Almeda, Houston, Texas
Encyclopedia
Almeda is an area located along Texas State Highway 288 and the Missouri Pacific Railroad
in southwestern Houston, Texas
, United States
that used to be a distinct unincorporated community
in Harris County
. Almeda is 11 miles (17.7 km) from Downtown Houston
.
, functioned as a trading area for agriculture and lumber. In 1893 Almeda, with 50 people, received a post office. Almeda had 200 people, two general stores, and a lumber company in 1914. In 1925 the community had 80 residents. Almeda had four businesses in the 1930s. 1936 state highway maps indicated several buildings in the area. In 1948 the community had 125 residents. In the 1950s Almeda had 20 buildings. Around 1953 the community had 1,750 residents. The post office closed in 1959. By 1960 Almeda residents continued to lack public water and fire department services. Almeda had 40 buildings in the 1960s. In 1962 Almeda had 1,200 residents. Almeda first received sewers in 1963. In the 1980s Almeda had a school, three churches, an abandoned railroad station, and scattered houses. As of 1998 Almeda was still a rural area.
districts D and K serve portions of Almeda. Previously all of City Council District D served Almeda.
The community is served by the Houston Police Department
Southwest Patrol Division, headquartered at 4503 Beechnut Street.
. As of 2008, Alma A. Allen represents the district. Genoa is within District 13
of the Texas Senate
; as of 2008 Rodney Ellis
represents that district.
Almeda is in Texas's 9th congressional district
. As of 2008, Al Green
represents the district. The United States Postal Service
operates the Almeda Post Office at 3030 West Fuqua Street.
(HISD). Almeda is within Trustee District IX, represented by Lawrence Marshall as of 2008.
Almeda Elementary School serves the entire area. As of 1998, 60% of the students were Hispanic and Latino. Since 1994 the school used the "Success For All" reading program for its English language classes. For bilingual English-Spanish classes it uses "Exito Para Todos," the Spanish version. As of the same year, many parents have some English fluency, but take English classes four days per week in order to improve it. All residents are zoned to Dowling Middle School. Residents east of Almeda Road are zoned to Worthing High School
. while residents west of Almeda Road are zoned to Madison High School.
The Almeda School District was established in 1893; students originally attended school in a barn and utilized hay stacks as desks. A white one room school building opened in 1894. The first permanent school in Almeda opened in 1901. In 1905 Almeda's school had one teacher and 31 students. State highway maps indicated two schools within one mile of Almeda in 1936. During that year the Almeda area became a part of HISD. In 1981 a new Almeda Elementary School campus opened. The current Almeda campus opened on June 7, 2011 for summer school, with substantial completion occurring on May 27, 2011.
Until 2011 residents east of Almeda Road were zoned to Woodson K-8 School
, while residents west of Almeda Road were zoned to Dowling Middle School.
operates the Vinson Neighborhood Library at 3100 West Fuqua Street. The original facility had structural issues and leaks. In Fall 2009 the library moved to a new location away from the Almeda community. By December 2009 the former library facility was for sale.
http://almedaournews.blogspot.com
Missouri Pacific Railroad
The Missouri Pacific Railroad , also known as the MoPac, was one of the first railroads in the United States west of the Mississippi River. MoPac was a Class I railroad growing from dozens of predecessors and mergers, including the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway , Texas and Pacific...
in southwestern Houston, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
that used to be a distinct unincorporated community
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in Harris County
Harris County, Texas
As of the 2010 Census, the population of the county was 4,092,459, White Americans made up 56.6% of Harris County's population; non-Hispanic whites represented 33.0% of the population. Black Americans made up 18.9% of the population. Native Americans made up 0.7% of Harris County's population...
. Almeda is 11 miles (17.7 km) from Downtown Houston
Downtown Houston
Downtown Houston is the largest business district of Houston, Texas, United States. Downtown Houston, the city's central business district, contains the headquarters of many prominent companies. There is an extensive network of pedestrian tunnels and skywalks connecting the buildings of the district...
.
History
Dr. Willis King promoted the Almeda area in the early 1880s. The community's name comes from Almeda King, the promoter's daughter. The town, along the International-Great Northern RailroadInternational-Great Northern Railroad
The International – Great Northern Railroad was a railroad that operated in the U.S. state of Texas. It was created on September 30, 1873, when International Railroad and Houston and Great Northern Railroad merged....
, functioned as a trading area for agriculture and lumber. In 1893 Almeda, with 50 people, received a post office. Almeda had 200 people, two general stores, and a lumber company in 1914. In 1925 the community had 80 residents. Almeda had four businesses in the 1930s. 1936 state highway maps indicated several buildings in the area. In 1948 the community had 125 residents. In the 1950s Almeda had 20 buildings. Around 1953 the community had 1,750 residents. The post office closed in 1959. By 1960 Almeda residents continued to lack public water and fire department services. Almeda had 40 buildings in the 1960s. In 1962 Almeda had 1,200 residents. Almeda first received sewers in 1963. In the 1980s Almeda had a school, three churches, an abandoned railroad station, and scattered houses. As of 1998 Almeda was still a rural area.
Government and infrastructure
Local government
Houston City CouncilHouston City Council
The Houston City Council is a city council for the city of Houston in the U.S. state of Texas.Currently, there are fourteen members, nine elected from council districts and five at-large. The members of the Council are elected every two years, in odd-numbered years...
districts D and K serve portions of Almeda. Previously all of City Council District D served Almeda.
The community is served by the Houston Police Department
Houston Police Department
The Houston Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency serving the City of Houston, Texas, United States and some surrounding areas. Its headquarters are in 1200 Travis in Downtown Houston....
Southwest Patrol Division, headquartered at 4503 Beechnut Street.
County, state, and federal representation
Almeda is located in District 131 of the Texas House of RepresentativesTexas House of Representatives
The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the Texas Legislature. The House is composed of 150 members elected from single-member districts across the state. The average district has about 150,000 people. Representatives are elected to two-year terms with no term limits...
. As of 2008, Alma A. Allen represents the district. Genoa is within District 13
Texas Senate, District 13
District 13 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that currently serves portions of Fort Bend and Harris counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The current Senator from District 13 is Rodney Ellis.-2006:-2002:-1998:-1994:...
of the Texas Senate
Texas Senate
The Texas Senate is the upper house of the Texas Legislature. There are 31 members of the Senate, representing 31 single-member districts across the state with populations of approximately 672,000 per constituency. There are no term limits, and each term is four years long. The Senate meets at the...
; as of 2008 Rodney Ellis
Rodney Ellis
Rodney Glenn Ellis is an African-American politician from the state of Texas. He has served on the Texas State Senate since 1990, representing Texas Senate District 13.Senator Rodney Ellis was elected to the Texas Senate in 1990...
represents that district.
Almeda is in Texas's 9th congressional district
Texas's 9th congressional district
-References:*...
. As of 2008, Al Green
Al Green
Albert Greene , better known as Al Green, is an American gospel and soul music singer. He reached the peak of his popularity in the 1970s, with hit singles such as "You Oughta Be With Me", "I'm Still In Love With You", "Love and Happiness", and "Let's Stay Together"...
represents the district. The United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
operates the Almeda Post Office at 3030 West Fuqua Street.
Primary and secondary schools
Almeda is within the Houston Independent School DistrictHouston Independent School District
The Houston Independent School District is the largest public school system in Texas and the seventh-largest in the United States. Houston ISD serves as a community school district for most of the city of Houston and several nearby and insular municipalities...
(HISD). Almeda is within Trustee District IX, represented by Lawrence Marshall as of 2008.
Almeda Elementary School serves the entire area. As of 1998, 60% of the students were Hispanic and Latino. Since 1994 the school used the "Success For All" reading program for its English language classes. For bilingual English-Spanish classes it uses "Exito Para Todos," the Spanish version. As of the same year, many parents have some English fluency, but take English classes four days per week in order to improve it. All residents are zoned to Dowling Middle School. Residents east of Almeda Road are zoned to Worthing High School
Worthing High School (Houston)
Evan Edward Worthing High School is a secondary school located in the Sunnyside area of Houston, Texas, United States.Worthing serves grades 9 through 12 and is a part of the Houston Independent School District....
. while residents west of Almeda Road are zoned to Madison High School.
The Almeda School District was established in 1893; students originally attended school in a barn and utilized hay stacks as desks. A white one room school building opened in 1894. The first permanent school in Almeda opened in 1901. In 1905 Almeda's school had one teacher and 31 students. State highway maps indicated two schools within one mile of Almeda in 1936. During that year the Almeda area became a part of HISD. In 1981 a new Almeda Elementary School campus opened. The current Almeda campus opened on June 7, 2011 for summer school, with substantial completion occurring on May 27, 2011.
Until 2011 residents east of Almeda Road were zoned to Woodson K-8 School
Woodson K-8 School
Carter G. Woodson K-8 School is a Title I combined primary and secondary school located in Houston, Texas, United States.Woodson serves grades kindergarten through 8 and is a part of the Houston Independent School District....
, while residents west of Almeda Road were zoned to Dowling Middle School.
Public libraries
Houston Public LibraryHouston Public Library
Houston Public Library is the public library system serving Houston, Texas, United States. The library system has its headquarters in the Marston Building in Neartown Houston.-History:It can trace its founding to the Houston Lyceum in 1854...
operates the Vinson Neighborhood Library at 3100 West Fuqua Street. The original facility had structural issues and leaks. In Fall 2009 the library moved to a new location away from the Almeda community. By December 2009 the former library facility was for sale.
Parks and recreation
The City of Houston Parks and Recreation Department operates the Almeda Park and the Almeda Community Center at 14201 Almeda School Road. The community center includes a playground.Further reading
- Andrews, Rose Lynn "Sis". Back Yonder in Almeda, Texas.
http://almedaournews.blogspot.com