip-hop artist DJ Screw, Houston is known among youth, primarily in the South, as having its own distinctive style of hip-hop commonly known as screw music or referred to locally as simply "screw." Many young Houstonians of all ethnicities and socioeconomic backgrounds who were in touch with the local hip-hop culture may remember the advent of this form of Southern rap which began to take place around late 1999.
See also:
Houston, being the largest city in the United States without zoning laws, has grown in an unusual manner. Rather than a single “downtown” as the center of the city's employment, five additional business districts have grown throughout the inner-city. Note that if these business districts were considered one, they would form the third largest in the United States. The city also has the third largest skyline in the United States (after New York City and Chicago, Illinois), but because it is spread over a few miles, pictures of the city show, for the most part, the Downtown area.
The following are areas of the inner-city:
Zip codes in Houston range from 77002 to 77099. However, a small portion of northeast Houston has the zip codes of 77339 and 77345.
A popular day trip may include Galveston where people can visit Moody Gardens or visit a nearby beach. Before near destruction in 1900 Galveston was the larger and wealthier of the two cities and dubbed "The Wall Street of the Southwest", and was on par with New Orleans as the Gulf Coast's premier city. The city's vulnerability on a narrow barrier bar island led to the creation of the mainland Houston Ship Channel made by the dredging of shallow Buffalo Bayou and Galveston Bay to form a protected port some 40 miles (64 km) inland of the open Gulf and less than 10 miles (16 km) from Houston's central business district. Beach houses owned by Houstonians have sprung up in other cities along the shoreline to the Gulf of Mexico. Another tourist hot spot is Kemah where visitors see the Kemah Boardwalk, which has many seafood restaurants and local tourist attractions. Kemah is surrounded by Galveston Bay to the east and Clear Lake (a brackish-water boater's paradise with open pass through to Galveston Bay) to the west.
Locations in Houston are generally classified as either being inside or outside Interstate 610, known as the 610 Loop which include the Central business district and the 'island' cities of West University (West U.), and Southside Place, and a portion of Bellaire. The outlying areas of Houston, as well as the rest of Bellaire, the airports and the suburbs and enclaves are outside the loop. Another ring road, Beltway 8 (also known simply as the "Beltway"), encircles the city another 5 miles (8 km) further out. Yet a third - the "Grand Parkway", has begun construction roughly 10 miles (16 km) beyond that around the outer suburbs and currently extends from Katy to Sugar Land.
Locations within the Houston city limits that are inside the 610 Loop traditionally used the 713 area code. Those outside the 610 Loop that are within the city limits normally receive the 281 or 832 area code. However, the geographic division between 713, 281, and 832 has been eliminated, and newly issued phone numbers (especially for cell phones and fax machines) within that zone may be assigned any of the three codes. Areas far north, west, east and south of the inner-city also use 936 and/or 409.
For a full list of the cities in the Houston area, see:
Houston's size and lack of zoning have contributed to decentralization, or urban sprawl, which, combined with the humidity and hot summers, has made the automobile the favored means of transportation. This dependence on cars causes various pollution problems, including excessive ozone levels. Houston is ranked among the most ozone-polluted cities in the United States.
Houston freeways are heavily traveled and often being reconstructed to meet the demands of continuing growth. Interstate 45 south has been in a continuous state of construction, in one portion or another, almost since the first segment was built in 1952. Texas Department of Transportation (TX DOT) planners have been running experiments to reduce traffic congestion at rush hour. The primary method currently in use is the High-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane for vans and carpools. Timed freeway entrances, which regulate the addition of cars to the freeway, are also common. Houston has an extensive network of freeway cameras linked to a transit control center to monitor and study traffic.
One unusual characteristic of Houston's freeways are its frontage roads. Alongside most freeways are two to four lanes in each direction parallel to the freeway permitting easy access to individual city streets. The frontage roads make freeway access very easy, but due to their visibility to passing traffic, they have attracted most of Houston's gas stations and major retail stores. New landscaping projects and a longstanding ban on new billboards are two ways that Houston is trying to back away from this side effect of convenience.
Houston has a hub-and-spoke freeway structure with multiple loops. The innermost is Interstate 610, forming approximately a 10 mile diameter loop around downtown. The roughly square "Loop-610" is quartered into "North Loop," "South Loop," "West Loop," and "East Loop." The roads of Beltway 8 and their freeway core, the Sam Houston Parkway, are the next loop, at a diameter of roughly 25 miles. Most of this freeway requires payment of $1 or more toll every five or ten miles. A controversial proposed highway project, Texas Highway 99, would form a third loop outside of Houston. Currently, the completed portion of Texas Highway 99 runs from just north of Interstate 10 east of Katy in Harris County to Sugar Land in Fort Bend County at U.S. Highway 59 and was completed in 1994. The next portion to be constructed is from the current terminus at U.S. Highway 59 to Texas Highway 288 in Brazoria County.
For a road map of Houston, click here (http://www.soulofamerica.com/images/maps/houston_map.jpeg)
Residents often refer to Freeways and Tollways by their names instead of numbers.
The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas, or METRO, provides public transportation in the form of buses, trolleys, and lift vans. Uptown, METRO provides free service on the Uptown Shuttle. The city got the METRORail, a light rail service, on January 1, 2004. It runs primarily along Main Street from central Downtown Houston to the Texas Medical Center and Reliant Park. A 27 mile (43 km) expansion has been approved to run the service all along the central Houston area, including Uptown. METRO hopes to expand the Light Rail to the 2 major airports, as well as the Bay Area, Katy, Spring and along the Southwest Freeway. This is Texas's second major light rail service, after DART's light rail service in Dallas, Texas. Although now only about 8 miles (13 km) long a long term plan is being developed for several more much longer line segments connecting diverse corners of the metropolitan area.
Two METRORail cars - #101 and #102 - are the only METRO vehicles with dedication plaques to former mayor Lee P. Brown and former METRO chairwoman Shirley DeLibero.
Houston is served by George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and William P. Hobby Airport (HOU).
Bush Airport handles all of the city's international traffic. Hobby has a lot of the intra-United States traffic that is headed for downtown, southern Houston, Galveston, and the southern suburbs; it also handles all flights by Southwest Airlines from Houston.
The only passenger traffic that Ellington Field (EFD) ever handled consists of passengers going to and from Galveston County flying to Bush Airport to reduce travel time to that said airport. Passenger flights ended on September 7, 2004. Ellington Field is in danger of closing down, as of February 2004.
To the southwest of Houston, in Sugar Land, is the Sugar Land Regional Airport (SGR), formerly Sugar Land Municipal Airport. Sugar Land Regional Airport is the fourth largest airport in the Houston—Sugar Land—Baytown Metropolitan Area, and the only general reliever airport in the southwest sector. The airport mostly serves corporate, governmental, and private clienteles, while it is owned and operated by the City of Sugar Land. A new 20,000 SF Terminal and a 60-acre GA Complex, are currently under construction, with the Terminal completion expected in Spring 2006.
Houston has had several growth spurts in relation to the Texas oil industry. Unlike most places, where high gas prices are seen as harmful to the economy, they are generally seen as beneficial for Houston as many are employed in the energy industry.
Houston became a major port as a result of the downfall of Galveston and the rise of the Houston Ship Channel. The 1920s had Houston's first growth spurt.
The city's second growth spurt occurred in the late 1970s, with the Arab Oil Embargo. Demand on Texas oil increased, and many people from the northeast came down to profit from the trade. When the embargo was lifted, the growth stopped. However, Pasadena still has its refineries, and the Port of Houston is among the busiest in the world. Houston has attempted to build a banking industry in the city, but all of the companies which had been started in Houston were merged with other companies nationwide. It still is vital to the region, but most of the banks operating there are not based in Houston. Real Estate is also a large business in the Houston area, and NASA's presence in the city's southeast side has provided an additional economic boost.
Houston is unique in being the largest American city without zoning regulations.
The city has the second lowest cost of living in comparison to other major U.S. cities, and the housing in Houston is among the most affordable in the Nation.
See also:
Houston is the county seat of Harris County. A portion of southwest Houston, east of Missouri City, extends into Fort Bend County and also portion of northeast Houston extends into Montgomery County.
The current mayor of Houston is Bill White, who is serving his first term. A mayor, who is the executive branch of the city government, can be elected consecutively for three terms.
City Council members, who make up the legislative branch, are elected from nine districts in the city, along with five at-large positions. At-large council members represent the entire city, as well as collaborate with district council members in response to district concerns.
Local municipal government in the City of Houston is considered as a home-rule city, and members of city council and the Controller's position are nonpartisan.
The City of Houston has been enforcing the 3-term rule since November 1991 after a referendum passed. Several former city officials - Anthony Hall, Rodney Ellis, Sheila Jackson-Lee, Sylvia Garcia, Martha Wong, Chris Bell, and Annise Parker - had to run for another elected position either as a Democrat or Republican once their term expires. Controller Annise Parker is the only ex-council member who ran for a nonpartisan office.
There are several issues brought up in the Houston area with term limits - during Mayor Lee Brown's final term in office, he refers to term limits as a dis-service for elected officials since incumbents do not gain the needed experience in city government. A proposal to amend the Houston city charter where the current 2-year term will be amended to 4 years in office has been debated. As of 2005, several candidates for the Houston City Council have brought up the issue of whether term limits should be amended or eliminated.
See also:
Houston is served by the University of Houston System, the largest urban state system of higher education in the Gulf Coast, which has four universities with three located in Houston. Their flagship institution is the University of Houston, the only doctoral degree granting extensive research institution in Houston and is the third largest in the state of Texas with an enrollment of over 35,000. The interdisciplinary research conducted at UH breaks new ground in such vital areas as superconductivity, space commercialization, biomedical engineering, economics, education, petroleum exploration and management. UH is also home to over forty research centers and institutes. Amongst the most prestigious of the University of Houston's colleges is the University of Houston Law Center (law school). The UH Law Center's Health Law and Policy Institute is ranked number one in the nation while the Intellectual Property Law Program is ranked fifth, according to U.S. News & World Report.
Houston is the location of a well known prestigious private institution of Rice University, which boasts the largest financial endowment of any university in the world.
Houston is world renowned for health and medicine research facilities located in the Medical Center such as the Baylor College of Medicine and many others.
Other alternative of higher learning includes the Houston Community College System, which has several campuses around Houston to serve all areas and is one of the largest community college system in the United States.
See also:
Houston has a variety of newspapers, with the Houston Chronicle (which is the only major daily newspaper in Houston receiving wide distribution) being read all across the South-Central United States. Houston also is home to the TV stations and radio stations that serve the metro area.
ABC-13 KTRK TV's Wayne Dolcefino released a controversial report that allegedly showed bad business practices of a charity called "Kid Care". Since then, the charity's donations dwindled, leaving the owner fuming. The station also employs Marvin Zindler, whose week-long exposé on the Chicken Ranch brothel later became the basis for the Broadway musical The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.
KHOU-TV's team of "Defenders" began and lead a national investigation on the failure of Firestone Wilderness AT tires in several vehicles. These reports garnered the reporters and the station national and international attention and awards.
Univision Affiliate KXLN-TV is among the highest rated Spanish language television stations in the United States. It's "en su defensa" (In Your Defense) segments have garnered regional acclaim, and En Su Defensa month was proclaimed by Mayor Bill White in 2004.
See also:
Houston is home to several professional sports franchises. Here is a list of teams with the league they are a part of and the venue the play in:
Picture of the Reliant Stadium and the AstrodomeSee also:
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See also:. Jacksonville is the home of:. Here is a list of teams with the league they are a part of and the venue the play in:. The Sister Cities International in 2000 awarded Jacksonville's the Innovation Arts & Culture Award for the city's program with Nantes, France. Houston is home to several professional sports franchises. In 2000, Port Elizabeth, South Africa became the sixth. See also:. In 1990, Yingkou, China became the fifth. It's "en su defensa" (In Your Defense) segments have garnered regional acclaim, and En Su Defensa month was proclaimed by Mayor Bill White in 2004. In 1984, Nantes, France became the fourth. Univision Affiliate KXLN-TV is among the highest rated Spanish language television stations in the United States. In 1983, Masan, South Korea became the third. These reports garnered the reporters and the station national and international attention and awards. In 1975, Murmansk, Russia became the second. KHOU-TV's team of "Defenders" began and lead a national investigation on the failure of Firestone Wilderness AT tires in several vehicles. Jacksonville has several sister cities.[1] (http://www.jsca.org/) In 1967, Bahia Blanca, Argentina became Jacksonville's first sister city. The station also employs Marvin Zindler,
whose week-long exposé on the Chicken Ranch brothel later became the
basis for the Broadway musical The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. Houston has a variety of newspapers, with the Houston Chronicle (which is the only major daily newspaper in Houston receiving wide distribution) being read all across the South-Central United States. Also, Super Bowl XXXIX in 2005 presented a host of problems and challenges for the Jacksonville area. See also:. The city is struggling to keep a balance between traditionally lower taxes and accommodating its rising population. Other alternative of higher learning includes the Houston Community College System, which has several campuses around Houston to serve all areas and is one of the largest community college system in the United States. Roads are increasingly clogged with more cars and public schools are crowded with more students. Houston is world renowned for health and medicine research facilities located in the Medical Center such as the Baylor College of Medicine and many others. While the population increases, the city is forced to deal with maintaining an infrastructure that keeps up with this growth. Houston is the location of a well known prestigious private institution of Rice University, which boasts the largest financial endowment of any university in the world. Some issues the city deals with today include how to fix the school system (including violence on school buses), controversies
over a public high school named for Ku Klux Klan founder Nathan Bedford Forrest, and how to solve transportation problems (The Better Jacksonville Plan).
Jacksonville also faces a double-edged sword of development. The UH Law Center's Health Law and Policy Institute is ranked number one in the nation while the Intellectual Property
Law Program is ranked fifth, according to U.S.
News & World Report. The interdisciplinary research conducted at UH breaks new ground in such vital areas as superconductivity, space commercialization, biomedical engineering, economics, education, petroleum exploration and management. Other notable structures include the Modis Building (once the defining building in the Jacksonville skyline, owned by Independent Life) with its distinctive flared base and the Riverplace Tower, which is the tallest pre-cast, post-tension concrete structure in the world. Their flagship institution is the University of Houston, the only doctoral degree granting extensive research institution in Houston and is the third largest in the state of Texas with an enrollment of over 35,000. Downtown Jacksonville has a memorable skyline with the tallest building being the Bank of America Building, constructed in 1990 with a height of 617ft (188m). Houston is served by the University of Houston System, the largest urban state system of higher education in the Gulf Coast, which has four universities with three located in Houston. The city center includes the Jacksonville Landing shopping center and the Riverwalk. See also:. Johns River and Atlantic Ocean. As of 2005, several candidates for the Houston City Council have brought up the issue of whether term limits should be amended or eliminated. Jacksonville also has significant natural beauty from the St. A proposal to amend the Houston city charter where the current 2-year term will be amended to 4 years in office has been debated. The Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra makes regular performances at the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts near downtown. There are several issues brought up in the Houston area with term limits - during Mayor Lee Brown's final term in office, he refers to term limits as a dis-service for elected officials since incumbents do not gain the needed experience in city government. The city's biggest cultural event is the Jacksonville Jazz Festival, an annual event featuring many of the biggest names in jazz. Jacksonville also features two art museums, the Cummer Gallery of Art and the Jacksonville Museum of Modern Art. Controller Annise Parker is the only ex-council member who ran for a nonpartisan office. Both the University of North Florida and Jacksonville University also field athletic teams in a number of sports. Several former city officials - Anthony Hall, Rodney Ellis, Sheila Jackson-Lee, Sylvia Garcia, Martha Wong, Chris Bell, and Annise Parker - had to run for another elected position either as a Democrat or Republican once their term expires. Other sports events include the annual Kingfish Tournament held in July, the Florida-Georgia football game, commonly known as "The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party" held every October, and the Gator Bowl held in early January. The City of Houston has been enforcing the 3-term rule since November 1991 after a referendum passed. Professional tennis is in town each year when the WTA holds the Bausch & Lomb Championships at Amelia Island Plantation near Fernandina Beach, just north of Jacksonville. Local municipal government in the City of Houston is considered as a home-rule city, and members of city council and the Controller's position are nonpartisan. Jacksonville also features dozens of other golf courses and country clubs. At-large council members represent the entire city, as well as collaborate with district council members in response to district concerns. Augustine is home to the World Golf Village and World Golf Hall of Fame. City Council members, who make up the legislative branch, are elected from nine districts in the city, along with five at-large positions. Nearby St. A mayor, who is the executive branch of the city government, can be elected consecutively for three terms. In Ponte Vedra lies the Tournament Players Club at Sawgrass, one of the most famous golf courses in the world and home to the annual PGA TPC (The Player's Championship) tournament. The current mayor of Houston is Bill White, who is serving his first term. Jacksonville is also a hub for the world famous golf opportunities of North Florida. A portion of southwest Houston, east of Missouri City, extends into Fort Bend County and also portion of northeast Houston extends into Montgomery County. The game itself was played under ideal football weather (about 55 degrees Fahrenheit), and the New England Patriots defeated the Philadelphia Eagles, 24-21. Houston is the county seat of Harris County. Due to the milder climate and lesser amount of hotel space, many media critics decried Jacksonville as a sub-standard host for a Super Bowl, although local leaders felt the criticism was unwarranted. See also:. The game was held on February 6, 2005 and featured halftime entertainment by former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney. cities, and the housing in Houston is among the most affordable in the Nation. Jacksonville was named as the site for Super Bowl XXXIX, becoming the third city in the state of Florida (Miami and Tampa being the others) to host the event. The city has the second lowest cost of living in comparison to other major U.S. Jacksonville is home to a number of professional sports teams:. Houston is unique in being the largest American city without zoning regulations. In 2003, the JAXPORT Cruise Terminal opened, providing cruise service to Key West, Florida, The Bahamas, and Mexico. Real Estate is also a large business in the Houston area, and NASA's presence in the city's southeast side has provided an additional economic boost. Amtrak passenger railroad serves Jacksonville from a station on Clifford Lane in the Northwest section of the city. It still is vital to the region, but most of the banks operating there are not based in Houston. The city also operates an airfield at Cecil Commerce Center that is intended for aerospace manufacturing companies. Houston has attempted to build a banking industry in the city, but all of the companies which had been started in Houston were merged with other companies nationwide. Smaller planes can fly to Craig Airport on the southside and Herlong Airport on the westside. However, Pasadena still has its refineries, and the Port of Houston is among the busiest in the world. Major commercial air service in Jacksonville operates out of Jacksonville International Airport. When the embargo was lifted, the growth stopped. Hart Bridge, the Main Street Bridge, the Acosta Bridge, the Fuller Warren Bridge (which carries I-95 traffic) and the Buckman Bridge (which carries I-295 traffic). Demand on Texas oil increased, and many people from the northeast came down to profit from the trade. They include (starting from furthest downstream) the Dames Point Bridge, the Mathews Bridge, the Isaiah D. The city's second growth spurt occurred in the late 1970s, with the Arab Oil Embargo. Johns River at Jacksonville. The 1920s had Houston's first growth spurt. There are also numerous bridges over the St. Houston became a major port as a result of the downfall of Galveston and the rise of the Houston Ship Channel. Jacksonville is also home to the world headquarters of CSX Transportation. Unlike most places, where high gas prices are seen as harmful to the economy, they are generally seen as beneficial for Houston as many are employed in the energy industry. Interstate 95 has a bypass route, I-295, which currently bypasses the city to the west. I-295 will eventually become a loop when State Road 9A is completed in the southeastern portion of the county. Houston has had several growth spurts in relation to the Texas oil industry. However, there are very few Skyway stations and as such, traffic is quite light. A new 20,000 SF Terminal and a 60-acre GA Complex, are currently under construction, with the Terminal completion expected in Spring 2006. The city has the Jacksonville Skyway Monorail, which loops around the central business district and is fairly cheap to use. The airport mostly serves corporate, governmental, and private clienteles, while it is owned and operated by the City of Sugar Land. Public transportation is provided by the Jacksonville Transportation Authority. Sugar Land Regional Airport is the fourth largest airport in the Houston—Sugar Land—Baytown Metropolitan Area, and the only general reliever airport in the southwest sector. Turner Butler Boulevard (SR 202) also connect Jacksonville to the beaches. To the southwest of Houston, in Sugar Land, is the Sugar Land Regional Airport (SGR), formerly Sugar Land Municipal Airport. Additionaly, several other roads as well a major local expressway, J. Ellington Field is in danger of closing down, as of February 2004. The eastern terminus of US-90 is in nearby Jacksonville Beach near the Atlantic Ocean. Passenger flights ended on September 7, 2004. Interstate Highway 10 ends at this intersection (the other end being in California). The only passenger traffic that Ellington Field (EFD) ever handled consists of passengers going to and from Galveston County flying to Bush Airport to reduce travel time to that said airport. Interstate Highways 10 and 95 intersect in Jacksonville. Hobby has a lot of the intra-United States traffic that is headed for downtown, southern Houston, Galveston, and the southern suburbs; it also handles all flights by Southwest Airlines from Houston. Former mayor John Delaney has been president of the University of North Florida since July 2003, parlaying his widespread popularity in the city into a highly coveted spot of leadership in the state university system. Bush Airport handles all of the city's international traffic. Jacksonville is home to Edward Waters College, Jacksonville University, and the University of North Florida, as well as the Florida Community College at Jacksonville, Trinity Baptist College, Jones College, Florida Technical College, Logos Christian College, and Florida Coastal School of Law. Houston is served by George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and William P. Hobby Airport (HOU). Rainfall averages around 52 inches a year, with the wetter months being June through September. Brown and former METRO chairwoman Shirley DeLibero. While not directly impacted, this area did receive major wind damage from Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne in 2004. Two METRORail cars - #101 and #102 - are the only METRO vehicles with dedication plaques to former mayor Lee P. This area receives a brush with a Tropical Storm or better every 3.05 years. Although now only about 8 miles (13 km) long a long term plan is being developed for several more much longer line segments connecting diverse corners of the metropolitan area. The only major hurricane to hit the city has been Hurricane Dora, in 1964 with winds that had just barely diminished to 110mph, making it a strong Category 2, borderline Category 3. This is Texas's second major light rail service, after DART's light rail service in Dallas, Texas. Jacksonville is one of the few cities on the Eastern seaboard that have been spared from the wrath of numerous hurricanes. METRO hopes to expand the Light Rail to the 2 major airports, as well as the Bay Area, Katy, Spring and along the Southwest Freeway. In some years, the area sees snow, though this is uncommon. A 27 mile (43 km) expansion has been approved to run the service all along the central Houston area, including Uptown. Conversely, the area can experience many freezes and hard freezes during the night in the winter months. It runs primarily along Main Street from central Downtown Houston to the Texas Medical Center and Reliant Park. High Temperatures can reach mid to high 90s with heat index ranges of 105-115F. The city got the METRORail, a light rail service, on January 1, 2004. High heat indices are not uncommon for the summer months in the Jacksonville area. Uptown, METRO provides free service on the Uptown Shuttle. High temperatures average between 50 and 90 degrees (10-32 degrees Celsius) throughout the year. The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas, or METRO, provides public transportation in the form of buses, trolleys, and lift vans. Traditionally, Jacksonville enjoys mild weather in the winter and hot weather in the summer. Residents often refer to Freeways and Tollways by their names instead of numbers. Out of the total population, 16.7% of those under the age of 18 and 12.0% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line. For a road map of Houston, click here (http://www.soulofamerica.com/images/maps/houston_map.jpeg). 12.2% of the population and 9.4% of families are below the poverty line. Highway 59 to Texas Highway 288 in Brazoria County. The per capita income for the city is $20,337. The next portion to be constructed is from the current terminus at U.S. Males have a median income of $32,547 versus $25,886 for females. Highway 59 and was completed in 1994. The median income for a household in the city is $40,316, and the median income for a family is $47,243. A controversial proposed highway project, Texas Highway 99, would form a third loop outside of Houston. Currently, the completed portion of Texas Highway 99 runs from just north of Interstate 10 east of Katy in Harris County to Sugar Land in Fort Bend County at U.S. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 90.6 males. Most of this freeway requires payment of $1 or more toll every five or ten miles. For every 100 females there are 93.9 males. The roughly square "Loop-610" is quartered into "North Loop," "South Loop," "West Loop," and "East Loop." The roads of Beltway 8 and their freeway core, the Sam Houston Parkway, are the next loop, at a diameter of roughly 25 miles. The median age is 34 years. The innermost is Interstate 610, forming approximately a 10 mile diameter loop around downtown. In the city, the population is spread out with 26.7% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 32.3% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who are 65 years of age or older. Houston has a hub-and-spoke freeway structure with multiple loops. The average household size is 2.53 and the average family size is 3.07. New landscaping projects and a longstanding ban on new billboards are two ways that Houston is trying to back away from this side effect of convenience. 26.2% of all households are made up of individuals and 7.7% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The frontage roads make freeway access very easy, but due to their visibility to passing traffic, they have attracted most of Houston's gas stations and major retail stores. There are 284,499 households out of which 33.9% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% are married couples living together, 16.0% have a female householder with no husband present, and 33.0% are non-families. Alongside most freeways are two to four lanes in each direction parallel to the freeway permitting easy access to individual city streets. 4.16% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. One unusual characteristic of Houston's freeways are its frontage roads. The racial makeup of the city is 64.48% White, 29.03% Black or African American, 0.34% Native American, 2.78% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 1.33% from other races, and 1.99% from two or more races. Houston has an extensive network of freeway cameras linked to a transit control center to monitor and study traffic. There are 308,826 housing units at an average density of 157.4/km² (407.6/mi²). Timed freeway entrances, which regulate the addition of cars to the freeway, are also common. The population density is 374.9/km² (970.9/mi²). The primary method currently in use is the High-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane for vans and carpools. As of the census2 of 2000, there are 735,617 people, 284,499 households, and 190,614 families residing in the city. Texas Department of Transportation (TX DOT) planners have been running experiments to reduce traffic congestion at rush hour. Under the new government structure, anyone living in Duval County is eligible to run for Mayor of the City of Jacksonville, even those living in the four separate municipalities. Interstate 45 south has been in a continuous state of construction, in one portion or another, almost since the first segment was built in 1952. The four separate communities provide their own services, while maintaining the right to contract the consolidated government to provide services for them. Houston freeways are heavily traveled and often being reconstructed to meet the demands of continuing growth. Fire, police, health and welfare, recreation, public works, and housing and urban development were all combined under the new government. Houston is ranked among the most ozone-polluted cities in the United States. Several authorities remain independent of the combined city-county government, including the school board, electric authority, port authority, and airport authority. This dependence on cars causes various pollution problems, including excessive ozone levels. Not all city services were merged, making for a less-than-full consolidation of the city-county. Houston's size and lack of zoning have contributed to decentralization, or urban sprawl, which, combined with the humidity and hot summers, has made the automobile the favored means of transportation. The municipalities are Baldwin, Neptune Beach, Atlantic Beach and Jacksonville Beach. For a full list of the cities in the Houston area, see:. These communities consist of only 6% of the total population within the county. Areas far north, west, east and south of the inner-city also use 936 and/or 409. Four municipalities within Duval County voted not to join the consolidated government. However, the geographic division between 713, 281, and 832 has been eliminated, and newly issued phone numbers (especially for cell phones and fax machines) within that zone may be assigned any of the three codes. The city council has nineteen members, fourteen of whom are elected from districts, and five who are elected at-large. Those outside the 610 Loop that are within the city limits normally receive the 281 or 832 area code. He also has the power to hire and fire the head of various city departments. Locations within the Houston city limits that are inside the 610 Loop traditionally used the 713 area code. He holds veto power over all resolutions and ordinances made by the city council. Yet a third - the "Grand Parkway", has begun construction roughly 10 miles (16 km) beyond that around the outer suburbs and currently extends from Katy to Sugar Land. The mayor is the Chief Executive and Administrative officer, called the Strong-Mayor form. Another ring road, Beltway 8 (also known simply as the "Beltway"), encircles the city another 5 miles (8 km) further out. Jacksonville uses the Mayor-Council form of city government. The outlying areas of Houston, as well as the rest of Bellaire, the airports and the suburbs and enclaves are outside the loop. On October 1, 1968, the governments merged to create the Consolidated City of Jacksonville. Locations in Houston are generally classified as either being inside or outside Interstate 610, known as the 610 Loop which include the Central business district and the 'island' cities of West University (West U.), and Southside Place, and a portion of Bellaire. A consolidation referendum was held in 1967, and voters approved the plan. Kemah is surrounded by Galveston Bay to the east and Clear Lake (a brackish-water boater's paradise with open pass through to Galveston Bay) to the west. Lower taxes, increased economic development, unification of the community, better public spending and effective administration by a more central authority were all cited as reasons for a new consolidated government. Another tourist hot spot is Kemah where visitors see the Kemah Boardwalk, which has many seafood restaurants and local tourist attractions. Consolidation began to win more support during this period, from both inner city blacks (who wanted more involvement in government) and whites in the suburbs (who wanted more services and more control over the center city). Beach houses owned by Houstonians have sprung up in other cities along the shoreline to the Gulf of Mexico. After a grand jury was convened to investigate, several officials were indicted and more were forced to resign. The city's vulnerability on a narrow barrier bar island led to the creation of the mainland Houston Ship Channel made by the dredging of shallow Buffalo Bayou and Galveston Bay to form a protected port some 40 miles (64 km) inland of the open Gulf and less than 10 miles (16 km) from Houston's central business district. In the mid 1960s, corruption scandals began to arise among many of the city's officials, who were mainly elected through the traditional good ol' boy network. Before near destruction in 1900 Galveston was the larger and wealthier of the two cities and dubbed "The Wall Street of the Southwest", and was on par with New Orleans as the Gulf Coast's premier city. Voters outside the city limits rejected annexation plans in six referendums between 1960 and 1965. A popular day trip may include Galveston where people can visit Moody Gardens or visit a nearby beach. In 1958, a study recommended that the City of Jacksonville begin annexing outlying communities in order to create the needed tax base to improve services throughout the county. However, a small portion of northeast Houston has the zip codes of 77339 and 77345. In addition, residents in unincorporated suburbs had difficulty obtaining municipal services such as sewage and building code enforcement. Zip codes in Houston range from 77002 to 77099. Much of the city's tax base dissipated, leading to problems with funding education, sanitation, and traffic control within the city limits. The following are areas of the inner-city:. However, the development of suburbs and a subsequent wave of "white flight" left Jacksonville with a much poorer population than before. Note that if these business districts were considered one, they would form the third largest in the United States. The city also has the third largest skyline in the United States (after New York City and Chicago, Illinois), but because it is spread over a few miles, pictures of the city show, for the most part, the Downtown area. Mayor Haydon Burns' "Jacksonville Story" resulted in the construction of a new city hall, civic auditorium, public library and other projects that created a dynamic sense of civic pride. Rather than a single “downtown” as the center of the city's employment, five additional business districts have grown throughout the inner-city. After World War II, the government of the City of Jacksonville began to increase spending to fund new building projects in the boom that occurred after the war. Houston, being the largest city in the United States without zoning laws, has grown in an unusual manner. Before he joined the police force, he was one of the youths who were involved in the axe handle riots. See also:. It should be noted that Nat Glover was the first (and only) African-American sheriff in the state of Florida since Reconstruction, winning two elections before running for mayor. Furthermore, aided by the popularity of the late hip-hop artist DJ Screw, Houston is known among youth, primarily in the South, as having its own distinctive style of hip-hop commonly known as screw music or referred to locally as simply "screw." Many young Houstonians of all ethnicities and socioeconomic backgrounds who were in touch with the local hip-hop culture may remember the advent of this form of Southern rap which began to take place around late 1999. The only witness to the crime said he saw two black males running from the scene. The design for the first Compaq computer was sketched on a napkin at House of Pies, a notable diner near the Montrose area. Afterwards, Carlucci's business was vandalized with the words "NIGGER LOVER", and Glover's campaign headquarters was vandalized with "NO NIGGER MAYOR". Several Houston-based restaurants, such as Ninfa Laurenzo's Mama Ninfa's Mexican restaurant chain, Johnny Carrabba's Carrabba's, and Kim Su Tran La's Kim Sơn Vietnamese restaurant chain, have become well known in Texas and throughout the country. Matt Carlucci, a white Republican endorsed Glover (a Democrat) after being defeated in the open primary. For example, although Dallas has more restaurants per person than even New York City, Houstonians eat out more often than residents of any other city in the United States, and the only city in which eating out is cheaper than Houston is New Orleans, Louisiana. On June 1, 2003, John Peyton became Mayor of Jacksonville after defeating African-American Sheriff Nat Glover. This rivalry often leads to comparison of the assets of one city to the assets of the other. The black students attending integrated schools endured racial epithets, being spit on and, in some extreme cases, being stoned by their white classmates. Houstonians often consider themselves more "down to earth" than their neighbors to the north. Despite the progress, racial tension was very evident when the public schools in Jacksonville were integrated in 1967. Because the Houston—Sugar Land—Baytown and the Dallas—Fort Worth—Arlington metropolitan areas are both the major economic centers of the state, they enjoy a friendly rivalry. In the aftermath of the Civil Rights Act and Ax Handle Saturday, the previously segregated African-American and European-American communities worked together in open dialog, integration, and participatory government. In some neighborhoods, street signs are seen in Chinese and Vietnamese. Before the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, African-Americans in Jacksonville were denied healthcare services at every hospital except the all-black Brewster Hospital, even when their condition was critical or life-threatening. Like many other large cities in the United States, Houston is a very diverse city with a variety of different ethnic groups. About 90 languages are spoken in the area. Rumors were rampant on both sides that the unrest was spreading around the county (in reality, the violence stayed in relatively the same location, and did not spill over into the mostly-white, upper-class Cedar Hills neighborhood, for example). The police did not make an attempt to stop the violence until the "blacks started holding their own.". Houston also boasts of having a population with a younger age than the national average. The violence spread, and the white mob started attacking all African-Americans in sight. Houston has the second highest South African population in the United States, after Miami, Florida. A group of white men (allegedly some were also members of the Ku Klux Klan) armed with baseball bats and ax handles attacked civil rights protesters conducting sit-ins at segregated downtown restaurants. Recent redevelopment of Midtown from run-down to upscale has increased property values and property taxes thus forcing the Vietnamese American out of their current neighborhood into other areas. This came to a head on "Ax Handle Saturday", August 27, 1960. Houston has two Chinatowns, as well as the third largest Vietnamese American population in the United States. Jacksonville has a history of racial segregation and violence. Houston has the third largest Hispanic population in the United States. People from Asia such as China, South Korea, Japan, India, Pakistan, and Vietnam have been immigrating to Houston. While the city is more independent from the Navy today, it is still a strong influence in the community. The Hispanic population in Houston is increasing as more and more people from Latin countries try to find work in Houston. Hispanics make up a significant amount of the population. More than half of the residents in Jacksonville had some tie to the naval base, whether it be a relative stationed there, or due to employment opportunities, by 1970. Out of the total population, 26.1% of those under the age of 18 and 14.3% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line. The naval base became a key training ground in the 1950s and 1960s and as such, the population of the city rose dramatically. 19.2% of the population and 16.0% of families are below the poverty line. Marys, Georgia, which is home to part of the US Navy's nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) fleet. The per capita income for the city is $20,101. Jacksonville is also not far from Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay in St. Males have a median income of $32,084 versus $27,371 for females. NS Mayport current employs about 14,000 personnel. The median income for a household in the city is $36,616, and the median income for a family is $40,443. Kennedy. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 97.8 males. This port developed through World War II and today is the home port for many types of navy ships, most notably the aircraft carrier USS John F. For every 100 females there are 99.7 males. Johns River. The median age is 31 years. December 1942 saw the addition of a third naval installation to Jacksonville: Naval Station Mayport at the mouth of the St. In the city the population is spread out with 27.5% under the age of 18, 11.2% from 18 to 24, 33.8% from 25 to 44, 19.1% from 45 to 64, and 8.4% who are 65 years of age or older. The land once occupied by this installation is now known as the "Cecil Commerce Center". The average household size is 2.67 and the average family size is 3.39. In 1993 the Navy decided to close NAS Cecil Field and in 1999 this was completed. 29.6% of all households are made up of individuals and 6.2% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. RF-8 Crusaders out of Cecil Field detected missiles in Cuba, precipitating the Cuban Missile Crisis. There are 717,945 households out of which 33.1% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.2% are married couples living together, 15.3% have a female householder with no husband present, and 36.3% are non-families. This became NAS Cecil Field, which during the Cold War was designated a Master Jet Base, the only one in the South. 37.41% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. In June 1941, land in the westernmost side of Duval County was earmarked for a second naval air facility. The racial makeup of the city is 49.27% White, 25.31% Black or African American, 0.44% Native American, 5.31% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 16.46% from other races, and 3.15% from two or more races. Today NAS Jax is the third largest navy installation in the country and employs over 23,000 civilian and active-duty personnel. There are 782,009 housing units at an average density of 521.1/km² (1,349.6/mi²). After the war, the Navy's elite Blue Angels were established at NAS Jax. The population density is 1,301.8/km² (3,371.7/mi²). This base was a major training center during World War II, with over 20,000 pilots and aircrewmen being trained there. As of the census2 of 2000, there are 1,953,631 people, 717,945 households, and 457,330 families residing in the city. October 15, 1940, Naval Air Station Jacksonville ("NAS Jax") on the westside became the first navy installation in the city. Like many areas of Texas, Houston suffers from the Red Imported Fire Ant. A significant part of Jacksonville's growth in the 20th century came from the presence of navy bases in the region. While Dallas gets hotter temperatures, Houston's heat index is often higher. An important entry point to the state since the 1870s, Jacksonville now justifiably billed itself as the "Gateway to Florida.". Dallas has a hot and dry climate while Houston has a hot and humid climate. Highway 1) in the 1920s began to draw significant automobile traffic as well. Houston's climate is often compared to that of Dallas, Texas. Completion of the Dixie Highway (portions of which became U.S. Many neighborhoods have changed since the storm; older houses in some afflicted neighborhoods have been torn down and replaced with larger houses with larger foundations. Hordes of train passengers passed through Jacksonville on their way south to the new tourist destinations of South Florida, as most of the passenger trains arriving from the population centers of the North were routed through Jacksonville. Houston's worst contemporary flood was Tropical Storm Allison which passed through the city in June, 2001. The 1920s brought significant real estate development and speculation to the city during the great Florida land boom (and bust). Flooding has proved to be an increasingly serious problem in Houston. In 1917, a conservative mayor was elected on the platform of taming the city's movie industry. Subsequently the film studios opted to move to a more hospitable political climate in California. The last hurricane of consequence to hit Houston was Hurricane Alicia in 1983, but Tropical Storm Allison in 2001 caused billions of dollars in damages. However, some residents objected to the hallmarks of the early movie industry, such as car chases in the streets, simulated bank robberies and fire alarms in public places, and even the occasional riot scene. The Galveston Hurricane of 1900 led to Galveston losing its status as the major port city and economic power in Southeast Texas; development of the Ship Channel and its port refineries shifted the honor to Houston. By the early 1910s, Jacksonville hosted over 30 studios employing over 1000 actors. Hurricanes have slammed into the Texas Gulf Coast on numerous occasions; several have passed through Houston, causing death and destruction. The city's warm climate, excellent rail access, and low costs all helped to make Jacksonville the "Winter Film Capital of the World". Land subsidence forced the city to turn to ground-level water sources such as Lake Houston. In the early 1900s, Jacksonville was a center of the fledgling motion picture industry. The city once relied on groundwater for its water needs. Despite the losses of the last several decades, Jacksonville still has one of the largest collections of Prairie Style buildings (particularly residences) outside the Midwest. Most of Houston is very flat and is about fifty feet above sea level in elevation; the Houston Heights area has the highest elevation in the city. The Klutho Apartments, in Springfield, were recently restored and converted into office space by local charity Fresh Ministries. The Ship Channel goes past Galveston, Texas into the Gulf of Mexico. While many of Klutho's buildings were demolished by the 1980s, a number of his creations remain, including the St. James Building from 1911 (a former department store that is now Jacksonville's City Hall) and the Morocco Temple from 1910. The Buffalo Bayou, which runs into downtown, the Brays Bayou, which runs along the Texas Medical Center, White Oak Bayou runs through the Heights and near northwest area and the Sims Bayou in the south of Houston merge in downtown Houston into the Houston Ship Channel. Klutho and other architects, enamored of the "Prairie Style" of architecture then being popularized by architect Frank Lloyd Wright in Chicago and other Midwestern cities, designed exuberant local buildings with a Florida flair. Houston has four major bayous passing through the city. Famed New York architect Henry Klutho helped rebuild the city. Snow is almost unheard of, and typically does not accumulate when it is seen. Jennings declared a state of martial law in Jacksonville and dispatched several state militia units to Jacksonville. Reconstruction started immediately, and the city was returned to civil authority on May 17. The coolest period is usually in January, when north winds bring winter rains. Florida Governor William S. Winters in Houston are cool and temperate. The fire destroyed the business district and rendered 10,000 residents homeless in the course of eight hours. Afternoon rains are not uncommon, and Houston meteorologists are not given to predicting a zero percent chance of rain on most days. At half past noon most of the Cleaveland workers were at lunch, but by the time they returned the entire city block was engulfed in flames. Summer thunderstorms sometimes bring the moderately common tornadoes to the area. On May 3, 1901 hot ash from a shantyhouse's chimney landed on the drying moss at Cleaveland's Fiber Factory. To cope with the heat, people use air conditioning in nearly every car and post-war building in the city. Author Stephen Crane travelled to Jacksonville to cover the war. The air tends to feel still and the humidity (often 90 to 100% relative humidity) makes the air feel hotter than it really is. Duval county sheriff, and future state governor, Napoleon Bonaparte Broward was one of many gunrunners operating out of the city. In summertime, daily high temperatures are in the 90 to 105 °F range throughout much of July and August. During the Spanish American War, gunrunners helping the Cuban rebels used Jacksonville as the center for smuggling illegal arms and supplies to Cuba. Prevailing winds are from the south and southeast during most of the year, bringing heat from the deserts of Mexico and moisture from the Gulf of Mexico. Not surprisingly, Jacksonville's reputation as a healthful tourist destination suffered. Average yearly precipitation levels range from 36 to 48 inches. In the absence of scientific knowledge concerning the cause of yellow fever, nearly half of the city's panicked residents fled, despite the imposition of quarantines and the (ineffectual) fumigation of inbound and outbound mail. Much of Houston was built on forested land, marshes or prairie, all of which can still be seen in surrounding areas. Jacksonville's prominence as a winter resort was dealt another blow by major yellow fever outbreaks in 1886 and 1888, during the latter of which nearly ten percent of the more than 4,000 victims, including the city's mayor, died. The city is located in the gulf coastal plains biome, and the vegetation is classified as a temperate grassland. Not even hosting the Subtropical Exposition, a Florida-style world's fair attended by President Grover Cleveland in 1888, served to provide a lasting boost for tourism in Jacksonville. Houston's climate is classified as being humid subtropical. The area declined in importance as a resort destination when Henry Flagler extended the Florida East Coast Railroad to the south, arriving in Palm Beach in 1894 and in the Miami area in 1896. The total area is 3.70% water. Visitors arrived by steamboat and (beginning in the 1880s) by railroad, and wintered at dozens of hotels and boarding houses. 1,500.7 km² (579.4 mi²) of it is land and 57.7 km² (22.3 mi²) of it is water. Augustine became popular winter resorts for the rich and famous of the Gilded Age. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1,558.4 km² (601.7 mi²). Following the Civil War, during Reconstruction and afterward, Jacksonville and nearby St. Main article: History of Houston. By the end of the war in 1865, a Union commander commented that Jacksonville had become "pathetically dilapidated, a mere skeleton of its former self, a victim of war.". The city has also the recipient of this award in years prior, including 2001, 2002, and 2003. Methodology for determining for the 2005 status included the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's survey which listed 23% of Houston residents as clinically obese, as well as other less serious statistics, such as Houston having twice the number of donut shops per capita compared to the national average. On February 20, 1864 Union soldiers from Jacksonville marched inland and confronted the Confederate Army at the Battle of Olustee which resulted in a Confederate victory. In 2005, Men's Fitness magazine named Houston the fattest city in the U.S. Throughout the war Jacksonville would change hands several times, though never with a battle. Rice Stadium, at Rice University, was the home to the Super Bowl VIII, and Super Bowl XXXVIII was played at the Reliant Stadium in February 2004. Johns Bluff and occupied Jacksonville. (Other nicknames include "H-Town", "Clutch City", and "Magnolia City".). In October 1862 Union forces captured a Confederate battery at St. It is known by the locals, however, as the Bayou City. Throughout most of the war, the US Navy maintained a blockade around Florida's ports, including Jacksonville. "Houston" was the first word uttered on the moon, as Neil Armstrong reported back to NASA. During the Civil War, Jacksonville was a key supply point for hogs and cattle leaving Florida and aiding the Confederate cause. Officially, Houston has been nicknamed the Space City. The charter for a town government was approved by the Florida Legislative Council on February 9, 1832. Other major institutions of higher learning in Houston include University of Saint Thomas, Houston Baptist University, University of Houston-Clear Lake, University of Houston-Downtown, and Texas Southern University. Secretary of State asking that Jacksonville be named a port of entry; this is the first recorded use of the name. Houston is also home to Rice University, a well known private institution which boasts one of the largest financial endowments of any university in the world. On June 15th, 1822 settlers sent a petition to the U.S. Houston is home to many institutions of higher learning such as the University of Houston, which is Texas' premier metropolitan extensive research university and also the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. The first permanent settlement was founded at Cow Ford in 1791 and Florida became a United States territory in 1821. Houston is considered a "Gamma World City" by the GaWC. Spain ceded Florida to the British in 1763, who then gave control back to Spain in 1783. states, as well as hundreds of countries worldwide. Augustine attacked the fort and drove off the French in 1565. Because of the economic trades, many residents have moved in from other U.S. Spanish troops, led by Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, from nearby St. The Port of Houston is one of the busiest ports in the United States, second in the world as far as foreign tonnage. Johns River area and in 1564 the French established Fort Caroline. Houston is world renowned for its energy industry (particularly oil),
aeronautics industry and ship channel. In 1562, the French Huguenot explorer Jean Ribault
explored the St. Today, the city limits cover about 600 square miles (1,600 km²) in area, and it's also the largest city in the
United States which does not have zoning laws. In 1513, Spanish explorers landed in Florida and claimed their discovery for Spain. The city of Houston was incorporated in 1837. Its name is the earliest recorded name for the
area. 29°40' N Latitude In 1900, the population in Houston
was about 45,000 and it was the 85th largest town in the United States. According to the United States Census
Bureau, the city has a total area of 2,264.5 km² (874.3
mi²). Houston is one of the newest and fastest growing major cities in the United States. Jacksonville is located at 30°19'10" North, 81°39'36" West (30.319406, -81.659999)1. Census estimate placed the city's population at
2,009,690. As of the U.S. President, Andrew Jackson. A portion of southwest Houston extends into Fort Bend County and a small portion in the northeast extends into Montgomery County. The city was renamed in 1822 for the first territorial governor of Florida and the future 7th U.S. The city is the county seat of Harris County, the third most populous county in the country. Johns River is narrow there, allowing cattlemen to ford (herd) cows across the river. The City of Houston is the fourth largest city in the United States and one of the two largest economic areas in the state of Texas. Jacksonville was originally named Cowford because the St. Toyota Center. The area of Jacksonville is 874.3 square miles (2,264.5 km²). Robertson Stadium. All areas of Duval County are considered to be part of Jacksonville, but the communities of Baldwin, Neptune Beach, Atlantic Beach and Jacksonville Beach have their own municipal governments as well. Rice Stadium. Jacksonville and Duval County are consolidated. Reliant Stadium. Jacksonville also has the distinction of being the largest city in the South outside of Texas. Reliant Astrodome. The Jacksonville metropolitan area reached over one million residents in 1996. Minute Maid Park (formerly Enron or Astros Field). It is also the largest city in Florida in terms of population in the city proper (ultimately ranking 14th in the country). Hofheinz Pavilion. Geographically, it is the largest city in the contiguous 48 states of the United States in terms of land area. Former professional sports teams. It is the county seat of Duval County 6. Hockey: Aeros - AHL - Toyota Center. Jacksonville is a city located in Duval County, Florida, USA. Energy - WPFL - Rice Stadium. Husk Jennings. Texans - NFL - Reliant Stadium. Regency Centers. American Football
Comets - WNBA - Toyota Center. Florida Rock Industries. Rockets - NBA - Toyota Center. Gate Petroleum Company. Basketball
List of radio stations in Houston (http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/locate?select=city&city=houston&state=tx&sid=&x=21&y=11). Winn-Dixie. List of movies set in Houston. CSX Transportation. List of television stations in Houston. Palm and Cycad Arboretum at Florida Community College at Jacksonville. List of newspapers in Houston. Shinedown (2001) Rock. List of events in Houston. Yellowcard (1997) Pop Punk. The University of Texas Medical Branch. Cold (1997) Hard Rock/Metal. Anderson Cancer Center. Inspection 12 (1994) Pop Punk. D. Limpbizkit (1994) Rapcore. The University of Texas M. 69 Boyz (1993) Hip Hop. The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Rein Sanction (1989) Indie Rock. The University of Texas System
University of Phoenix. Blackfoot (1972) Rock/Southern Rock. University of Houston-Downtown. Classics IV (1965) Pop Rock. University of Houston-Clear Lake. Lynyrd Skynyrd (1964) Southern Rock. University of Houston. Mase (1977- ) hip hop star, preacher. University of Houston System
Texas A&M University System
Houston Community College System. Pat Boone (1934- ) pop singer. Houston Baptist University. Billy Daniels (1915-1988) big band singer, actor. DeVry University. Arthur "Blind" Blake (1893-1933) influential blues guitarist. Baylor College of Medicine. Yoanna House (1980- ) fashion model. The Art Institute of Houston. Laveranues Coles (1977- ) professional football athlete. Public schools and libraries in Houston. Leanza Cornett (1971- ) Miss America 1993, television actress. List of sister cities. Vince Coleman (1961- ) Major League Baseball player. List of mayors in Houston. Ray Mercer (1961- ) professional boxer. List of major companies in Houston. Mark McCumber (1951- ) professional golfer. Texas Highway 288 - South Freeway, Nolan Ryan Expressway. Patrika Darbo (1948- ) television actress. Texas Highway 249 - Tomball Parkway. Thagard (1943- ) NASA astronaut. Texas Highway 225 - Pasadena Freeway, LaPorte Freeway. Norman E. Texas Highway 122 - Fort Bend Parkway. Bob Hayes (1942-2002) track & field/pro football athlete. Texas Highway 99 - Grand Parkway. LeeRoy Yarbrough (1938-1984) NASCAR auto racer. Highway 290 - Northwest Freeway, Hempstead Highway. Philip Don Estridge (1937-1985) led development of original IBM personal computer. U.S. John Chaney (1932- ) college basketball coach. (Houston's first and only "mini-freeway"). Wanda Hendrix (1928-1981) Hollywood actress. Highway 90A - South Main St. Cooper (1893-1973) Hollywood director, producer & writer. U.S. Merion C. Highway 90 - Beaumont Highway. Philip Randolph (1889-1979) African American civil rights activist. U.S. A. Highway 59 - Southwest Freeway to southwest / Eastex Freeway to northeast. John Rosamond Johnson (1873-1954) musical composer, brother of James Weldon. U.S. James Weldon Johnson (1871-1938) leading African American activist. Interstate 610 - North Loop, South Loop, West Loop, and East Loop. WJEB Channel 59, carries religious programing from TBN. Interstate 45 - North Freeway (to north) / Gulf Freeway (to southeast). It later changed its call letters to WTEV (then became a UPN affiliate), the channel has broadcasted CBS programming since July 2002. Interstate 10 - Katy Freeway (to west) / Baytown East Freeway (to east). WTEV Channel 47, originally an independent station with mainly Christian programming under the call letters of WXAO and later WNFT. Beltway 8 - Sam Houston Parkway (Beltway 8 refers to the frontage road). WAWS Channel 30, the FOX affiliate. Montgomery County. WJXX Channel 25, the ABC affiliate for the area since 1997. Liberty County. WPXC Channel 21, PAX used to be WBSG and simulcated the ABC network with WJXX from 1997 until 2000. Harris County. WJWB Channel 17, the WB Formerly WJKS and the original ABC affiliate until 1980 when it became an NBC affiliate, only to change back to an ABC affliate in 1988, lost the ABC affiliation to start up WJXX in 1997, changed its call letters to WJWB and switched to WB network, and is the highest rated WB affliate in the nation. Galveston County. Formerly WFGA from 1957 to 1975, and an ABC affiliate from 1980 to 1988. Fort Bend County. WTLV Channel 12, an NBC affiliate since 1988. Chambers County. A radio station (89.9 FM) with the same callsign commenced broadcasts in 1972. Brazoria County. WJCT Channel 7, a PBS affiliate broadcasting since 1958. It is home to the 14,000-acre master-planned community of Kingwood. WUFT Channel 5, the PBS affiliate for the University of Florida in Gainesville, but has higher ratings in the metro area than local PBS affiliate WJCT (see below). The Kingwood—Humble area is in the northeast part of town and part of this portion area is in Montgomery County. WJXT Channel 4, a longtime CBS affiliate before turning independent in 2002. Another city is Deer Park, which is home to the San Jacinto Monument. Jacksonville Magazine. The cities of Baytown, La Porte, and Channelview are filled with refineries and chemical plants. The Florida Star. To the east is the city of Pasadena. The Jacksonville Advocate. This area has grown farther out from the Downtown area than most suburbs have. Business Journal of Jacksonville. Katy is about 30 minutes west of Downtown. Jacksonville Free Press. League City, just south of this area, is home to a few water-side resorts. Folio Weekly. The Clear Lake area was annexed into the city of Houston in 1979. The Daily Record. It is home to NASA, the master-planned community of Clear Lake City, the University of Houston-Clear Lake, and a very large Asian American community. The Florida Times-Union. The Clear Lake area is a southeast suburb of Houston. (now defunct). Most of The Woodlands lies in the city of Houston's extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) and the city limits of Shenandoah. Jacksonville Lizard Kings of the ECHL ice hockey league. This is one of the largest and most popular master-planned communities in the country. Jacksonville Barracudas of the SPHL ice hockey league. The Woodlands is a large master-planned community about 30 miles north of Downtown Houston in Montgomery County. Jacksonville Suns, a Southern League minor league baseball team. Sugar Land is now a principal city of the Houston—Sugar Land—Baytown Metropolitan Statistical Area. Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League. It also is one of the fastest growing and wealthiest cities in the state due to the numerous master-planned communities in the area, such as First Colony, New Territory, Greatwood, Sugar Creek, Sugar Lakes, Avalon, and Riverstone to name a few. It is currently the home to a number of international energy, software, and product firms. Sugar Land is a city southwest of Houston in northeast Fort Bend County, and is named for the former Imperial Sugar refinery. Westbury and Meyerland are becoming popular places for some of the artistic and gay and lesbian communities to live, as real estate in Montrose has become more expensive due to gentrification. As noted above, Sharpstown has a large Asian American community and was the first master-planned community in Houston. Fondren Southwest and Meyerland are centers of Houston's Jewish community. To the southwest are several communities that sprang up in the years following World War II, when they were considered to be suburbs, such as Fondren Southwest, Meyerland, Sharpstown, and Westbury. This area is often not considered a suburb, more so an area within central Houston. It is the largest of a series of affluent municipalities separate but surrounded by the city of Houston known as the Villages, which include Hedwig Village, Bunker Hill Village, Hunters Creek Village, Piney Point Village, Hilshire Village, and Spring Valley. The zip code within Memorial, 77024, is the fourth wealthiest in the nation. To the west is the Memorial Area. Fifth Ward is another predominantly African American community. It was the prominent area of the African American community. Fourth Ward, the first African American community in Houston, historically has been among the poorest areas of the inner-city, but is undergoing extensive gentrification because of its proximity to Downtown. The African American community in this area picked up the prominence after World War I. The tallest structure in Third Ward is the Moody Towers, an 18-story twin tower on the University of Houston campus. Third Ward, southeast of Downtown, is the location of the University of Houston and Texas Southern University. Second Ward is now made up of a predominantly Hispanic community. Austin High School depicts this art deco architecture. Stephen F. Second Ward, located east of downtown, was developed in the roaring '20s. First Ward has been torn down down in recent years as part of a gentrification effort. Houston's "Wards" got its name from political geographic districts when the city was established in 1837 - the ward designation is the progenitor of the current-day Houston City Council districts - there are nine districts within the Houston city limits.
The six "Wards". The Museum District contains over 16 institutions, Hermann Park, the Houston Zoo and the Miller Outdoor Theatre. It is one of the most visited museum districts in the country. Bordering the Texas Medical Center are Reliant Park and Six Flags Astroworld to the south and the Rice University/Rice Village area to the north. This is the largest medical complex in the world. The Texas Medical Center, about three miles (5 km) south of the Midtown area. This area is home to many high-end retailers, as well as local and national fashion designers. The Uptown area is also known as the Galleria shopping district, as it is the center of Houston's fashion scene. It is the city's second largest business district and is home to the world-famous Williams Tower. Uptown Houston is primarily anchored by the Houston Galleria. Near and partially blending into River Oaks, the areas of Highland Village and Upper Kirby are home to many high-end shopping and dining venues. Though the area is between Downtown and the Uptown District, this neighborhood boasts of mansions, as opposed to the surrounding area's highrise apartments and lofts. It is the wealthiest neighborhood in Texas, and is home to many celebrities and political figures. River Oaks is an affluent area, often compared to Beverly Hills. This area is home to a few skyscrapers, as well as the Compaq Center, soon to be the Lakewood International Center. The Greenway Plaza business district is west of Midtown and southwest of Downtown Houston. It is also the location of the Menil Collection and the University of Saint Thomas. This community was known for the Westheimer Street Festival, a community gathering which later fell victim to gentrification. It is the center of Houston's gay and lesbian community, and known for its vintage shops, 1950s-style eateries, and street art. Montrose is located west of Downtown and Midtown and northwest of the Medical Center. It is also home to Little Saigon, the center of Vietnamese American commerce and businesses. Midtown is southwest of Downtown and is a recently redeveloped area with many newly constructed trendy apartments and flats. The Houston Heights is also home to the art car community - the current location of the Art Car Museum is a tourist attraction. Many of the Victorian houses and Craftsman bungalows are in high demand, especially those that have been been remodeled. The Heights has been experiencing gentrification as well due to its status as a historically-preserved community because of deed restriction enforcement. Like the neighboring Montrose to the south of Interstate 10, the Houston Heights has long been a popular place for the artistic and gay and lesbian communities to live. To the present day it retains a ban on liquor sales and is a popular area for antique shopping along the 19th Street corridor. It was Incorporated in 1891 and consolidated into the city of Houston in 1919. Like the smaller Woodland Heights neighborhood just to its east, it was originally a separate, independent suburb connected to Houston by streetcar. The historic Houston Heights, near downtown, has the highest point of elevation in the city. Off of Main Street and Interstate 10, at the beginining of the light rail, is the University of Houston-Downtown. This comes after its opening on January 1, 2004 and the opening of the light rail service. The Main Street Corridor in Downtown is now a popular nightlife spot. Brown Convention Center, while the newer (which originated around 1982), larger one resides primarily on Bellaire Boulevard in west of Houston's Sharpstown neighborhood. The original one is in the eastern corridor of Downtown in the shadow of the George R. There are two Chinatowns of Houston. The Houston Theater District is the second largest performing arts district, next to the one in New York City. Jones Hall is home to the Houston Symphony Orchestra. The Houston Theater District, in north Downtown, is home to Houston's eight performing arts organizations and includes the stages of the Alley Theater, Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, Wortham Center, Jones Hall and the Verizon Wireless Theatre (formerly Aerial Theater). The Skyline District is the heart of Downtown and home to many headquarters of various multinational businesses and financial institutions. Downtown, the seventh largest business district in the country. The area is in the very center of the city's highway system.
List of famous people raised in Houston. List of museums outside of the Museum District. She was found to be suffering from postpartum depression. June 20, 2001 - Andrea Pia Yates drowns her children in a bathtub. 23 people die in the flood. June 2001 - Tropical Storm Allison causes bayous in Houston to overflow, causing massive flooding. June 4, 1999 - Noemi Dominguez was shot dead in her home by Angel Maturino Resendiz, a serial killer. Her husband, Robert Angleton, and his brother, Roger Angleton, would be suspected for the crime. April 16, 1997 - Doris Angleton is murdered in her River Oaks home. August 18, 1983 - Hurricane Alicia hits Houston and Galveston. July 1978 - Race Riots occur in the Moody Park section of the city, and are documented by KPRC-TV, whose reporters are attacked and injured during their report. 27 boys are killed by 3 men. August 1973 - "Houston Mass Murders" occur. December 1961 - Hurricane Carla hits Houston. December 24, 2004 - Freak snowstorm hits, causing record Christmas snowfall in the region. 2004 - Citgo's headquarters move from Tulsa to Houston. 2004 - Houston hosts the Super Bowl as well as the MLB All-Star Game. The ordinance took effect on October 22, 2004. was not popular with Downtown-area restaurant owners. to 2 a.m. The original proposal for paid curbside parking between 6 p.m. July 30, 2004 - The Houston City Council unanimously votes for a change in the curbside parking ordinance where Saturday metered parking is enforced. CST - this marks the reintroduction of rail service since June 1940. January 1, 2004 - METRORail is opened to the public at 1 p.m. Both Parker and Tatro are term-limited in their current seats. December 6, 2003 - Annise Parker defeats fellow council member Bruce Tatro to become Houston's first openly lesbian city controller. Fall 2003 - Halliburton's headquarters move from Dallas to Houston. June 28-June 29, 2003 - The Westheimer Street Festival staged their homecoming on Westheimer during Gay Pride Weekend after promoters decided to move the festival back to the Montrose because of it declining attendance when the festival was on Allen Parkway since May 2000. May 2003 - For the first time, the Houston Art Car Parade is not held on the same weekend with the Houston International Festival. After Garcia's victory, the Houston City Council appoints Judy Gray Johnson to fill her unexpired term until the November 2003 elections. Garcia (in her third term) successfully campaigns for Harris County Commissioner Precinct 2, making her the first Hispanic female to hold office in the Harris County Commissioners Court. November 5, 2002 - Houston City Controller Sylvia R. At the same time, the University of Houston System celebrates its 25th anniversary with an enrollment of over 54,000. 2002 - The University of Houston celebrates its 75th anniversary with an enrollment of 34,443 that fall semester. The company goes bankrupt. November 2001 - Enron is found to have accounting scandals. Attendance figures declined. Promoters of the festival were denied a street closure permit back in January 2000 under a revised festival ordinance where public hearings are held. May 6-May 7, 2000 - After 27 years of holding the Westheimer Street Festival in the Montrose, the festival was held in Eleanor Tinsley Park west of Downtown Houston. Brown is elected as Houston's first African American mayor; at the same time, Annise Parker is the first openly gay or lesbian city council member. November 1997 - Former Houston Police Chief Lee P. 1996 - The master-planned community of Kingwood is annexed by the city of Houston. After 1996, the festival was renamed the Bayou City Art Festival. Joseph Parkway) in Downtown Houston; it was the first time the art festival was not held in the Montrose. April 1993 - The Westheimer Colony Art Festival is held on a stretch of Calhoun Road (now St. July 9-11, 1990 - Houston hosts the 16th G7 Summit. 1988 - The University of Houston-University Park reverts its name back to the University of Houston after much controversy with the name change in 1985 in order to separate its identity and confusion with the other three universities in the UH System. June 1, 1987 - The former Shamrock Hilton hotel is demolished as part of the Texas Medical Center expansion efforts despite protests from historical preservationists. At the time it is the largest outdoor concert in history, and is entered into the Guinness Book of World Records. April 5, 1986 - City takes part in celebration of Texas' Sesquicentennial, 25th Anniversary of NASA, and the Houston International Festival with Rendez-vous Houston concert. 1985 - The University of Houston changes its name to the University of Houston-University Park to separate its identity and confusion with the other three universities within the UH System. 1982 - Texas Commerce Bank Tower is completed in Downtown Houston, making it the tallest building west of the Mississippi until the late 1980's, and presently the tallest five-sided building in the world. Brown as the first African American police chief. She would appoint Lee P. Whitmire is elected as the first woman mayor. 1981 - Kathryn J. 1980s - The end of the Embargo causes the Houston growth bubble to burst. 1979 - a portion of the master-planned community of "Clear Lake City" that is in Houston's extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) and an area east of Missouri City in Fort Bend County are annexed into the corporate limits of Houston. Houston is the first in the nation to modernize their signage, which is still done to this present day. 1978-1980 - Traffic signal signage at major intersections were improved. 1978 - The headquarters of Continental Airlines move to Houston after buying out Texas International. 1977 - The University of Houston celebrates its 50th anniversary as the Texas Legislature establishes the University of Houston System, a state system of higher education that includes three other universities. People from the "Rust Belt" states such as New York and Pennsylvania move into Houston. 1970s - The Arab Oil Embargo causes demand for Texas oil to boom. July 20, 1969 - "Houston" becomes the first word spoken from the moon, by astronaut Neil Armstrong of the Apollo 11 mission. 1969 - Houston Intercontinental Airport, currently George Bush Intercontinental Airport, is opened to the public. At the same time, the Houston Colt .45s are rechristened as the Houston Astros. April 9, 1965 - The Astrodome opens. 1963 - The Humble Building is completed, the tallest building west of the Mississippi River at the time. Johnson Space Center opens on land donated by Rice University. 1963 - The Manned Spacecraft Center, which would become the Lyndon B. 1963 - The University of Houston ends its status as a private institution and becomes a state university by entering into the Texas State System of Higher Education after a long battle with opponents from other state universities blocking the change. 1959 - Sharpstown Mall opens and is the first indoor air-conditioned mall in the world. Highway 75 and signals the beginning of freeway construction in the city. 1948 - The Gulf Freeway opens as U.S. 1945 - The University of Houston separates from HISD and becomes a private university. 1939 - The University of Houston moves to its permanent location, southeast of Downtown. Hobby Airport, is opened. 1937 - Houston Municipal Airport, which would later become William P. 1934 - Houston Junior College becomes a four-year institution and changes its name to the University of Houston. 1927 - Houston Junior College opens its doors as part of Houston Independent School District. 1920s - The Texas oil boom causes people to move into the city, causing its first growth spurt. 1914 - President Woodrow Wilson opens the Houston Ship Channel 74 years after the digging had started. 1912 - The Rice Institute opens, later known as Rice University. 1904 - Houston Lyceum and Carnegie Library opens, later known as Houston Public Library. 1902 - President Theodore Roosevelt approves a one-million dollar fund for the construction of the Houston Ship Channel. A new industry will start. 1900s - Oil is discovered in Texas. The dispute over where the state records should go would cause a conflict. 1839 - The capital of the Republic moves to Austin. It became the provisional capital of Texas. June 5, 1837 - The city gets a city charter from the Congress of the Republic of Texas. 1836 - The Allen Brothers, John Kirby, and Augustus Chapman co-founded Houston. |