Hightower, Texas
Encyclopedia
Hightower is an unincorporated community
in Liberty County
, Texas
, United States
. It is a geographic area without official borders, centered on the intersection of
FM 787 and 
FM 2518. It contains small farms, pastures, ranchettes, timber plantations, individual residential lots, small Protestant churches, and a Georgia Pacific lumber mill.
(now BNSF Railway
). The name Lamb was taken from the last name of its first postmaster, Charles C. Lamb. The area was rechristened Hightower in 1912 in honor of district judge Lewis B. Hightower, Sr., who lived there while serving on the Ninth Judicial District bench from 1888 until his death in 1918.
Sheriff's office. Mail stops in the area are addressed "Cleveland, Texas", even though Hightower is six miles away from the City of Cleveland's incorporated area. The zip code
is 77327.
track runs through Hightower, connecting the cities of Cleveland
and Silsbee
. Drinking water comes from privately drilled wells, as there is not yet any municipal water utility service. Likewise private septic tanks. Electrical service is provided by Sam Houston Electric Cooperative [SHECO]. There is no natural gas
utility service, so those with gas appliances must purchase and install private propane tanks.
, which assesses taxes on real properties
in the area.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in Liberty County
Liberty County, Texas
Liberty County is a county located in Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 75,643. Its county seat is Liberty.-Geography:According to the U.S...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is a geographic area without official borders, centered on the intersection of
FM 787 and FM 2518. It contains small farms, pastures, ranchettes, timber plantations, individual residential lots, small Protestant churches, and a Georgia Pacific lumber mill.Etymology
In 1899, the area became an official place named Lamb when it received a mail stop on the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe RailwayGulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway
The Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway was a subsidiary of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway in eastern Texas and to Purcell, Oklahoma.- Nineteenth Century :...
(now BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway
The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
). The name Lamb was taken from the last name of its first postmaster, Charles C. Lamb. The area was rechristened Hightower in 1912 in honor of district judge Lewis B. Hightower, Sr., who lived there while serving on the Ninth Judicial District bench from 1888 until his death in 1918.
Government
Law enforcement is provided by the Liberty CountyLiberty County
Liberty County is the name of four counties in the United States:* Liberty County, Florida* Liberty County, Georgia* Liberty County, Montana* Liberty County, Texas...
Sheriff's office. Mail stops in the area are addressed "Cleveland, Texas", even though Hightower is six miles away from the City of Cleveland's incorporated area. The zip code
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
is 77327.
Infrastructure
Roads are maintained by the county. A BNSF RailwayBNSF Railway
The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
track runs through Hightower, connecting the cities of Cleveland
Cleveland, Texas
Cleveland is a city in Liberty County, Texas, United States. The population was 7,605 at the 2000 census.-History:In 1854, a church and convent was built by Father Peter La Cour near the town's present site...
and Silsbee
Silsbee, Texas
Silsbee is a city in Hardin County, Texas, United States. It is located at the intersection of U.S. Highway 96 and State Highway 327. The population was 6,393 at the 2000 census...
. Drinking water comes from privately drilled wells, as there is not yet any municipal water utility service. Likewise private septic tanks. Electrical service is provided by Sam Houston Electric Cooperative [SHECO]. There is no natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
utility service, so those with gas appliances must purchase and install private propane tanks.
Education
Hightower is zoned to schools in the Tarkington Independent School DistrictTarkington Independent School District
Tarkington Independent School District is a public school district in north central Liberty County, Texas . All 4 campuses are located on the same plot of land, with the High School facing County Road 2268, and the other three campus are along Farm to Market Road 163...
, which assesses taxes on real properties
Real property
In English Common Law, real property, real estate, realty, or immovable property is any subset of land that has been legally defined and the improvements to it made by human efforts: any buildings, machinery, wells, dams, ponds, mines, canals, roads, various property rights, and so forth...
in the area.