Galveston Bay Area
Encyclopedia
The Galveston Bay Area is a region that surrounds the Galveston Bay
estuary of Southeast Texas
in the United States
within the metropolitan area. Residents of Houston and surrounding areas typically call it simply the "Bay Area". Normally the term refers to the mainland communities around the bay and excludes Galveston as well as most of Houston.
Originally part of the pirate kingdom of Jean Lafitte
, this area played a role in the early history of Texas
having been the site of some early rebellions
against Mexican rule
and the site of the victory of the Texas army
over the Mexican army during the Texas Revolution
. Ranching interests became early economic drivers around the bay. As the nearby cities of Galveston and Houston developed as commercial centers, the Bay Area communities became part of a principal commercial corridor between the cities.
Despite being seen by some as a sleepy region of the Houston metro area, the region in fact has become a world leader in both manned space exploration and the petrochemical industry.
The landscape around the bay features a mix of swamp
s, beach
es, industrial facilities, tourist attractions, and historic sites. The area's developing population is ethnically diverse with a growing international community. The communities host cultural events ranging from ballet
and musical theater to fair
s and rodeo
s. The bay itself supports a commercial fishing
industry and features one of the highest concentrations of marina
s in the nation. On land the area holds numerous historic sites such as the San Jacinto Monument
, and many parks and nature preserves such as the Armand Bayou Nature Center
.
. Though the term Bay Area in its broadest sense refers to all communities near the shoreline, some sources, such as the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership (BAHEP), use more limited definitions, often referring more specifically to the clusters of communities nearest to Houston.
, the two main components of the Galveston Bay complex (excluding those along the Gulf of Mexico
):
The BAHEP and the Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce (CLACC) include the following additional communities in their membership:
Some additional communities such as La Marque, adjacent to Texas City, are treated as bayside communities by some sources.
The Bay Area can be sub-divided based on the histories and economic connections of the different communities.
and Atakapan tribes, who lived throughout the Gulf coast region. Spanish
explorers such as the Rivas-Iriarte expedition and José Antonio de Evia charted the bay and gave it its name. In 1816 the pirate Louis-Michel Aury
established a settlement on Galveston Island but was soon succeeded by the pirate Jean Lafitte. Lafitte transformed Galveston and the bay into a pirate kingdom establishing bases and hide-outs at locations such as Trinity Bay, Clear Lake, and Eagle Point. In 1821, however, the United States Navy
ousted Lafitte and the colony was largely abandoned.
Following its declaration of independence
from Spain
the new nation of Mexico
moved to colonize its northern territory of Texas by offering land grant
s to settlers both from within Mexico and from the nearby United States. Small settlements such as Lynchburg
and San Jacinto were gradually established around the bay and in 1830 Mexican authorities created a customs and garrison post at Anahuac
commanded by Juan Davis Bradburn
. Conflicts between Bradburn and the settlers in the region led to the Anahuac Disturbances
, a prelude to the larger Texas rebellion
that was to come. Following a coup in the Mexican government many freedoms previously enjoyed by the Texans were revoked causing Texas to revolt and declare its independence
in 1835. After a number of battles the Texas army
, under the leadership of General Sam Houston
, finally defeated the Mexican Army
in the Battle of San Jacinto
, near modern Pasadena.
The new Republic of Texas grew rapidly. The shores of the bay were initially mostly home to farms and ranches such as the famed Allen Ranch
. New communities such as Goose Creek (modern Baytown) were established.
Texas succeeded in its bid to join the United States in 1845 which helped launch the Mexican-American War. Texas' annexation brought more people to Texas and ranching interests around the bay began to grow. Throughout the 19th century Galveston remained Texas' dominant metropolis and the communities around the bay were strongly tied economically and culturally to the city though, as Houston began to develop, so did the Bay Area's ties to it. The construction of the Galveston, Houston and Henderson Railroad further spurred growth in the area.
During the American Civil War
, during which Texas seceded
from the United States, the area served a limited role in the conflict as new fortifications like Fort Chambers, near Anahuac, were constructed to ward off a mainland invasion by Union forces and to protect supply routes to and from Galveston. The Bay Area sat in the middle of the conflict as the most important battles in Texas occurred at Galveston with the conflict moving through the area on to Harrisburg and Houston after Galveston's fall.
In the aftermath of the war the Texas economy declined for a period. Nevertheless ranching interests became major economic drivers in the area spawning many other economic enterprises such as hide processing plants and shipping concerns. The success of these enterprises and the growth of Galveston as one of the prime commercial centers in the South
and Southwest
helped promote the construction of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway; and the La Porte, Houston and Northern Railroad through the area over the course of the 19th century. These railroads running along the southwest shore of the bay would spawn new communities such as Clear Creek (League City), Webster, and later Texas City.
Texas State History Association. Some of these new communities would develop initially as stop-over points for travelers on the rail lines. Toward the end of the century, as ranching's profitability declined, many communities turned increasingly to agriculture. The farming community of Pasadena
was established during this time.
The Galveston Hurricane of 1900
devastated the city of Galveston and heavily damaged communities around the bay (according to some estimates the Bay Area death toll may have been as high as 2000). Bridges between Galveston and the mainland were destroyed. Communities along the shoreline declined for some time as economic growth moved inland and Houston became the dominant economic center in the region. The region received a population boost from some Galveston refugees who relocated to the mainland following the catastrophe.
s and shrimp
, grew as a significant area industry.
In the early 1900s the Goose Creek Oil Field
was discovered launching an oil boom at Galveston Bay. In 1915 Goose Creek acquired the first offshore oil drilling site in the state and soon after refineries opened in Texas City, Baytown and Pasadena. The Humble Oil
refinery in Baytown became the largest in the Houston area. The wealth brought on by the boom transformed the region and population surged. Manufacturing and refining expanded rapidly. During the Roaring 20s, tourism and resort communities developed around Clear Lake and the bay shoreline in communities such as Morgan's Point
, Seabrook
, Kemah
.
The World War
s created new manufacturing opportunities for factories around the bay and the area's population grew even faster than Houston. Ellington Air Force Base was built becoming a major air field and flight training center during the wars.
After the war area economic diversification brought on by the war effort helped in the transition to a peacetime economy. NASA
's Johnson Space Center was established in 1963 helping to spur explosive growth in the mid 20th century, especially the 1970s and 80s. The remainder of the communities on the southwestern shore urbanized
and development connected the area to Houston. Tourism and recreation re-emerged and blossomed particularly around the Clear Lake area and the nearby shoreline.
Hurricane Ike
struck the Bay Area in 2008 causing substantial damage both environmentally and economically, the most destructive event since 1900. a proposal to build a levee system, the Ike Dike
, to protect the bay is under discussion.
, and its vegetation is classified as temperate grassland and marsh
es. The municipalities have been built on reclaimed marshes, swamp
s, and prairie
s, which are all still visible in undeveloped areas. Flatness of the local terrain and proximity to the Bay and the Gulf
have made flooding a recurring problem for the area. The region once relied on groundwater
for its needs, but land subsidence
has forced much of the region to turn to ground-level water sources.
s which gradually incorporated plant and animal matter creating the petroleum
deposits for which the Gulf Coast
is known.
The region has numerous faults
, many considered active, but none has produced significant earthquakes in recorded history. These faults tend to move at a smooth rate in what is termed fault creep
, which reduces the risk of an earthquake.
along the Texas Gulf Coast. The bay as a whole is composed of four major sub-bays: Galveston Bay proper, Trinity Bay
, East Bay
, and West Bay. Other smaller bays and lakes connecting to this complex of waterways in the Bay Area include San Jacinto Bay, Burnet Bay, Scott Bay, Crystal Bay, Goose Lake, Clear Lake, Dickinson Bay, and Moses Lake.
Galveston Bay is mostly shallow with an average depth of 7–9 feet. It is fed by the Trinity River
and the San Jacinto River, numerous local bayou
s and incoming tide
s from the Gulf of Mexico
. This unique and complex mixing of waters from different sources supports many types of marine life
including crab
s, shrimp
, oyster
s, and many varieties of fish
thereby supporting a substantial fishing industry. Additionally the system of bayous, river
s, and marshes that ring the Bay support their own ecosystem
s allowing for diverse wildlife and enabling freshwater farming
of crawfish. The areas near the bay shore in fact have a higher diversity of habitats than the nearby Gulf coast.
The bay receives the fourth highest level of toxic chemicals in the state from bayside industrial discharge, in addition to pollutants washing in from the Houston Ship Channel. Although contaminants from the major industrial complexes along the bay contribute substantially to bay pollution, most is the result of storm run-off from various commercial, agricultural, and residential sources. In recent decades, conservation efforts have been enacted which have improved water quality in the bay.
(Cfa in Köppen climate classification system). Spring supercell thunderstorms
sometimes create tornado
s (but not to the extent found in tornado alley
). Prevailing winds from the south and southeast bring heat from the deserts of Mexico
and moisture from the Gulf of Mexico
.
Summer temperatures regularly exceed 90 °F (32.2 °C). The area's proximity to the bay and the winds that it generates moderate the area's temperatures and ease the effects of the humidity creating a more pleasant climate than inland communities like Houston (e.g. the average July high in Texas City is 89 °F (31.7 °C) with 9.8 mi/h winds vs. 94 °F (34.4 °C) with 6.7 mi/h winds in Houston).
Winters in the area are temperate with typical January highs above 60 °F (15.6 °C) and lows are near 40 °F (4.4 °C). Snowfall is rare. Annual rainfall averages can range from 40 to 50 in (101.6 to 127 cm) depending on the community.
Excessive ozone
levels can occur due to industrial activities; nearby Houston is ranked among the most ozone-polluted cities in the United States. The industries located along the ship channel and the bay are a major cause of the pollution.
Hurricanes are a substantial concern during the fall season. Though Galveston Island and the Bolivar Peninsula provide some shielding, the Bay Area still faces more danger than Houston and other inland communities, particularly because of storm surge.
with much of it built around aerospace, petrochemicals, and high tech
industries. The region's economy is closely tied to the rest of the Houston area though the mix of local businesses is somewhat unique. In 2005, the median household income for the Clear Lake area was $62,061 compared to $50,868 for the Houston area as whole and $45,472 for all of Texas.
The Bay Area's four major employment sectors are aerospace
, petrochemical
s and chemical processing, high-tech (software, biotechnology
, electronics
, etc.), and tourism
. Most other employment in the region is supported by these industries although some smaller, independent industries exist as well.
The most widespread economic activities in the area revolve around petroleum and petrochemicals, largely centered in Baytown, Pasadena/La Porte, and Texas City. These industries in Houston and the Bay Area account for nearly half of the U.S. petrochemical manufacturing and approximately one third of the U.S. petroleum refining
capacity. The Bay Area is home to the largest refineries and petrochemical complexes in the Greater Houston area and to the majority of the processing capacity.
NASA
's Johnson Space Center
(JSC) is an important pillar of the Bay Area economy. Businesses around this core include a broad range of high-tech development enterprises from aerospace engineering to software and electronics.
The tourism industry attracts millions of visitors each year with attractions ranging from Space Center Houston
to the bay itself. Ecotourism
, in particular, is a growing sector with destinations such as the Armand Bayou Nature Center. Biotechnology
, which already employs nearly 3000 workers in the area, is a smaller but growing industry in the area enabled in large part by JSC and the Texas Medical Center
in Houston. Commercial fishing
is one the older industries in the region and is still a significant economic sector.
Some outlying areas around the bay remain semi-rural. Cattle ranching and agriculture
remain staples of some local economies as well as shrimp
fishing and oyster
farming.
Major Bay Area economic hubs include the following:
Home to a diverse set of communities, the Bay Area has a demographic distribution that varies greatly among these individual communities. Based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the City of Houston (2008, where available, and 2000 otherwise), the area demographic statistics are as follows (see table for more details). The total population was approximately 566,850. The median household income was $56,827. The white population was 72.9%, the African American population was 8.3%, and the Asian population was 3.9%.
The most populous community in the region is Pasadena (though Houston is a much larger city, the portion within this region is smaller than Pasadena). Taylor Lake Village has (by far) the highest median household income; and Bacliff and San Leon have the lowest. Texas City and La Marque have the largest African-American populations. La Porte and the Clear Lake area of Houston have the largest Asian populations.
The Bay Area contains several institutions of higher education. The largest is the University of Houston–Clear Lake
(UHCL) located adjacent to Clear Lake City. UHCL is separate and distinct from the University of Houston
(UH), but it is part of the larger University of Houston System
. The university offers a wide spectrum of programs including what it touts as the most complete biotechnology
graduate programs in the state.
Texas Chiropractic College
in Pasadena, one of only two schools of chiropractics in Texas and one of a handful in the nation, provides training for students from around the state. Several community colleges serve communities in the area as well, including San Jacinto College
, College of the Mainland
, Lee College
, and Houston Community College.
The Bay Area covers multiple municipalities with multiple school district
s. Most of the communities in the Clear Lake Area are served by Clear Creek Independent School District
though some nearby areas are served by Dickinson
and Houston Independent School District
s. Communities in the Pasadena/Baytown area are served by Deer Park
, Goose Creek Consolidated
, La Porte
, and Pasadena Independent School District
s. The Friendswood area is served by the Friendswood Independent School District
. The Texas City area is served by La Marque
and Texas City Independent School District
s. The communities in Chambers County near Anahuac are served by Anahuac Independent School District
.
these 10 districts, excluding Houston ISD, have a total of 184 primary and secondary schools. Of these Clear Creek, Deer Park, Goose Creek, and Anahuac ISD were evaluated as "recognized" districts (the second highest ranking) by the Texas Education Agency
, or TEA. All of the others were evaluated as "academically acceptable" with the exception of Texas City ISD, which was evaluated as "academically unacceptable".
67 (35%) of the schools were ranked as "exemplary" (the highest ranking); 62 (33%) were ranked as "recognized"; 39 (21%) were ranked as "academically acceptable"; 2 (1%) were ranked as "academically unacceptable"; and 20 (11%) were not rated by the TEA. Notably 100% of Friendswood ISD schools and 65% of Clear Creek ISD schools were "exemplary", the highest percentages of these 10 districts. Overall, of the schools that were rated, 37% of the schools in these 10 districts were "exemplary", compared with 29% for the entire state.
The Bay Area's two interstate freeways
act as linear backbones connecting the communities on either side of the ship channel. The few other freeways in the region provide access into the centers of heavy industry within the region. Connectivity within other communities mostly relies on uncontrolled, surface highways.
Interstate 45
(the Gulf Freeway) is the major freeway for the core areas of the Bay Area linking them with Houston and Galveston. Highway 146
(Bayport Blvd.) is a coastal highway linking the waterfronts of the communities. The Gulf Freeway and Bayport Blvd. together are the main arteries linking the Clear Lake Area communities and Pasadena, though Highway 225
, East Beltway 8, Highway 3 and others are important as well. The Fred Hartman Bridge
on Highway 146 crosses the ship channel connecting Baytown and Pasadena, while the Galveston Causeway
on the Gulf Freeway crosses the bay connecting Texas City and Galveston Island
.
In the outlying north Bay Area, Interstate 10
links Anahuac
and other communities nearby connecting them to Houston and the rest of the Bay Area. Highway 124 provides access to the Bolivar Peninsula.
The Houston Metro
bus system provides service to the southeast Houston and Pasadena connecting the communities with central Houston. The remaining communities in the Bay Area communities are not served by mass transit. Greyhound Bus Lines, which provides service to cities nationwide, has stations at Baytown and La Marque/Texas City.
(HOU) is the nearest airport providing regular domestic service. It is in southeast Houston near the Bay Area and provides service to U.S. destinations. International service is provided by Bush Intercontinental Airport
(IAH) in north Houston.
Ellington Airport, the other branch of the Houston Airport System
(HAS), is a mixed-use airport. It acts as a reliever airport for Hobby, in addition to use by NASA
, the military, and public aviation. The system has performed significant expansion of the airport in recent years expecting significant growth in its usage in coming years. La Porte Municipal Airport
in Pasadena and Chambers County Airport
near Anahuac provide public air access to their respective communities.
and Bayport
terminals (administered by the Port of Houston Authority), and the Port of Texas City
are the major freight shipping points. For railway shipping the Union-Pacific Webster station, the Union-Pacific Deer Park station, the Union-Pacific Baytown station, and the Texas City Terminal Railway Company, are major access points.
The Bay Area Houston Healthcare Network (BAHHN) is a collaboration of health care providers coordinating health care services in many of the west bay communities and Galveston. The hubs of the network include Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital
in the Clear Lake City area, Bayshore Medical Center in Pasadena, and the University of Texas Medical Branch
in Galveston.
Numerous other health care facilities exist in the region as well. Notable facilities outside the area covered by BAHHN include San Jacinto Methodist Hospital (Baytown) and Mainland Medical Center (Texas City).
Many other annual events take place in the Bay Area as well. The Strawberry Festival in Pasadena celebrates the role the iconic fruit played in rescuing the town's economy following the 1900 Hurricane. The Blessing of the Fleet boat parade
in Kemah is an annual event that celebrates Kemah's history as a shrimp
fishing town. The Gulf Coast Film Festival
annually showcases independent films from local, regional and international artists in various categories ranging from short films to documentaries. Other annual events include the Wings over Houston Air Fest (Ellington Field), the Music Fest by the Bay (Texas City), the Ballunar Festival, the Oak Tree Festival (League City), and the South Shore Dockside Food & Wine Festival (League City). In Anahuac the annual Gatorfest celebrates the semi-rural culture of Chambers County. And, of course, in the spirit of the state to which the area belongs, the annual Pasadena Livestock Show and Rodeo features traditional rodeo
events for area spectators.
group and the League City Ballet offer performances in genres ranging from ballet
to American musicals. The Clear Lake Symphony, the Pasadena Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Baytown Symphony Orchestra offer multiple performances each year ranging from classical to "pops" performances.
Other arts and theatre programs exist in the area as well. The Arts Alliance at Clear Lake, a group of 50 area arts organizations, regularly schedules arts exibihits, musical performances, and other arts programs. Community theater groups such as the Pasadena Little Theatre, the Clear Creek Country Theatre (Nassau Bay), the Harbour Playhouse (Dickinson), and the Baytown Little Theater offer a variety of regularly scheduled performances. Regular free concerts and other cultural events take place in venues such as the Pasadena Fairgrounds and League Park Plaza (League City).
The Bay Area contains parks and landmarks. One of the oldest landmarks is the San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site
in La Porte which marks the site of the Battle of San Jacinto and holds the San Jacinto Monument and the Battleship Texas. Nearby, the Sterling Mansion, a former Governor's residence, at Morgan's Point marks the edge of the former Gold Coast of Texas.
The Armand Bayou Nature Center in Pasadena is the largest urban wilderness preserve in the nation. It features a boardwalk
through the marshes, numerous nature trails, and boat tours offering views of natural habitat
s for animals ranging from bison
to seagulls to butterflies
. The Baytown Nature Center
, located on two peninsula
s along the ship channel, and the Texas City Prairie Preserve
, located along Moses Lake
and the bay, are largely undeveloped nature preserves with views of wetlands and coastal wildlife in addition to a variety of park facilities. The Seabrook Trail System which includes Robinson and Pine Gully
Parks offers primitive access to natural habitats for numerous species. These sites are all part of the larger Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail
.
Further from the core on the northeast side of the bay sits the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge
, a 34000 acres (137.6 km²) federal nature preserve. The coastal habitats in the park offer opportunities for viewing species ranging from the American Alligator
and Bobcat
to bird species such as the Fulvous Whistling-Duck and the Yellow Rail
.
Other major area parks include Clear Creek Nature Park (League City), Chandler Arboretum (Baytown), Challenger 7 Memorial Park (Webster), and Sylvan Beach Park (La Porte).
is the tourist arm of the Johnson Space Center and one of the most visited tourist attractions in Texas. Visitors can tour the Space Center grounds, view space capsules and artifacts, and find numerous educational activities including an IMAX theater.
The Kemah Boardwalk
is a waterfront attraction featuring a variety of rides, restaurant
s, shops, and other entertainment venues. It is next to the Kemah Marina and hosts annual events such as the Boardwalk Wine Festival.
The Eddie V. Gray Wetlands Education and Recreation Center in Baytown offers indoor and outdoor educational exhibits featuring wetlands wildlife and habitats. The exhibits range from aquariums to science labs. The site also includes hiking trails through primitive habitats.
Museums in the area include the San Jacinto Museum of History
, the Bay Area Museum (Seabrook
), the Pasadena Historical Museum, the West Bay Common School Museum (League City), the Baytown Historical Museum, the Texas City Museum, the Buttler Longhorn Museum (League City) and the Dickinson Railroad Museum.
Farmers markets in the area, including the Nassau Bay Farmers Market and the Farmers Market at Clear Lake Shores, provide opportunities for area residents to connect with local growers, producers, and other businesses. Historic districts
such as the Goose Creek Historic District (Baytown), the Morgan's Point Historic District, and the League City Historic District are available providing views of early area architecture in addition to unique shopping venues.
The area contains many marinas for boating and fishing enthusiasts such the Bayland Park Marina (Baytown) and the Watergate Yachting Center (Clear Lake Shores). The shoreline of Clear Lake itself has the greatest concentration of recreational boats in Texas and ranks third nationwide (Watergate even claims to be the nation's largest).
are the area's minor-league baseball
team. The Toros play their home games at Robinson Stadium
in Texas City. The Texas City Rangers
are a minor-league basketball
team that plays its home games at La Marque High School
. The Houston Raceway Park
in Baytown holds regular drag racing
and speedway motorsport events through the year. The park has a seating capacity of 30,000 with VIP suites.
The Galveston Bay Cruising Association holds regular regatta
events on the bay such as the Bay Cup (Lakewood Yacht Club
, Seabrook) and the Performance Cup. The 2009 season had 22 events throughout the year offering entertainment for sportsmen and spectators. The Gulf Greyhound Park in LaMarque is a stadium complex offering dog racing exhibitions. The park is the largest of its kind and features the state's largest restaurant among its amenities.
. Several smaller local newspapers serving the communities are available including the Bayshore Sun, the Bay Area Citizen, the Pasadena Citizen, and the Deer Park Progress. The Bay Area Observer and Bay Area Houston Magazine are online publications providing area interest stories and information.
The area receives many radio station
s including some licensed within the area, such as KKBQ (country
, Pasadena), KWWJ
(gospel
, Baytown), and KFTG
and KLVL
(Spanish religious, Pasadena). Among the many television station
s received in the area stations licensed in the area include KUBE-TV (TuVisión
, Spanish language, Baytown).
Galveston Bay
Galveston Bay is a large estuary located along the upper coast of Texas in the United States. It is connected to the Gulf of Mexico and is surrounded by sub-tropic marshes and prairies on the mainland. The water in the Bay is a complex mixture of sea water and fresh water which supports a wide...
estuary of Southeast Texas
Southeast Texas
Southeast Texas is a subregion of East Texas located in the southeast corner of the U.S. state of Texas. The subregion is geographically centered around the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown and Beaumont–Port Arthur metropolitan areas...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
within the metropolitan area. Residents of Houston and surrounding areas typically call it simply the "Bay Area". Normally the term refers to the mainland communities around the bay and excludes Galveston as well as most of Houston.
Originally part of the pirate kingdom of Jean Lafitte
Jean Lafitte
Jean Lafitte was a pirate and privateer in the Gulf of Mexico in the early 19th century. He and his elder brother, Pierre, spelled their last name Laffite, but English-language documents of the time used "Lafitte", and this is the commonly seen spelling in the United States, including for places...
, this area played a role in the early history of Texas
History of Texas
European conquistadors first arrived in the region now known as Texas in 1519, finding the region populated by various Native American tribes...
having been the site of some early rebellions
Anahuac Disturbances
The Anahuac Disturbances were uprisings of settlers in and around Anahuac, Texas in 1832 and 1835 which helped to precipitate the Texas Revolution. This eventually led to the territory's secession from Mexico and the founding of the Republic of Texas...
against Mexican rule
Mexican Texas
Mexican Texas is the name given by Texas history scholars to the period between 1821 and 1836, when Texas was an integral part of Mexico. The period began with Mexico's victory over Spain in its war of independence in 1821. For the first several years of its existence, Mexican Texas operated very...
and the site of the victory of the Texas army
Battle of San Jacinto
The Battle of San Jacinto, fought on April 21, 1836, in present-day Harris County, Texas, was the decisive battle of the Texas Revolution. Led by General Sam Houston, the Texian Army engaged and defeated General Antonio López de Santa Anna's Mexican forces in a fight that lasted just eighteen...
over the Mexican army during the Texas Revolution
Texas Revolution
The Texas Revolution or Texas War of Independence was an armed conflict between Mexico and settlers in the Texas portion of the Mexican state Coahuila y Tejas. The war lasted from October 2, 1835 to April 21, 1836...
. Ranching interests became early economic drivers around the bay. As the nearby cities of Galveston and Houston developed as commercial centers, the Bay Area communities became part of a principal commercial corridor between the cities.
Despite being seen by some as a sleepy region of the Houston metro area, the region in fact has become a world leader in both manned space exploration and the petrochemical industry.
The landscape around the bay features a mix of swamp
Swamp
A swamp is a wetland with some flooding of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water. A swamp generally has a large number of hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation. The two main types of swamp are "true" or swamp...
s, beach
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
es, industrial facilities, tourist attractions, and historic sites. The area's developing population is ethnically diverse with a growing international community. The communities host cultural events ranging from ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
and musical theater to fair
Fair
A fair or fayre is a gathering of people to display or trade produce or other goods, to parade or display animals and often to enjoy associated carnival or funfair entertainment. It is normally of the essence of a fair that it is temporary; some last only an afternoon while others may ten weeks. ...
s and rodeo
Rodeo
Rodeo is a competitive sport which arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later the United States, Canada, South America and Australia. It was based on the skills required of the working vaqueros and later, cowboys, in what today is the western United States,...
s. The bay itself supports a commercial fishing
Commercial fishing
Commercial fishing is the activity of catching fish and other seafood for commercial profit, mostly from wild fisheries. It provides a large quantity of food to many countries around the world, but those who practice it as an industry must often pursue fish far into the ocean under adverse conditions...
industry and features one of the highest concentrations of marina
Marina
A marina is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats.A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or cargo from freighters....
s in the nation. On land the area holds numerous historic sites such as the San Jacinto Monument
San Jacinto Monument
The San Jacinto Monument is a high column located on the Houston Ship Channel in unincorporated Harris County, Texas near the city of La Porte. The monument is topped with a 220-ton star that commemorates the site of the Battle of San Jacinto, the decisive battle of the Texas Revolution...
, and many parks and nature preserves such as the Armand Bayou Nature Center
Armand Bayou Nature Center
Armand Bayou Nature Center is an urban preserve located in Pasadena and southeast Houston between the Johnson Space Center and the Bayport Industrial District...
.
Boundaries
The shores of Galveston Bay are home to many different municipalities and communities. The region is part of the larger Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown Metropolitan AreaGreater Houston
Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown is a 10-county metropolitan area defined by the Office of Management and Budget. It is located along the Gulf Coast region in the U.S. state of Texas...
. Though the term Bay Area in its broadest sense refers to all communities near the shoreline, some sources, such as the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership (BAHEP), use more limited definitions, often referring more specifically to the clusters of communities nearest to Houston.
Municipalities
The following communities lie on the shores of Galveston Bay proper and Trinity BayTrinity Bay (Texas)
Trinity Bay is the northeast portion of Galveston Bay, bordered by Chambers and Harris counties in Texas, United States. The bay, approximately long, heads at the mouth of the Trinity River...
, the two main components of the Galveston Bay complex (excluding those along the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
):
- AnahuacAnahuac, TexasAnahuac is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The population of the city was 2,210 at the 2000 census. Anahuac is the seat of Chambers County and is situated in East Texas.- History :...
, BacliffBacliff, TexasBacliff is a census-designated place in north central Galveston County, Texas, United States, northwest of Galveston. The population was 6,962 at the 2000 census. Bacliff, originally called Clifton-by-the-Sea, began as a seaside resort town...
, BaytownBaytown, TexasBaytown is a city within Harris County and partially in Chambers County in the Gulf Coast region of the U.S. state of Texas. Located within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area, it lies along both State Highway 146 and Interstate 10. As of 2010, Baytown had an population of 71,802...
, Beach CityBeach City, TexasBeach City is a city in Chambers County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,645 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Beach City is located at ....
, KemahKemah, TexasKemah is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The city's population was 2,330 as of the 2000 census. Located in Galveston County, Kemah's main industry comes from shipping...
, La PorteLa Porte, TexasLa Porte is a city in Harris County, Texas within the Bay Area of the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city population was 31,880...
, Morgan's PointMorgan's Point, TexasMorgan's Point is a city in Harris County, Texas, United States located on the shores of the Galveston Bay at the inlet to the Houston Ship Channel, near La Porte and Pasadena. It earned fame in Texas' early history for being the home of the legendary Emily West , known as the Yellow Rose of Texas...
, SeabrookSeabrook, TexasSeabrook is a city in Harris county, with some water surface area located within Chambers county in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 9,443 at the 2000 census....
, ShoreacresShoreacres, TexasShoreacres is a city in Chambers and Harris Counties in the U.S. state of Texas, alongside State Highway 146. Established with a mayor-alderman form of city government, it was incorporated in 1949...
, PasadenaPasadena, TexasPasadena is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area. It is the second-largest city in Harris County, 17th-largest in Texas, and 162nd largest in the United States. The area was founded in 1893 by John H. Burnett of Galveston....
, Texas CityTexas City, TexasTexas City is a city in Chambers and Galveston counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 41,521 at the 2000 census. It is a part of the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
The BAHEP and the Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce (CLACC) include the following additional communities in their membership:
- Clear Lake superneighborhood of Houston (which includes Clear Lake CityClear Lake City (Greater Houston)Clear Lake City is a master-planned community located in southeast Harris County, Texas, within the Bay Area of Greater Houston. It is the second-largest master-planned community in Houston — behind Kingwood...
and JSC), Clear Lake ShoresClear Lake Shores, TexasClear Lake Shores is a city in Galveston County, Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. Clear Lake Shores is regarded as "The Yachting Capital of Texas" as the City has more boat slips than people. As of the 2000 U.S...
, Deer ParkDeer Park, TexasDeer Park is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The city is located in Harris County and is situated in Southeast Texas. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of Deer Park was 32,010....
, DickinsonDickinson, TexasDickinson is a city in Galveston County, Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The population was 17,093 at the 2000 census.-History:...
, El LagoEl Lago, TexasEl Lago is a city in Harris County, Texas, United States. The population was 3,075 at the 2000 census.El Lago has particular historical significance as it sits on the site of one of the main hide-outs for the famed pirate and war hero Jean Lafitte....
, FriendswoodFriendswood, TexasFriendswood is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The city lies in Galveston and Harris counties. As of the 2000 U.S...
, League CityLeague City, TexasLeague City is a city in Galveston County and Harris County in the U.S. state of Texas, within the metropolitan area. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city population was 45,444; in the 2006 census estimate, the population was listed as 67,200. The 2010 Census places the population of League City...
, Nassau BayNassau Bay, TexasNassau Bay is a city in Harris County, Texas, United States, bordering the southeastern edge of the city of Houston. It is located in the Clear Lake Area near Galveston Bay, directly adjacent to the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. The population was 4,170 at the 2000 census...
, Taylor Lake VillageTaylor Lake Village, TexasTaylor Lake Village is a city in Harris County, Texas, United States. The population was 3,694 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Taylor Lake Village is located at ....
, WebsterWebster, TexasWebster is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The population was 9,083 at the 2000 census.-History:...
.
Some additional communities such as La Marque, adjacent to Texas City, are treated as bayside communities by some sources.
Subdivisions
- The Pasadena–Baytown area, including Deer Park and La Porte, straddles the Houston Ship ChannelHouston Ship ChannelThe Houston Ship Channel, located in Houston, Texas, is part of the Port of Houston—one of the United States's busiest seaports. The channel is the conduit for ocean-going vessels between the Houston-area shipyards and the Gulf of Mexico.-Overview:...
and has since the world wars been defined by the heavy industry along its shores. The two towns have distinct histories with Baytown having become tied to the oil industry earlier and Pasadena having a longer history tied to ranching and agriculture before petrochemicals came to dominate. But in modern times their fortunes have been closely tied by their cores of heavy industry.
- The Clear Lake Area includes numerous communities and municipalities surrounding Clear LakeClear Lake (Galveston Bay)Clear Lake is a brackish lake located near Houston, Texas, USA in Harris County. The lake feeds Galveston Bay. It is bordered by Houston , Pasadena, League City, Clear Lake Shores, Taylor Lake Village, and El Lago, Texas...
between Pasadena, Houston, and the bay. This area largely owes its recent growth and prosperity directly and indirectly to the Johnson Space Center, and has been traditionally characterized by a large white collarWhite-collar workerThe term white-collar worker refers to a person who performs professional, managerial, or administrative work, in contrast with a blue-collar worker, whose job requires manual labor...
workforce and its prolific middle- and upper-middle-class neighborhoods. The area is sometimes seen as the heart of the Bay Area in spite of the relative youth of its history.
- The Texas City area includes Texas City and La Marque and surrounding communities. Until recently this area and Galveston together were treated by the federal government as a metro area distinct from Houston. The area's prosperity revolves to a great degree around the Port of Texas CityPort of Texas CityThe Port of Texas City is a major deepwater port in Texas City, Texas at Galveston Bay, United States. Its location on the bay, which is used by the Port of Houston and the Port of Galveston, puts Texas City in the heart of one of the world's most important shipping hubs...
and the heavy industry around it.
- The bayside region of Chambers County encompasses the shoreline of Trinity Bay (and East Bay), on the northeast side of the bay complex. This area includes AnahuacAnahuac, TexasAnahuac is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The population of the city was 2,210 at the 2000 census. Anahuac is the seat of Chambers County and is situated in East Texas.- History :...
as its largest community. Some of the area remains semi-rural and oriented to agriculture and commercial fishing but petroleum and chemical processing are significant industries as well. Urban development is more limited giving the area a more small-town and rural atmosphere. This area's history is somewhat distinct from the other areas around the bay as it is not part of the once crucial commercial corridor between Galveston and Houston.
Spain, Mexico, and the Republic of Texas
Prior to European settlement the area around Galveston Bay was settled by the KarankawaKarankawa
Karankawa were a group of Native American peoples, now extinct as a tribal group, who played a pivotal part in early Texas history....
and Atakapan tribes, who lived throughout the Gulf coast region. Spanish
Spanish Empire
The Spanish Empire comprised territories and colonies administered directly by Spain in Europe, in America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. It originated during the Age of Exploration and was therefore one of the first global empires. At the time of Habsburgs, Spain reached the peak of its world power....
explorers such as the Rivas-Iriarte expedition and José Antonio de Evia charted the bay and gave it its name. In 1816 the pirate Louis-Michel Aury
Louis-Michel Aury
Louis-Michel Aury was a French Corsair operating in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean during the early 19th century.Aury was born in Paris, France, in about 1788. He served in the French Navy, but from 1802 served in privateer ships...
established a settlement on Galveston Island but was soon succeeded by the pirate Jean Lafitte. Lafitte transformed Galveston and the bay into a pirate kingdom establishing bases and hide-outs at locations such as Trinity Bay, Clear Lake, and Eagle Point. In 1821, however, the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
ousted Lafitte and the colony was largely abandoned.
Following its declaration of independence
Declaration of independence
A declaration of independence is an assertion of the independence of an aspiring state or states. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another nation or failed nation, or are breakaway territories from within the larger state...
from Spain
Spanish Empire
The Spanish Empire comprised territories and colonies administered directly by Spain in Europe, in America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. It originated during the Age of Exploration and was therefore one of the first global empires. At the time of Habsburgs, Spain reached the peak of its world power....
the new nation of Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
moved to colonize its northern territory of Texas by offering land grant
Land grant
A land grant is a gift of real estate – land or its privileges – made by a government or other authority as a reward for services to an individual, especially in return for military service...
s to settlers both from within Mexico and from the nearby United States. Small settlements such as Lynchburg
Lynchburg, Texas
Lynchburg is an unincorporated area in east central Harris County, Texas, United States.The community is also known as Lynch's Ferry.-Education:Deer Park Independent School District operates schools in the area.Zoned schools include:...
and San Jacinto were gradually established around the bay and in 1830 Mexican authorities created a customs and garrison post at Anahuac
Anahuac, Texas
Anahuac is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The population of the city was 2,210 at the 2000 census. Anahuac is the seat of Chambers County and is situated in East Texas.- History :...
commanded by Juan Davis Bradburn
Juan Davis Bradburn
Juan Davis Bradburn , born John Davis Bradburn, was a brigadier general in the Mexican Army. His actions as commandant of the garrison at Anahuac in Mexican Texas in 1831 and 1832 led to the events known as the Anahuac Disturbances....
. Conflicts between Bradburn and the settlers in the region led to the Anahuac Disturbances
Anahuac Disturbances
The Anahuac Disturbances were uprisings of settlers in and around Anahuac, Texas in 1832 and 1835 which helped to precipitate the Texas Revolution. This eventually led to the territory's secession from Mexico and the founding of the Republic of Texas...
, a prelude to the larger Texas rebellion
Texas Revolution
The Texas Revolution or Texas War of Independence was an armed conflict between Mexico and settlers in the Texas portion of the Mexican state Coahuila y Tejas. The war lasted from October 2, 1835 to April 21, 1836...
that was to come. Following a coup in the Mexican government many freedoms previously enjoyed by the Texans were revoked causing Texas to revolt and declare its independence
Texas Declaration of Independence
The Texas Declaration of Independence was the formal declaration of independence of the Republic of Texas from Mexico in the Texas Revolution. It was adopted at the Convention of 1836 at Washington-on-the-Brazos on March 2, 1836, and formally signed the following day after errors were noted in the...
in 1835. After a number of battles the Texas army
Texian Army
The Texian Army was a military organization consisting of volunteer and regular soldiers who fought against the Mexican army during the Texas Revolution. Approximately 3,700 men joined the army between October 2, 1835 during the Battle of Gonzales through the end of the war on April 21, 1836, at...
, under the leadership of General Sam Houston
Sam Houston
Samuel Houston, known as Sam Houston , was a 19th-century American statesman, politician, and soldier. He was born in Timber Ridge in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, of Scots-Irish descent. Houston became a key figure in the history of Texas and was elected as the first and third President of...
, finally defeated the Mexican Army
Mexican Army
The Mexican Army is the combined land and air branch and largest of the Mexican Military services; it also is known as the National Defense Army. It is famous for having been the first army to adopt and use an automatic rifle, , in 1899, and the first to issue automatic weapons as standard issue...
in the Battle of San Jacinto
Battle of San Jacinto
The Battle of San Jacinto, fought on April 21, 1836, in present-day Harris County, Texas, was the decisive battle of the Texas Revolution. Led by General Sam Houston, the Texian Army engaged and defeated General Antonio López de Santa Anna's Mexican forces in a fight that lasted just eighteen...
, near modern Pasadena.
The new Republic of Texas grew rapidly. The shores of the bay were initially mostly home to farms and ranches such as the famed Allen Ranch
Allen Ranch
The Allen Ranch, or Sam Allen Ranch, was one of the first and longest running ranches in the history of the state of Texas in the United States. The ranch was started a few years after the Texas Revolution in what is now southeast Houston and Pasadena. The ranch itself extended from Clear Lake to...
. New communities such as Goose Creek (modern Baytown) were established.
U.S. annexation
During the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, during which Texas seceded
Secession
Secession is the act of withdrawing from an organization, union, or especially a political entity. Threats of secession also can be a strategy for achieving more limited goals.-Secession theory:...
from the United States, the area served a limited role in the conflict as new fortifications like Fort Chambers, near Anahuac, were constructed to ward off a mainland invasion by Union forces and to protect supply routes to and from Galveston. The Bay Area sat in the middle of the conflict as the most important battles in Texas occurred at Galveston with the conflict moving through the area on to Harrisburg and Houston after Galveston's fall.
In the aftermath of the war the Texas economy declined for a period. Nevertheless ranching interests became major economic drivers in the area spawning many other economic enterprises such as hide processing plants and shipping concerns. The success of these enterprises and the growth of Galveston as one of the prime commercial centers in the South
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
and Southwest
Southwestern United States
The Southwestern United States is a region defined in different ways by different sources. Broad definitions include nearly a quarter of the United States, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah...
helped promote the construction of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway; and the La Porte, Houston and Northern Railroad through the area over the course of the 19th century. These railroads running along the southwest shore of the bay would spawn new communities such as Clear Creek (League City), Webster, and later Texas City.
Texas State History Association. Some of these new communities would develop initially as stop-over points for travelers on the rail lines. Toward the end of the century, as ranching's profitability declined, many communities turned increasingly to agriculture. The farming community of Pasadena
Pasadena, Texas
Pasadena is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area. It is the second-largest city in Harris County, 17th-largest in Texas, and 162nd largest in the United States. The area was founded in 1893 by John H. Burnett of Galveston....
was established during this time.
The Galveston Hurricane of 1900
Galveston Hurricane of 1900
The Hurricane of 1900 made landfall on the city of Galveston in the U.S. state of Texas, on September 8, 1900.It had estimated winds of at landfall, making it a Category 4 storm on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale...
devastated the city of Galveston and heavily damaged communities around the bay (according to some estimates the Bay Area death toll may have been as high as 2000). Bridges between Galveston and the mainland were destroyed. Communities along the shoreline declined for some time as economic growth moved inland and Houston became the dominant economic center in the region. The region received a population boost from some Galveston refugees who relocated to the mainland following the catastrophe.
20th century
The sparsely populated Bay Area transformed during the 20th century. Following the hurricane, donations by the newly established Red Cross helped revive area farming communities. The newly established community of Texas City opened its port and railroad junctions shipping cotton and grain. Commercial fishing, particularly for oysterOyster
The word oyster is used as a common name for a number of distinct groups of bivalve molluscs which live in marine or brackish habitats. The valves are highly calcified....
s and shrimp
Shrimp
Shrimp are swimming, decapod crustaceans classified in the infraorder Caridea, found widely around the world in both fresh and salt water. Adult shrimp are filter feeding benthic animals living close to the bottom. They can live in schools and can swim rapidly backwards. Shrimp are an important...
, grew as a significant area industry.
In the early 1900s the Goose Creek Oil Field
Goose Creek Oil Field
The Goose Creek Oil Field is a large oil field in Baytown, Texas, on Galveston Bay. Discovered in 1903, and reaching maximum production in 1918 after a series of spectacular gushers, it was one of the fields which contributed to the Texas Oil Boom of the early 20th century...
was discovered launching an oil boom at Galveston Bay. In 1915 Goose Creek acquired the first offshore oil drilling site in the state and soon after refineries opened in Texas City, Baytown and Pasadena. The Humble Oil
Humble Oil
Humble Oil and Refining Co. was founded in 1911. The company would later consolidate with Standard Oil of New Jersey to become Exxon.-Early history:...
refinery in Baytown became the largest in the Houston area. The wealth brought on by the boom transformed the region and population surged. Manufacturing and refining expanded rapidly. During the Roaring 20s, tourism and resort communities developed around Clear Lake and the bay shoreline in communities such as Morgan's Point
Morgan's Point, Texas
Morgan's Point is a city in Harris County, Texas, United States located on the shores of the Galveston Bay at the inlet to the Houston Ship Channel, near La Porte and Pasadena. It earned fame in Texas' early history for being the home of the legendary Emily West , known as the Yellow Rose of Texas...
, Seabrook
Seabrook, Texas
Seabrook is a city in Harris county, with some water surface area located within Chambers county in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 9,443 at the 2000 census....
, Kemah
Kemah, Texas
Kemah is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The city's population was 2,330 as of the 2000 census. Located in Galveston County, Kemah's main industry comes from shipping...
.
The World War
World war
A world war is a war affecting the majority of the world's most powerful and populous nations. World wars span multiple countries on multiple continents, with battles fought in multiple theaters....
s created new manufacturing opportunities for factories around the bay and the area's population grew even faster than Houston. Ellington Air Force Base was built becoming a major air field and flight training center during the wars.
After the war area economic diversification brought on by the war effort helped in the transition to a peacetime economy. NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
's Johnson Space Center was established in 1963 helping to spur explosive growth in the mid 20th century, especially the 1970s and 80s. The remainder of the communities on the southwestern shore urbanized
Urbanization
Urbanization, urbanisation or urban drift is the physical growth of urban areas as a result of global change. The United Nations projected that half of the world's population would live in urban areas at the end of 2008....
and development connected the area to Houston. Tourism and recreation re-emerged and blossomed particularly around the Clear Lake area and the nearby shoreline.
Hurricane Ike
Hurricane Ike
Hurricane Ike was the second-costliest hurricane ever to make landfall in the United States, the costliest hurricane ever to impact Cuba and the second most active hurricane to reach the Canadian mainland in the Great Lakes Region after Hurricane Hazel in 1954...
struck the Bay Area in 2008 causing substantial damage both environmentally and economically, the most destructive event since 1900. a proposal to build a levee system, the Ike Dike
Ike Dike
The Ike Dike is a proposed coastal barrier that, when completed, would protect the Galveston Bay in Texas, United States. The project would be a dramatic enhancement of the existing Galveston Seawall, complete with floodgates, which would protect more of Galveston, the Bolivar Peninsula, the...
, to protect the bay is under discussion.
Geography
The Galveston Bay Area is located on the gulf coastal plainWestern Gulf coastal grasslands
The Western Gulf coastal grasslands are a subtropical grassland ecoregion of the southern United States and northeastern Mexico. It is known in Texas as "Coastal Prairie" and as the Tamaulipan pastizal in Mexico.-Setting:...
, and its vegetation is classified as temperate grassland and marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
es. The municipalities have been built on reclaimed marshes, swamp
Swamp
A swamp is a wetland with some flooding of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water. A swamp generally has a large number of hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation. The two main types of swamp are "true" or swamp...
s, and prairie
Prairie
Prairies are considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the dominant vegetation type...
s, which are all still visible in undeveloped areas. Flatness of the local terrain and proximity to the Bay and the Gulf
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
have made flooding a recurring problem for the area. The region once relied on groundwater
Groundwater
Groundwater is water located beneath the ground surface in soil pore spaces and in the fractures of rock formations. A unit of rock or an unconsolidated deposit is called an aquifer when it can yield a usable quantity of water. The depth at which soil pore spaces or fractures and voids in rock...
for its needs, but land subsidence
Subsidence
Subsidence is the motion of a surface as it shifts downward relative to a datum such as sea-level. The opposite of subsidence is uplift, which results in an increase in elevation...
has forced much of the region to turn to ground-level water sources.
Geology
The land beneath the Bay Area consists of layers of sand and clay to great depths. These layers were created by millennia of river-borne sedimentSediment
Sediment is naturally occurring material that is broken down by processes of weathering and erosion, and is subsequently transported by the action of fluids such as wind, water, or ice, and/or by the force of gravity acting on the particle itself....
s which gradually incorporated plant and animal matter creating the petroleum
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
deposits for which the Gulf Coast
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
is known.
The region has numerous faults
Geologic fault
In geology, a fault is a planar fracture or discontinuity in a volume of rock, across which there has been significant displacement along the fractures as a result of earth movement. Large faults within the Earth's crust result from the action of tectonic forces...
, many considered active, but none has produced significant earthquakes in recorded history. These faults tend to move at a smooth rate in what is termed fault creep
Aseismic creep
In geology, aseismic creep is measurable surface displacement along a fault in the absence of notable earthquakes.An example is along the Calaveras fault in Hollister, California. Streets crossing the fault in Hollister show significant offset and several houses sitting atop the fault are notably...
, which reduces the risk of an earthquake.
Bay and coastline
Galveston Bay is an estuaryEstuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
along the Texas Gulf Coast. The bay as a whole is composed of four major sub-bays: Galveston Bay proper, Trinity Bay
Trinity Bay (Texas)
Trinity Bay is the northeast portion of Galveston Bay, bordered by Chambers and Harris counties in Texas, United States. The bay, approximately long, heads at the mouth of the Trinity River...
, East Bay
East Bay (Texas)
East Bay also known as East Galveston Bay, is the eastern extension of Galveston Bay found in Chambers County, Texas. The bay is oriented northeast to southwest, and is approximately five miles wide and twenty miles in length. It covers the area north of the entire Bolivar Peninsula, and south of...
, and West Bay. Other smaller bays and lakes connecting to this complex of waterways in the Bay Area include San Jacinto Bay, Burnet Bay, Scott Bay, Crystal Bay, Goose Lake, Clear Lake, Dickinson Bay, and Moses Lake.
Galveston Bay is mostly shallow with an average depth of 7–9 feet. It is fed by the Trinity River
Trinity River (Texas)
The Trinity River is a long river that flows entirely within the U.S. state of Texas. It rises in extreme north Texas, a few miles south of the Red River. The headwaters are separated by the high bluffs on the south side of the Red River....
and the San Jacinto River, numerous local bayou
Bayou
A bayou is an American term for a body of water typically found in flat, low-lying areas, and can refer either to an extremely slow-moving stream or river , or to a marshy lake or wetland. The name "bayou" can also refer to creeks that see level changes due to tides and hold brackish water which...
s and incoming tide
Tide
Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the moon and the sun and the rotation of the Earth....
s from the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
. This unique and complex mixing of waters from different sources supports many types of marine life
Marine biology
Marine biology is the scientific study of organisms in the ocean or other marine or brackish bodies of water. Given that in biology many phyla, families and genera have some species that live in the sea and others that live on land, marine biology classifies species based on the environment rather...
including crab
Crab
True crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura, which typically have a very short projecting "tail" , or where the reduced abdomen is entirely hidden under the thorax...
s, shrimp
Shrimp
Shrimp are swimming, decapod crustaceans classified in the infraorder Caridea, found widely around the world in both fresh and salt water. Adult shrimp are filter feeding benthic animals living close to the bottom. They can live in schools and can swim rapidly backwards. Shrimp are an important...
, oyster
Oyster
The word oyster is used as a common name for a number of distinct groups of bivalve molluscs which live in marine or brackish habitats. The valves are highly calcified....
s, and many varieties of fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
thereby supporting a substantial fishing industry. Additionally the system of bayous, river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
s, and marshes that ring the Bay support their own ecosystem
Ecosystem
An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....
s allowing for diverse wildlife and enabling freshwater farming
Aquaculture
Aquaculture, also known as aquafarming, is the farming of aquatic organisms such as fish, crustaceans, molluscs and aquatic plants. Aquaculture involves cultivating freshwater and saltwater populations under controlled conditions, and can be contrasted with commercial fishing, which is the...
of crawfish. The areas near the bay shore in fact have a higher diversity of habitats than the nearby Gulf coast.
The bay receives the fourth highest level of toxic chemicals in the state from bayside industrial discharge, in addition to pollutants washing in from the Houston Ship Channel. Although contaminants from the major industrial complexes along the bay contribute substantially to bay pollution, most is the result of storm run-off from various commercial, agricultural, and residential sources. In recent decades, conservation efforts have been enacted which have improved water quality in the bay.
Climate
The Bay Area's climate is classified as humid subtropicalHumid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters...
(Cfa in Köppen climate classification system). Spring supercell thunderstorms
Supercell
A supercell is a thunderstorm that is characterized by the presence of a mesocyclone: a deep, continuously-rotating updraft. For this reason, these storms are sometimes referred to as rotating thunderstorms...
sometimes create tornado
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
s (but not to the extent found in tornado alley
Tornado Alley
Tornado Alley is a colloquial and popular media term that most often refers to the area of the United States where tornadoes are most frequent. Although an official location is not defined, the area between the Rocky Mountains and Appalachian Mountains is usually associated with it.The areas...
). Prevailing winds from the south and southeast bring heat from the deserts of Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and moisture from the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
.
Summer temperatures regularly exceed 90 °F (32.2 °C). The area's proximity to the bay and the winds that it generates moderate the area's temperatures and ease the effects of the humidity creating a more pleasant climate than inland communities like Houston (e.g. the average July high in Texas City is 89 °F (31.7 °C) with 9.8 mi/h winds vs. 94 °F (34.4 °C) with 6.7 mi/h winds in Houston).
Winters in the area are temperate with typical January highs above 60 °F (15.6 °C) and lows are near 40 °F (4.4 °C). Snowfall is rare. Annual rainfall averages can range from 40 to 50 in (101.6 to 127 cm) depending on the community.
Excessive ozone
Ozone
Ozone , or trioxygen, is a triatomic molecule, consisting of three oxygen atoms. It is an allotrope of oxygen that is much less stable than the diatomic allotrope...
levels can occur due to industrial activities; nearby Houston is ranked among the most ozone-polluted cities in the United States. The industries located along the ship channel and the bay are a major cause of the pollution.
Hurricanes are a substantial concern during the fall season. Though Galveston Island and the Bolivar Peninsula provide some shielding, the Bay Area still faces more danger than Houston and other inland communities, particularly because of storm surge.
Economy
The Bay Area has a diverse economyEconomy
An economy consists of the economic system of a country or other area; the labor, capital and land resources; and the manufacturing, trade, distribution, and consumption of goods and services of that area...
with much of it built around aerospace, petrochemicals, and high tech
High tech
High tech is technology that is at the cutting edge: the most advanced technology currently available. It is often used in reference to micro-electronics, rather than other technologies. The adjective form is hyphenated: high-tech or high-technology...
industries. The region's economy is closely tied to the rest of the Houston area though the mix of local businesses is somewhat unique. In 2005, the median household income for the Clear Lake area was $62,061 compared to $50,868 for the Houston area as whole and $45,472 for all of Texas.
Overview
Aerospace engineering
Aerospace engineering is the primary branch of engineering concerned with the design, construction and science of aircraft and spacecraft. It is divided into two major and overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering...
, petrochemical
Petrochemical
Petrochemicals are chemical products derived from petroleum. Some chemical compounds made from petroleum are also obtained from other fossil fuels, such as coal or natural gas, or renewable sources such as corn or sugar cane....
s and chemical processing, high-tech (software, biotechnology
Biotechnology
Biotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and bioprocesses in engineering, technology, medicine and other fields requiring bioproducts. Biotechnology also utilizes these products for manufacturing purpose...
, electronics
Electronics
Electronics is the branch of science, engineering and technology that deals with electrical circuits involving active electrical components such as vacuum tubes, transistors, diodes and integrated circuits, and associated passive interconnection technologies...
, etc.), and tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
. Most other employment in the region is supported by these industries although some smaller, independent industries exist as well.
The most widespread economic activities in the area revolve around petroleum and petrochemicals, largely centered in Baytown, Pasadena/La Porte, and Texas City. These industries in Houston and the Bay Area account for nearly half of the U.S. petrochemical manufacturing and approximately one third of the U.S. petroleum refining
Oil refinery
An oil refinery or petroleum refinery is an industrial process plant where crude oil is processed and refined into more useful petroleum products, such as gasoline, diesel fuel, asphalt base, heating oil, kerosene, and liquefied petroleum gas...
capacity. The Bay Area is home to the largest refineries and petrochemical complexes in the Greater Houston area and to the majority of the processing capacity.
NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
's Johnson Space Center
Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center
The Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's center for human spaceflight training, research and flight control. The center consists of a complex of 100 buildings constructed on 1,620 acres in Houston, Texas, USA...
(JSC) is an important pillar of the Bay Area economy. Businesses around this core include a broad range of high-tech development enterprises from aerospace engineering to software and electronics.
The tourism industry attracts millions of visitors each year with attractions ranging from Space Center Houston
Space Center Houston
Space Center Houston is the official visitors' center of the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center—the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's center for human spaceflight activities—located in Houston...
to the bay itself. Ecotourism
Ecotourism
Ecotourism is a form of tourism visiting fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas, intended as a low impact and often small scale alternative to standard commercial tourism...
, in particular, is a growing sector with destinations such as the Armand Bayou Nature Center. Biotechnology
Biotechnology
Biotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and bioprocesses in engineering, technology, medicine and other fields requiring bioproducts. Biotechnology also utilizes these products for manufacturing purpose...
, which already employs nearly 3000 workers in the area, is a smaller but growing industry in the area enabled in large part by JSC and the Texas Medical Center
Texas Medical Center
The Texas Medical Center is the largest medical center in the world with one of the highest densities of clinical facilities for patient care, basic science, and translational research...
in Houston. Commercial fishing
Commercial fishing
Commercial fishing is the activity of catching fish and other seafood for commercial profit, mostly from wild fisheries. It provides a large quantity of food to many countries around the world, but those who practice it as an industry must often pursue fish far into the ocean under adverse conditions...
is one the older industries in the region and is still a significant economic sector.
Some outlying areas around the bay remain semi-rural. Cattle ranching and agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
remain staples of some local economies as well as shrimp
Shrimp
Shrimp are swimming, decapod crustaceans classified in the infraorder Caridea, found widely around the world in both fresh and salt water. Adult shrimp are filter feeding benthic animals living close to the bottom. They can live in schools and can swim rapidly backwards. Shrimp are an important...
fishing and oyster
Oyster
The word oyster is used as a common name for a number of distinct groups of bivalve molluscs which live in marine or brackish habitats. The valves are highly calcified....
farming.
Economic hubs
- Bayport Industrial DistrictBayport Industrial DistrictThe Bayport Industrial District is a large commercial real-estate development located in southeast Harris County, Texas, within the Bay Area of Greater Houston. It is one of the two industrial districts in the extraterritorial jurisdiction of La Porte...
- A large complex of chemical processing facilities comprising 57 companies with a business impact of over $829 million. - Johnson Space Center - The central facility of NASANASAThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
, this site manages more than $4 billion annually in aerospaceAerospaceAerospace comprises the atmosphere of Earth and surrounding space. Typically the term is used to refer to the industry that researches, designs, manufactures, operates, and maintains vehicles moving through air and space...
contracts, and together with numerous private companies involved in space programs and related ventures gives the Bay Area one of the highest concentrations of aerospace businesses and expertise in the nation. Additionally, JSC's research in bioastronauticsBioastronauticsBioastronautics is a specialty area of bioengineering research which encompasses numerous aspects of biological, behavioral, and medical concern governing humans and other living organisms in a space flight environment; and includes design of payloads, space habitats, and life support systems...
has helped create a growing biotechnologyBiotechnologyBiotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and bioprocesses in engineering, technology, medicine and other fields requiring bioproducts. Biotechnology also utilizes these products for manufacturing purpose...
industry in the area. The Galveston Bay area is home to 92% of the Houston-Galveston area aerospace jobs. - ExxonMobilExxonMobilExxon Mobil Corporation or ExxonMobil, is an American multinational oil and gas corporation. It is a direct descendant of John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil company, and was formed on November 30, 1999, by the merger of Exxon and Mobil. Its headquarters are in Irving, Texas...
Baytown Complex — One of the world's largest petrochemical industrial complexes, this complex is Baytown's largest employer and one of the largest in the area. For its part the Baytown RefineryBaytown RefineryExxonMobil's Baytown Refinery in Baytown, Texas is the largest oil refinery in the United States, with an input capacity of per day as of June 1, 2010. The site first opened in 1919 and was originally operated by the Humble Oil Company. Today, it is the largest employer in the city...
located on this site is the largest refineryOil refineryAn oil refinery or petroleum refinery is an industrial process plant where crude oil is processed and refined into more useful petroleum products, such as gasoline, diesel fuel, asphalt base, heating oil, kerosene, and liquefied petroleum gas...
in the United States and is capable of processing 572,000 barrels of oil per day. - Texas City Industrial Complex — This petrochemical complex includes the BP Texas City RefineryTexas City Refinery (BP)On March 23, 2005, a fire and explosion occurred at BP's Texas City Refinery in Texas City, Texas, killing 15 workers and injuring more than 170 others. BP was charged with criminal violations of federal environmental laws, and has been subject to lawsuits from the victims' families...
, the state's second largest. - Barbours Cut TerminalBarbours Cut TerminalThe Barbours Cut Container Terminal, or simply the Barbours Cut Terminal, is a major deep water port in the Greater Houston area in the U.S. state of Texas. Part of the larger Port of Houston complex, Barbours Cut is the largest of the terminals and the first port in Texas to handle standardized...
- This shipping terminal, the largest of the terminals operated by the Port of HoustonPort of HoustonThe Port of Houston is a port in Houston—the fourth-largest city in the United States. The Port is a 25-mile-long complex of diversified public and private facilities located a few hours' sailing time from the Gulf of Mexico...
Authority, handles in excess of 3 million tons of cargo annually. - Ellington Airport - This mixed-use (militaryUnited States armed forcesThe United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
-civilianCivilianA civilian under international humanitarian law is a person who is not a member of his or her country's armed forces or other militia. Civilians are distinct from combatants. They are afforded a degree of legal protection from the effects of war and military occupation...
) airport is part of the Houston Airport SystemHouston Airport SystemHouston Airport System is a department of the City of Houston, Texas, United States that manages city airports. Its administrative offices are on the property of George Bush Intercontinental Airport. It operates Bush, William P. Hobby Airport, and Ellington Airport in Houston.The city of Houston...
and home to the 147th Reconnaissance Wing147th Reconnaissance WingThe United States Air Force's 147th Reconnaissance Wing is a Texas Air National Guard reconnaissance unit located at Ellington Field, Houston, Texas.-History:The 147th Fighter Interceptor Group was activated in May 1958 by the Texas Air National Guard...
of the Texas Air National GuardTexas Air National GuardThe Texas Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Texas and a component of the Texas Military Forces...
. The airfield has traditionally been a major contributor to the local economy though government realignments have scaled back the base's military role through the years.
Demographics
| Community | Total population | Median household income | % White White people White people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin... | % African American African American African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States... | % Asian Asian American Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,... |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anahuac | 2210 | $40,924 | 68.3% | 20.2% | 0.7% |
| Bacliff | 6962 | $32,188 | 97.8% | 1.8% | 3.0% |
| Baytown | 78,311 | $48,398 | 64.1% | 17.0% | 2.0% |
| Beach City | 1645 | $70,104 | 96.0% | 1.6% | 0.0% |
| Clear Lake-Houston | 43,141 | $68,815 | 77.8% | 4.7% | 11.4% |
| Clear Lake Shores | 1205 | $67,500 | 94.9% | 3.3% | 7.5% |
| Deer Park | 28,520 | $61,334 | 90.0% | 1.3% | 1.3% |
| Dickinson | 17,093 | $41,984 | 72.3% | 10.5% | 1.2% |
| El Lago | 3075 | $66,223 | 94.5% | 7.8% | 1.4% |
| Friendswood | 38,327 | $91,887 | 86.0% | 1.9% | 6.4% |
| Kemah | 2330 | $51,620 | 75.4% | 3.8% | 3.5% |
| La Marque | 13,682 | $34,841 | 55.8% | 34.7% | 0.5% |
| La Porte | 31,880 | $55,810 | 81.4% | 6.3% | 11.3% |
| League City | 70,657 | $80,432 | 82.6% | 6.5% | 5.0% |
| Morgan's Point | 332 | $57,917 | 88.7% | 4.5% | 0% |
| Nassau Bay | 4170 | $57,353 | 89.6% | 1.9% | 3.9% |
| Pasadena | 151,960 | $46,760 | 64.1% | 1.8% | 2.0% |
| San Leon | 4365 | $31,687 | 80.4% | 0.8% | 7.6% |
| Seabrook | 9443 | $54,175 | 88.9% | 2.1% | 3.3% |
| Taylor Lake Village | 3694 | $99,535 | 92.4% | 2.7% | 2.1% |
| Texas City | 44,765 | $43,078 | 62.4% | 28.2% | 1.1% |
| Webster | 9083 | $42,385 | 64.9% | 9.0% | 5.7% |
| Total | 566,850 | $56,827 | 72.9% | 8.3% | 3.9% |
Home to a diverse set of communities, the Bay Area has a demographic distribution that varies greatly among these individual communities. Based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the City of Houston (2008, where available, and 2000 otherwise), the area demographic statistics are as follows (see table for more details). The total population was approximately 566,850. The median household income was $56,827. The white population was 72.9%, the African American population was 8.3%, and the Asian population was 3.9%.
The most populous community in the region is Pasadena (though Houston is a much larger city, the portion within this region is smaller than Pasadena). Taylor Lake Village has (by far) the highest median household income; and Bacliff and San Leon have the lowest. Texas City and La Marque have the largest African-American populations. La Porte and the Clear Lake area of Houston have the largest Asian populations.
Colleges and universities
University of Houston–Clear Lake
The University of Houston–Clear Lake is a state university, and is a component institution of the University of Houston System. Its campus spans 524-acre in Pasadena, with a satellite campus in Pearland. Founded in 1971, UHCL has an enrollment of more than 8,000 students...
(UHCL) located adjacent to Clear Lake City. UHCL is separate and distinct from the University of Houston
University of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
(UH), but it is part of the larger University of Houston System
University of Houston System
The University of Houston System is a state university system in Texas, encompassing four separate and distinct universities. It has two system centers, which operate as and distance learning course delivery sites for its universities...
. The university offers a wide spectrum of programs including what it touts as the most complete biotechnology
Biotechnology
Biotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and bioprocesses in engineering, technology, medicine and other fields requiring bioproducts. Biotechnology also utilizes these products for manufacturing purpose...
graduate programs in the state.
Texas Chiropractic College
Texas Chiropractic College
Texas Chiropractic College is a chiropractic college located in Pasadena, Texas, United States, near Houston.Alumni include Louisiana State Senator Gerry E. Hinton , a chiropractor in Slidell who worked to obtain the licensing of his profession...
in Pasadena, one of only two schools of chiropractics in Texas and one of a handful in the nation, provides training for students from around the state. Several community colleges serve communities in the area as well, including San Jacinto College
San Jacinto College
San Jacinto College is a community college in the Greater Houston area in the U.S. state of Texas. Established in 1961, San Jacinto College originally consisted of the areas of Channelview ISD, Deer Park ISD, Galena Park ISD, La Porte ISD, and Pasadena ISD. The College now also serves Sheldon ISD,...
, College of the Mainland
College of the Mainland
College of the Mainland is a community college located in Texas City, Texas, United States. Its name comes from its location on the "mainland" portion of Galveston County, Texas .-History:...
, Lee College
Lee College
Lee College is a comprehensive community college located in Baytown, Texas, approximately east of Houston, Texas.Lee College's main campus occupies landscaped near downtown Baytown and maintains extension campuses throughout its service area...
, and Houston Community College.
Primary and secondary schools
School district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
s. Most of the communities in the Clear Lake Area are served by Clear Creek Independent School District
Clear Creek Independent School District
Clear Creek Independent School District is a school district based in League City, Texas . The district serves most of the Clear Lake Area and some other neighboring parts of the Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown metro area....
though some nearby areas are served by Dickinson
Dickinson Independent School District
Dickinson Independent School District is a school district based in Dickinson, Texas, United States.DISD serves most of the city of Dickinson as well as portions of the cities of La Marque, League City, and Texas City and some houses in unincorporated Galveston County .All of the DISD catchment...
and Houston Independent School District
Houston 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...
s. Communities in the Pasadena/Baytown area are served by Deer Park
Deer Park Independent School District
Deer Park Independent School District is a public school district in Deer Park, Texas , but also includes parts of neighboring Pasadena. Its total enrollment is approximately 11,700 students....
, Goose Creek Consolidated
Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District
Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District is a school district headquartered in Baytown, Texas, United States.The district has 14 elementary schools , 5 junior high schools , 3 high schools , a career center, and two alternative centers for education...
, La Porte
La Porte Independent School District
La Porte Independent School District is a school district based in La Porte, Texas, United States.The district serves the cities of La Porte, Morgan's Point, and Shoreacres, a small portion of Pasadena, a small portion of Deer Park...
, and Pasadena Independent School District
Pasadena Independent School District
Pasadena Independent School District is a school district that is based in Pasadena, Texas . Dr. Kirk Lewis, was named Superintendent of Schools in 2005.Pasadena ISD serves much of southeast Harris County...
s. The Friendswood area is served by the Friendswood Independent School District
Friendswood Independent School District
Friendswood Independent School District is a school district based in Friendswood, Texas .FISD covers the Galveston County portion of the city of Friendswood ....
. The Texas City area is served by La Marque
La Marque Independent School District
La Marque Independent School District is a public school district based in La Marque, Texas .In addition to much of La Marque, the district serves portions of Texas City and Tiki Island....
and Texas City Independent School District
Texas City Independent School District
Texas City Independent School District is a public school district based in Texas City, Texas .In 2009, the school district was rated "academically acceptable" by the Texas Education Agency.-Elementary Schools:...
s. The communities in Chambers County near Anahuac are served by Anahuac Independent School District
Anahuac Independent School District
Anahuac Independent School District is a public school district based in Anahuac, Texas .The district serves Anahuac and several unincorporated areas, including Double Bayou, Hankamer, Monroe City, Oak Island, Smith Point, Turtle Bayou, and Wallisville....
.
these 10 districts, excluding Houston ISD, have a total of 184 primary and secondary schools. Of these Clear Creek, Deer Park, Goose Creek, and Anahuac ISD were evaluated as "recognized" districts (the second highest ranking) by the Texas Education Agency
Texas Education Agency
The Texas Education Agency is a branch of the state government of Texas in the United States responsible for public education. The agency is headquartered in the William B...
, or TEA. All of the others were evaluated as "academically acceptable" with the exception of Texas City ISD, which was evaluated as "academically unacceptable".
67 (35%) of the schools were ranked as "exemplary" (the highest ranking); 62 (33%) were ranked as "recognized"; 39 (21%) were ranked as "academically acceptable"; 2 (1%) were ranked as "academically unacceptable"; and 20 (11%) were not rated by the TEA. Notably 100% of Friendswood ISD schools and 65% of Clear Creek ISD schools were "exemplary", the highest percentages of these 10 districts. Overall, of the schools that were rated, 37% of the schools in these 10 districts were "exemplary", compared with 29% for the entire state.
Transportation
The Bay Area Houston Transportation Partnership (BayTran) coordinates planning for the transportation needs of the Bay Area. Collaborative efforts by the local communities have helped push forward development of regional infrastructure.Ground transportation
Interstate Highway System
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, , is a network of limited-access roads including freeways, highways, and expressways forming part of the National Highway System of the United States of America...
act as linear backbones connecting the communities on either side of the ship channel. The few other freeways in the region provide access into the centers of heavy industry within the region. Connectivity within other communities mostly relies on uncontrolled, surface highways.
Interstate 45
Interstate 45
Interstate 45 is an intrastate Interstate Highway located entirely within the U.S. state of Texas. It connects the cities of Dallas and Houston, continuing southeast from Houston to Galveston over the Galveston Causeway to the Gulf of Mexico...
(the Gulf Freeway) is the major freeway for the core areas of the Bay Area linking them with Houston and Galveston. Highway 146
Texas State Highway 146
State Highway 146, or SH 146, is a north–south highway in southeastern Texas beginning in Livingston, starting at US 59 and proceeds south to Liberty, where it meets US 90...
(Bayport Blvd.) is a coastal highway linking the waterfronts of the communities. The Gulf Freeway and Bayport Blvd. together are the main arteries linking the Clear Lake Area communities and Pasadena, though Highway 225
Texas State Highway 225
State Highway 225, or SH 225, is an east–west freeway in the Houston area between the Interstate 610 Loop in Houston and State Highway 146 in La Porte. It is identified as the La Porte Freeway over its entire length except for Pasadena where it is called the Pasadena Freeway...
, East Beltway 8, Highway 3 and others are important as well. The Fred Hartman Bridge
Fred Hartman Bridge
The Fred Hartman Bridge or Baytown Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge in the U.S. state of Texas, spanning the Houston Ship Channel. The bridge carries 2.6 miles of State Highway 146, between the cities of Baytown, Texas and La Porte, Texas...
on Highway 146 crosses the ship channel connecting Baytown and Pasadena, while the Galveston Causeway
Galveston Causeway
The Galveston Causeway is a set of causeways in Galveston, Texas, United States. Two of the routes carry the southbound and northbound traffic of Interstate 45, while the original causeway is restricted to rail traffic. It is the only free roadway access point to Galveston Island. The causeway...
on the Gulf Freeway crosses the bay connecting Texas City and Galveston Island
Galveston Island
Galveston Island is a barrier island on the Texas Gulf coast in the United States, about 50 miles southeast of Houston. The entire island, with the exception of Jamaica Beach, is within the city limits of the City of Galveston....
.
In the outlying north Bay Area, Interstate 10
Interstate 10
Interstate 10 is the fourth-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90, I-80, and I-40. It is the southernmost east–west, coast-to-coast Interstate Highway, although I-4 and I-8 are further south. It stretches from the Pacific Ocean at State Route 1 in Santa Monica,...
links Anahuac
Anahuac, Texas
Anahuac is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The population of the city was 2,210 at the 2000 census. Anahuac is the seat of Chambers County and is situated in East Texas.- History :...
and other communities nearby connecting them to Houston and the rest of the Bay Area. Highway 124 provides access to the Bolivar Peninsula.
The Houston Metro
Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas
The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County is a major public transportation agency based in Houston . It operates bus, light rail, future commuter rail, and paratransit service in the city as well as most of Harris County...
bus system provides service to the southeast Houston and Pasadena connecting the communities with central Houston. The remaining communities in the Bay Area communities are not served by mass transit. Greyhound Bus Lines, which provides service to cities nationwide, has stations at Baytown and La Marque/Texas City.
Air travel
Houston Hobby AirportWilliam P. Hobby Airport
William P. Hobby Airport is a public airport in Houston, Texas, located from Downtown Houston. The airport covers and has four runways. Hobby Airport is Houston's oldest commercial airport and was the city's primary air terminal until the opening of Houston Intercontinental Airport in 1969...
(HOU) is the nearest airport providing regular domestic service. It is in southeast Houston near the Bay Area and provides service to U.S. destinations. International service is provided by Bush Intercontinental Airport
George Bush Intercontinental Airport
George Bush Intercontinental Airport, is a Class B international airport in Houston, Texas, serving the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area, the sixth-largest metropolitan area in the United States. Located north of Downtown Houston between Interstate 45 and U.S. Highway 59...
(IAH) in north Houston.
Ellington Airport, the other branch of the Houston Airport System
Houston Airport System
Houston Airport System is a department of the City of Houston, Texas, United States that manages city airports. Its administrative offices are on the property of George Bush Intercontinental Airport. It operates Bush, William P. Hobby Airport, and Ellington Airport in Houston.The city of Houston...
(HAS), is a mixed-use airport. It acts as a reliever airport for Hobby, in addition to use by NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
, the military, and public aviation. The system has performed significant expansion of the airport in recent years expecting significant growth in its usage in coming years. La Porte Municipal Airport
La Porte Municipal Airport (Texas)
La Porte Municipal Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located three miles northwest of the central business district of La Porte, a city in Harris County, Texas, United States.- Facilities and aircraft :...
in Pasadena and Chambers County Airport
Chambers County Airport
Chambers County Airport is a county-owned general aviation airport located in unincorporated Chambers County, Texas, United States east of the city of Anahuac....
near Anahuac provide public air access to their respective communities.
Shipping
For seagoing shipping the Barbours CutBarbours Cut Terminal
The Barbours Cut Container Terminal, or simply the Barbours Cut Terminal, is a major deep water port in the Greater Houston area in the U.S. state of Texas. Part of the larger Port of Houston complex, Barbours Cut is the largest of the terminals and the first port in Texas to handle standardized...
and Bayport
Bayport Terminal
The Bayport Container Terminal, or simply the Bayport Terminal, is a major deep water port in the Greater Houston area in Texas . This relatively new terminal, part of the Port of Houston, is designed to handle standardized cargo containers and offload the nearby Barbours Cut Terminal, which has no...
terminals (administered by the Port of Houston Authority), and the Port of Texas City
Port of Texas City
The Port of Texas City is a major deepwater port in Texas City, Texas at Galveston Bay, United States. Its location on the bay, which is used by the Port of Houston and the Port of Galveston, puts Texas City in the heart of one of the world's most important shipping hubs...
are the major freight shipping points. For railway shipping the Union-Pacific Webster station, the Union-Pacific Deer Park station, the Union-Pacific Baytown station, and the Texas City Terminal Railway Company, are major access points.
Healthcare and medicine
| Provider | Location |
|---|---|
| Bayshore Medical Center | Pasadena |
| CHRISTUS St. John Hospital | Houston-Clear Lake |
| Clear Lake Regional Medical Center | Webster |
| Devereux Texas Treatment Network | League City |
| M.D. Anderson Clinical Care Center The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center is one of the nation's original three comprehensive cancer centers established by the National Cancer Act of 1971. It is both a degree-granting academic institution and a cancer treatment and research center located at the Texas Medical Center in... - Bay Area |
Nassau Bay |
| Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital Memorial Hermann Hospital Memorial Hermann Healthcare System is the largest not-for-profit hospital system in Houston, Texas, and consists of 11 hospitals, 7 Cancer Centers, 3 Heart & Vascular Institutes, and 27 sports medicine and rehabilitation centers, in addition to other outpatient and rehabilitation centers. It was... |
Houston |
| Moody Health Center | Pasadena |
| Texas Oncology | Webster |
| Eye Clinic of Texas | League City |
| University of Texas Medical Branch University of Texas Medical Branch The University of Texas Medical Branch is a component of the University of Texas System located in Galveston, Texas, United States, about 50 miles southeast of Downtown Houston... |
Galveston |
The Bay Area Houston Healthcare Network (BAHHN) is a collaboration of health care providers coordinating health care services in many of the west bay communities and Galveston. The hubs of the network include Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital
Memorial Hermann Hospital
Memorial Hermann Healthcare System is the largest not-for-profit hospital system in Houston, Texas, and consists of 11 hospitals, 7 Cancer Centers, 3 Heart & Vascular Institutes, and 27 sports medicine and rehabilitation centers, in addition to other outpatient and rehabilitation centers. It was...
in the Clear Lake City area, Bayshore Medical Center in Pasadena, and the University of Texas Medical Branch
University of Texas Medical Branch
The University of Texas Medical Branch is a component of the University of Texas System located in Galveston, Texas, United States, about 50 miles southeast of Downtown Houston...
in Galveston.
Numerous other health care facilities exist in the region as well. Notable facilities outside the area covered by BAHHN include San Jacinto Methodist Hospital (Baytown) and Mainland Medical Center (Texas City).
Culture
The Bay Area is a racially and ethnically diverse region. The industrial centers of Pasadena and Baytown in particular have large international communities. Multicultural events such as the Grito Fest (Baytown) celebrate the area's diversity.Many other annual events take place in the Bay Area as well. The Strawberry Festival in Pasadena celebrates the role the iconic fruit played in rescuing the town's economy following the 1900 Hurricane. The Blessing of the Fleet boat parade
Parade
A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually celebrations of some kind...
in Kemah is an annual event that celebrates Kemah's history as a shrimp
Shrimp
Shrimp are swimming, decapod crustaceans classified in the infraorder Caridea, found widely around the world in both fresh and salt water. Adult shrimp are filter feeding benthic animals living close to the bottom. They can live in schools and can swim rapidly backwards. Shrimp are an important...
fishing town. The Gulf Coast Film Festival
Gulf Coast Film Festival
The Gulf Coast Film and Video Festival, commonly known as the Gulf Coast Film Festival, is a film festival in the United States held in the Clear Lake Area of Greater Houston, Texas...
annually showcases independent films from local, regional and international artists in various categories ranging from short films to documentaries. Other annual events include the Wings over Houston Air Fest (Ellington Field), the Music Fest by the Bay (Texas City), the Ballunar Festival, the Oak Tree Festival (League City), and the South Shore Dockside Food & Wine Festival (League City). In Anahuac the annual Gatorfest celebrates the semi-rural culture of Chambers County. And, of course, in the spirit of the state to which the area belongs, the annual Pasadena Livestock Show and Rodeo features traditional rodeo
Rodeo
Rodeo is a competitive sport which arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later the United States, Canada, South America and Australia. It was based on the skills required of the working vaqueros and later, cowboys, in what today is the western United States,...
events for area spectators.
Arts and theatre
The Bay Area has a substantial community of artists and artistic programs. The Bay Area Houston Ballet and TheatreBay Area Houston Ballet and Theatre
Bay Area Houston Ballet and Theatre is a non-profit performance theater group located in the Bay Area of Greater Houston in the United States. The group offers performances in genres ranging from ballet to American musicals....
group and the League City Ballet offer performances in genres ranging from ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
to American musicals. The Clear Lake Symphony, the Pasadena Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Baytown Symphony Orchestra offer multiple performances each year ranging from classical to "pops" performances.
Other arts and theatre programs exist in the area as well. The Arts Alliance at Clear Lake, a group of 50 area arts organizations, regularly schedules arts exibihits, musical performances, and other arts programs. Community theater groups such as the Pasadena Little Theatre, the Clear Creek Country Theatre (Nassau Bay), the Harbour Playhouse (Dickinson), and the Baytown Little Theater offer a variety of regularly scheduled performances. Regular free concerts and other cultural events take place in venues such as the Pasadena Fairgrounds and League Park Plaza (League City).
Parks and landmarks
San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site
The San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site includes the location of the Battle of San Jacinto, and the USS Texas. It is located off the Houston Ship Channel in LaPorte, Texas. The site was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960....
in La Porte which marks the site of the Battle of San Jacinto and holds the San Jacinto Monument and the Battleship Texas. Nearby, the Sterling Mansion, a former Governor's residence, at Morgan's Point marks the edge of the former Gold Coast of Texas.
The Armand Bayou Nature Center in Pasadena is the largest urban wilderness preserve in the nation. It features a boardwalk
Boardwalk
A boardwalk, in the conventional sense, is a wooden walkway for pedestrians and sometimes vehicles, often found along beaches, but they are also common as paths through wetlands, coastal dunes, and other sensitive environments....
through the marshes, numerous nature trails, and boat tours offering views of natural habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
s for animals ranging from bison
Bison
Members of the genus Bison are large, even-toed ungulates within the subfamily Bovinae. Two extant and four extinct species are recognized...
to seagulls to butterflies
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
. The Baytown Nature Center
Baytown Nature Center
The Baytown Nature Center is located in Baytown, Texas, east of Houston. It is located on a peninsula along the Houston Ship Channel and surrounded on three sides by Burnet Bay, Crystal Bay, and Scott Bay....
, located on two peninsula
Peninsula
A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands"....
s along the ship channel, and the Texas City Prairie Preserve
Texas City Prairie Preserve
The Texas City Prairie Preserve is a nature preserve located on the shores of Moses Lake and Galveston Bay in Texas City, Texas in the United States, near Houston. The preserve was created in 1995 by the Nature Conservancy thanks to a US$2.2 million donation of land by ExxonMobil...
, located along Moses Lake
Moses Lake (Texas)
Moses Lake is a lake located near Texas City, Texas, USA in the Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown metropolitan area. It is fed by Moses Bayou and drains into Galveston Bay....
and the bay, are largely undeveloped nature preserves with views of wetlands and coastal wildlife in addition to a variety of park facilities. The Seabrook Trail System which includes Robinson and Pine Gully
Pine Gully Park, Seabrook, Texas
Pine Gully Park is a park located in Seabrook, Texas in the United States, near Houston. It is located on the shore of Galveston Bay. Though the park has some traditional recreational facilities it also features a great deal of largely undeveloped and restored woodlands and salt marshes which...
Parks offers primitive access to natural habitats for numerous species. These sites are all part of the larger Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail
Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail
The Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail is a state-designated system of trails, bird sanctuaries, and nature preserves along the entire length of the Texas Gulf Coast in the United States. As the state of Texas hosts more bird species than any other in the U.S. the trail system offers some of the...
.
Further from the core on the northeast side of the bay sits the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge
Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge
The Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge is a wildlife conservation area along the coast of Texas , west of the town of High Island, Texas. It borders East Bay, part of the Galveston Bay complex, behind Bolivar Peninsula at the Gulf of Mexico....
, a 34000 acres (137.6 km²) federal nature preserve. The coastal habitats in the park offer opportunities for viewing species ranging from the American Alligator
American Alligator
The American alligator , sometimes referred to colloquially as a gator, is a reptile endemic only to the Southeastern United States. It is one of the two living species of alligator, in the genus Alligator, within the family Alligatoridae...
and Bobcat
Bobcat
The bobcat is a North American mammal of the cat family Felidae, appearing during the Irvingtonian stage of around 1.8 million years ago . With twelve recognized subspecies, it ranges from southern Canada to northern Mexico, including most of the continental United States...
to bird species such as the Fulvous Whistling-Duck and the Yellow Rail
Yellow Rail
The Yellow Rail, Coturnicops noveboracensis, is a small waterbird, of the family Rallidae.Adults have brown upperparts streaked with black, a yellowish-brown breast, a light belly and barred flanks. The short thick dark bill turns yellow in males during the breeding season. The feathers on the back...
.
Other major area parks include Clear Creek Nature Park (League City), Chandler Arboretum (Baytown), Challenger 7 Memorial Park (Webster), and Sylvan Beach Park (La Porte).
Urban attractions
Space Center HoustonSpace Center Houston
Space Center Houston is the official visitors' center of the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center—the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's center for human spaceflight activities—located in Houston...
is the tourist arm of the Johnson Space Center and one of the most visited tourist attractions in Texas. Visitors can tour the Space Center grounds, view space capsules and artifacts, and find numerous educational activities including an IMAX theater.
The Kemah Boardwalk
Kemah Boardwalk
The Kemah Boardwalk is a hotel and restaurant destination in Kemah, Texas, USA. The main attractions of the complex, which opened in 2001, are its many restaurants overlooking Galveston Bay. The area was developed by Landry's Restaurants, which owns all of the restaurants on the boardwalk...
is a waterfront attraction featuring a variety of rides, restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
s, shops, and other entertainment venues. It is next to the Kemah Marina and hosts annual events such as the Boardwalk Wine Festival.
The Eddie V. Gray Wetlands Education and Recreation Center in Baytown offers indoor and outdoor educational exhibits featuring wetlands wildlife and habitats. The exhibits range from aquariums to science labs. The site also includes hiking trails through primitive habitats.
Museums in the area include the San Jacinto Museum of History
San Jacinto Monument
The San Jacinto Monument is a high column located on the Houston Ship Channel in unincorporated Harris County, Texas near the city of La Porte. The monument is topped with a 220-ton star that commemorates the site of the Battle of San Jacinto, the decisive battle of the Texas Revolution...
, the Bay Area Museum (Seabrook
Seabrook, Texas
Seabrook is a city in Harris county, with some water surface area located within Chambers county in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 9,443 at the 2000 census....
), the Pasadena Historical Museum, the West Bay Common School Museum (League City), the Baytown Historical Museum, the Texas City Museum, the Buttler Longhorn Museum (League City) and the Dickinson Railroad Museum.
Farmers markets in the area, including the Nassau Bay Farmers Market and the Farmers Market at Clear Lake Shores, provide opportunities for area residents to connect with local growers, producers, and other businesses. Historic districts
Historic district (United States)
In the United States, a historic district is a group of buildings, properties, or sites that have been designated by one of several entities on different levels as historically or architecturally significant. Buildings, structures, objects and sites within a historic district are normally divided...
such as the Goose Creek Historic District (Baytown), the Morgan's Point Historic District, and the League City Historic District are available providing views of early area architecture in addition to unique shopping venues.
The area contains many marinas for boating and fishing enthusiasts such the Bayland Park Marina (Baytown) and the Watergate Yachting Center (Clear Lake Shores). The shoreline of Clear Lake itself has the greatest concentration of recreational boats in Texas and ranks third nationwide (Watergate even claims to be the nation's largest).
Sports
The Bay Area TorosBay Area Toros
The Bay Area Toros was a professional baseball team based in Texas City, Texas, in the United States. The Toros were a member of the Continental Baseball League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. From the 2008 season to 2009, the Toros played their home games at Robinson Stadium....
are the area's minor-league baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
team. The Toros play their home games at Robinson Stadium
Robinson Stadium
Robinson Stadium is a baseball stadium located in Texas City, Texas. The stadium seats 1,800 people. It was home to the Bay Area Toros of the Continental Baseball League as well as the Texas City High School baseball team....
in Texas City. The Texas City Rangers
Texas City Rangers
The Texas City Rangers are a team of the American Basketball Association which began play in 2008. Based in Texas City, the Rangers play their home games at La Marque High School in nearby La Marque....
are a minor-league basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team that plays its home games at La Marque High School
La Marque High School
La Marque High School is a public high school in La Marque, Texas, United States. The school, which serves grades 9 through 12, is a part of the La Marque Independent School District.The school serves sections of La Marque, Texas City and Tiki Island...
. The Houston Raceway Park
Houston Raceway Park
Royal Purple Raceway is a quarter-mile dragstrip in Baytown, Texas, just outside Houston. It opened in 1988 and hosts the NHRA's O'Reilly Spring Nationals. It has a seating capacity for nearly 50,000 spectators, with additional grandstand seating brought in during major events...
in Baytown holds regular drag racing
Drag racing
Drag racing is a competition in which specially prepared automobiles or motorcycles compete two at a time to be the first to cross a set finish line, from a standing start, in a straight line, over a measured distance, most commonly a ¼-mile straight track....
and speedway motorsport events through the year. The park has a seating capacity of 30,000 with VIP suites.
The Galveston Bay Cruising Association holds regular regatta
Regatta
A regatta is a series of boat races. The term typically describes racing events of rowed or sailed water craft, although some powerboat race series are also called regattas...
events on the bay such as the Bay Cup (Lakewood Yacht Club
Lakewood Yacht Club
Lakewood Yacht Club is a private yacht and boat club located in Seabrook, Texas. The land for the facilities and marina were purchased from Ben Taub. The club officially opened on August 19th, 1955. The club's marina is on Clear Lake....
, Seabrook) and the Performance Cup. The 2009 season had 22 events throughout the year offering entertainment for sportsmen and spectators. The Gulf Greyhound Park in LaMarque is a stadium complex offering dog racing exhibitions. The park is the largest of its kind and features the state's largest restaurant among its amenities.
Media
Major daily newspapers serving the area include the Galveston County Daily News, the Baytown Sun, and the Houston ChronicleHouston Chronicle
The Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...
. Several smaller local newspapers serving the communities are available including the Bayshore Sun, the Bay Area Citizen, the Pasadena Citizen, and the Deer Park Progress. The Bay Area Observer and Bay Area Houston Magazine are online publications providing area interest stories and information.
The area receives many radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
s including some licensed within the area, such as KKBQ (country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
, Pasadena), KWWJ
KWWJ
KWWJ AM is an urban contemporary gospel radio station in the Houston, Texas metropolitan area. It is currently owned by Salt of the Earth Broadcasting.-External links:*...
(gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
, Baytown), and KFTG
KFTG
KFTG is a radio station broadcasting a Spanish Religious format. Licensed to Pasadena, Texas, USA, it serves the Houston area. The station is currently owned by Aleluya Christian Broadcasting, Inc.....
and KLVL
KLVL
KLVL is an AM radio station serving the Greater Houston, Texas area with a Spanish Christian format. It operates on AM frequency 1480 kHz and is under ownership of Siga Broadcasting.-History:...
(Spanish religious, Pasadena). Among the many television station
Television station
A television station is a business, organisation or other such as an amateur television operator that transmits content over terrestrial television. A television transmission can be by analog television signals or, more recently, by digital television. Broadcast television systems standards are...
s received in the area stations licensed in the area include KUBE-TV (TuVisión
TuVisión
TuVisión was an American Spanish-language broadcasting network, which is owned by Pappas Telecasting. TuVisión is a portmanteau of tu and televisión . During the latter part of 2007, Pappas hired Moelis & Company to develop long-term objectives to identify which television assets it should retain...
, Spanish language, Baytown).
See also
- Greater HoustonGreater HoustonHouston–Sugar Land–Baytown is a 10-county metropolitan area defined by the Office of Management and Budget. It is located along the Gulf Coast region in the U.S. state of Texas...
- Galveston BayGalveston BayGalveston Bay is a large estuary located along the upper coast of Texas in the United States. It is connected to the Gulf of Mexico and is surrounded by sub-tropic marshes and prairies on the mainland. The water in the Bay is a complex mixture of sea water and fresh water which supports a wide...
- Hurricane IkeHurricane IkeHurricane Ike was the second-costliest hurricane ever to make landfall in the United States, the costliest hurricane ever to impact Cuba and the second most active hurricane to reach the Canadian mainland in the Great Lakes Region after Hurricane Hazel in 1954...
- Lyndon B. Johnson Space CenterLyndon B. Johnson Space CenterThe Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's center for human spaceflight training, research and flight control. The center consists of a complex of 100 buildings constructed on 1,620 acres in Houston, Texas, USA...
External links
- Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership
- The Baytown Area / West Chambers County Economic Development Foundation
- Galveston County Economic Alliance
- Bay Area Houston Convention and Visitor's Bureau
- Bay Area Houston Transportation Partnership
- Bay Area Houston Ballet and Theater
- Texas Travel: Bay Area Houston
- BetterBay.org
- Space Alliance Technology Outreach Program