Humble, Texas
Encyclopedia
Humble is a city in Harris County
, Texas
within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown
metropolitan area.
As of the 2000 census, the city population was 14,579. The city shares a zip code with the small Houston neighborhood of Bordersville
, although people who live in Bordersville still have Humble addresses.
Petroleum
has been the basis of Humble's economy since its beginning. The city was the namesake for Humble Oil and Refining Company
, which later merged with the Exxon corporation.
industry.
The city got its name from one of the original founders/settlers, Pleasant Smith "Plez" Humble, who opened the first post office in his home and later served as justice of the peace
. In 1883 a city directory
reported that he operated a fruit stand. In 1885, he was a wood dealer, and in 1900, the District 99, Justice Pct. 4, Harris Co., Texas Census reports his occupation as attorney at law.
Humble became an oil boom town
in the early 20th century when oil was first produced there. The first oil was produced a couple years after the famous Spindletop
discovery in Beaumont, Texas
. Railroad linkage was established in 1904 and shortly thereafter the first tank car of oil was shipped out of Humble's oil field. The Humble oil fields are still active and have produced over 138835590 barrels (22,073,094,903.8 l) of oil. When the oil boom receded, many land owners returned to truck farming, dairy farming and the timber industry.
It remained a rather small, quiet city until the opening of the Houston Intercontinental Airport in 1969.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 9.9 square miles (25.6 km²), of which, 9.9 square miles (25.6 km²) of it is land and 0.10% is water.
Downtown Humble is located on a salt dome
and most of the petroleum production is shallow and encircles the city by about a 2.5 miles (4 km) radius.
of 2000, there were 14,579 people, 5,460 households, and 3,652 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,477.5 people per square mile (570.3/km²). There were 5,908 housing units at an average density of 598.7 per square mile (231.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 69.24% White, 14.49% African American, 0.68% Native American, 3.22% Asian, 0.26% Pacific Islander, 9.07% from other races
, and 3.04% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 23.36% of the population.
There were 5,460 households out of which 37.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.6% were married couples
living together, 16.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.1% were non-families. 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.18.
In the city the population was spread out with 28.0% under the age of 18, 12.3% from 18 to 24, 31.8% from 25 to 44, 19.4% from 45 to 64, and 8.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 96.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $37,834, and the median income for a family was $46,399. Males had a median income of $34,434 versus $26,988 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,678. About 12.2% of families and 15.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.2% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over.
CityData.com states that the crime rates for Humble were higher than the average United States crime rate. The average crime rate for cities with under 30,000 people was 325.2; Humble's crime rate was at 744.4 http://www.city-data.com/city/Humble-Texas.html.
Harris County Hospital District
operates the E. A. "Squatty" Lyons Health Center in Humble. The clinic opened in 1991, replacing a clinic in Bordersville.
The United States Postal Service
Humble Post Office is located at 1202 1st Street East. The Foxbrook Finance Unit is located near Humble in an unincorporated area
; On Monday May 10, 2008, the Foxbrook post office was dedicated as the "Texas Military Veterans Post Office" in a ceremony hosted by U.S. Congressperson Ted Poe
.
Humble is served by the Humble Independent School District
.
The city of Humble has three public elementary schools:
Humble is served by Ross Sterling Middle School (formerly by Humble Middle School in unincorporated Harris County), Humble High School
, Atascocita High School
and Summer Creek High School. All students attending the Humble Independent School District have the option to attend Quest High School
, a magnet high school in the Atascocita section of unincorporated Harris County.
Humble is served by the Lone Star College System (formerly North Harris Montgomery Community College District).
The Harris County Public Library
Octavia Fields Branch Library is located at 1503 South Houston Avenue in Humble. Humble's first public library opened in 1921 with the books stored in the high school. In 1923 the library was split between the high school and the Woodyard School. In 1926 the library moved to a church. In 1928 the library moved into the then-new Humble courthouse. In the early 1930s the library moved to city hall. In 1932 the city hall courtroom became a reading room. In the early 1960s a man named Tom Shelton donated a house and lot at the intersection of First Street and Avenue D. The house was remodeled and opened as the Shelton Memorial Library. On October 9, 1969 the library moved to 111 West Higgins Street. It received the name Octavia Fields Memorial Library from Octavia Fields, the grandmother of Jack Fields
, a former Congress member. The current 15000 square feet (1,393.5 m²) branch opened on June 27, 2001.
's alternate history novel Settling Accounts: In at the Death
.
Harris County, Texas
As of the 2010 Census, the population of the county was 4,092,459, White Americans made up 56.6% of Harris County's population; non-Hispanic whites represented 33.0% of the population. Black Americans made up 18.9% of the population. Native Americans made up 0.7% of Harris County's population...
, 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...
within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown
Greater 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...
metropolitan area.
As of the 2000 census, the city population was 14,579. The city shares a zip code with the small Houston neighborhood of Bordersville
Bordersville, Houston, Texas
Bordersville is a predominantly African American community on Farm to Market Road 1960 in northeast Harris County, Texas, United States. The community, located less than one half-mile from George Bush Intercontinental Airport, has about 80% of its territory in the City of Houston and the rest in an...
, although people who live in Bordersville still have Humble addresses.
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...
has been the basis of Humble's economy since its beginning. The city was the namesake for Humble Oil and Refining Company
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:...
, which later merged with the Exxon corporation.
History
The first settlers began moving into the Humble area in the early 19th century. Joseph Dunman was thought to be the first person to settle here and was believed to have arrived in 1828. A ferry was built nearby, over the San Jacinto River, and the area of Humble became a center for commercial activity due to the region's large OilOil
An oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and does not mix with water but may mix with other oils and organic solvents. This general definition includes vegetable oils, volatile essential oils, petrochemical oils, and synthetic oils....
industry.
The city got its name from one of the original founders/settlers, Pleasant Smith "Plez" Humble, who opened the first post office in his home and later served as justice of the peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
. In 1883 a city directory
City directory
A city directory is a listing of residents, streets, businesses, organizations or institutions, giving their location in a city. Antedating telephone directories, they have been in use for centuries....
reported that he operated a fruit stand. In 1885, he was a wood dealer, and in 1900, the District 99, Justice Pct. 4, Harris Co., Texas Census reports his occupation as attorney at law.
Humble became an oil boom town
Boomtown
A boomtown is a community that experiences sudden and rapid population and economic growth. The growth is normally attributed to the nearby discovery of a precious resource such as gold, silver, or oil, although the term can also be applied to communities growing very rapidly for different reasons,...
in the early 20th century when oil was first produced there. The first oil was produced a couple years after the famous Spindletop
Spindletop
Spindletop is a salt dome oil field located in the southern portion of Beaumont, Texas in the United States. The Spindletop dome was derived from the Louann Salt evaporite layer of the Jurassic geologic period. On January 10, 1901, a well at Spindletop struck oil . The new oil field soon produced...
discovery in Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont is a city in and county seat of Jefferson County, Texas, United States, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's population was 118,296 at the 2010 census. With Port Arthur and Orange, it forms the Golden Triangle, a major industrial area on the...
. Railroad linkage was established in 1904 and shortly thereafter the first tank car of oil was shipped out of Humble's oil field. The Humble oil fields are still active and have produced over 138835590 barrels (22,073,094,903.8 l) of oil. When the oil boom receded, many land owners returned to truck farming, dairy farming and the timber industry.
It remained a rather small, quiet city until the opening of the Houston Intercontinental Airport in 1969.
Geography
Humble is located at 29°59′42"N 95°15′54"W (29.994920, -95.264873).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 9.9 square miles (25.6 km²), of which, 9.9 square miles (25.6 km²) of it is land and 0.10% is water.
Downtown Humble is located on a salt dome
Salt dome
A salt dome is a type of structural dome formed when a thick bed of evaporite minerals found at depth intrudes vertically into surrounding rock strata, forming a diapir....
and most of the petroleum production is shallow and encircles the city by about a 2.5 miles (4 km) radius.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 14,579 people, 5,460 households, and 3,652 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,477.5 people per square mile (570.3/km²). There were 5,908 housing units at an average density of 598.7 per square mile (231.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 69.24% White, 14.49% African American, 0.68% Native American, 3.22% Asian, 0.26% Pacific Islander, 9.07% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 3.04% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 23.36% of the population.
There were 5,460 households out of which 37.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.6% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 16.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.1% were non-families. 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.18.
In the city the population was spread out with 28.0% under the age of 18, 12.3% from 18 to 24, 31.8% from 25 to 44, 19.4% from 45 to 64, and 8.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 96.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $37,834, and the median income for a family was $46,399. Males had a median income of $34,434 versus $26,988 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $17,678. About 12.2% of families and 15.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.2% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over.
CityData.com states that the crime rates for Humble were higher than the average United States crime rate. The average crime rate for cities with under 30,000 people was 325.2; Humble's crime rate was at 744.4 http://www.city-data.com/city/Humble-Texas.html.
County, state, and federal representation
Harris County operates a tax office at 7900 Will Clayton Parkway in Humble.Harris County Hospital District
Harris County Hospital District
The Harris County Hospital District is a governmental entity with taxing authority that owns and operates three hospitals and numerous clinics throughout Harris County, Texas, United States, including the city of Houston...
operates the E. A. "Squatty" Lyons Health Center in Humble. The clinic opened in 1991, replacing a clinic in Bordersville.
The United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
Humble Post Office is located at 1202 1st Street East. The Foxbrook Finance Unit is located near Humble in an unincorporated 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...
; On Monday May 10, 2008, the Foxbrook post office was dedicated as the "Texas Military Veterans Post Office" in a ceremony hosted by U.S. Congressperson Ted Poe
Ted Poe
Lloyd "Ted" Poe is a Republican politician currently representing Texas's 2nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives. The district includes most of northern Houston, as well as most of the Beaumont-Port Arthur metropolitan area. He is the first Republican to ever...
.
Primary and secondary schools
Humble Independent School District
Humble Independent School District is a school district based in Humble, Texas .Humble ISD serves the city of Humble, small portions of the city of Houston , and portions of unincorporated Harris County . The district serves over 33,000 students and is led by Superintendent Dr...
.
The city of Humble has three public elementary schools:
Humble is served by Ross Sterling Middle School (formerly by Humble Middle School in unincorporated Harris County), Humble High School
Humble High School
Humble High School is a secondary school located in the Humble Independent School District in Humble, Texas, United States.Humble High School , which serves grades 9 through 12, serves the city of Humble, the Moonshine Hill area of Houston, and unincorporated communities north of Beltway 8...
, Atascocita High School
Atascocita High School
Atascocita High School is a secondary school located in Atascocita CDP, a community housed in unincorporated Harris County, Texas, United States...
and Summer Creek High School. All students attending the Humble Independent School District have the option to attend Quest High School
Quest High School
Quest Early College High School is a small secondary school located in unincorporated Harris County, Texas, near the city of Humble and is a part of Humble Independent School District...
, a magnet high school in the Atascocita section of unincorporated Harris County.
Humble is served by the Lone Star College System (formerly North Harris Montgomery Community College District).
Community colleges
Lone Star College System (formerly the North Harris Montgomery Community College District) serves the area. In 1972, residents of Humble ISD and two other K–12 school districts voted to create the North Harris County College District. The community college district began operations in the Harris County/Montgomery County's northern hemisphere in the fall of 1973. The Humble area is currently served by Lone Star College, Kingwood.Public libraries
Harris County Public Library
Harris County Public Library is a public library system serving Harris County, Texas, United States. The county library system is headquartered at 8080 El Rio in Houston....
Octavia Fields Branch Library is located at 1503 South Houston Avenue in Humble. Humble's first public library opened in 1921 with the books stored in the high school. In 1923 the library was split between the high school and the Woodyard School. In 1926 the library moved to a church. In 1928 the library moved into the then-new Humble courthouse. In the early 1930s the library moved to city hall. In 1932 the city hall courtroom became a reading room. In the early 1960s a man named Tom Shelton donated a house and lot at the intersection of First Street and Avenue D. The house was remodeled and opened as the Shelton Memorial Library. On October 9, 1969 the library moved to 111 West Higgins Street. It received the name Octavia Fields Memorial Library from Octavia Fields, the grandmother of Jack Fields
Jack Fields
Jack Milton Fields, Jr. , is a Texas businessman and a former Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from a Houston-based district....
, a former Congress member. The current 15000 square feet (1,393.5 m²) branch opened on June 27, 2001.
Points of interest
- Pam Lychner UnitPam Lychner UnitPam Lychner State Jail is a Texas Department of Criminal Justice state jail for men located in Atascocita, unincorporated northeast Harris County, Texas, United States, east of Humble. It is 20 miles northeast of Downtown Houston....
, a Texas Department of Criminal JusticeTexas Department of Criminal JusticeThe Texas Department of Criminal Justice is a department of the government of the state of Texas. The TDCJ is responsible for statewide criminal justice for adult offenders, including managing offenders in state prisons, state jails and private correctional facilities, funding and certain...
state jail for men, is located in AtascocitaAtascocita, TexasAtascocita is a census-designated place in Harris County, Texas, United States.Atascocita is a large, affluent development located north and south of Farm to Market Road 1960 about six miles east of Humble and eighteen miles northeast of downtown Houston in northeastern Harris County.Bordered on...
in unincorporatedUnincorporated areaIn 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...
northeast Harris County, east of Humble. The state jail was named after Pam LychnerPam LychnerPamela Sue Rogers "Pam" Lychner, born Pamela Sue Rogers was a Spring Valley Village, Texas, United States real estate agent who promoted the "Pam Lychner Sexual Offender Tracking and Identification Act of 1996" bill...
. - Humble Negro CemeteryHumble Negro CemeteryThe Humble Negro Cemetery is located in Harris County, Texas, just north of the City of Humble, Texas. It is located about 200 yards north of the FM 1960 by-pass which runs along the north side of Humble, Texas and east of the railroad tracks and U.S. Highway 59...
- DeLorean Motor Company (DMC), manufacturer of the DeLorean DMC-12, a sports car made famous by the movie Back to the FutureBack to the FutureBack to the Future is a 1985 American science-fiction adventure film. It was directed by Robert Zemeckis, written by Zemeckis and Bob Gale, produced by Steven Spielberg, and starred Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover and Thomas F. Wilson. The film tells the story of...
, has its only remaining private factory based in Humble. - The Shell Houston OpenShell Houston OpenThe Shell Houston Open is a regular golf tournament on the PGA Tour. It is currently played in April at Redstone Golf Club in the Houston suburb of Humble, Texas. Shell and the Houston Golf Association are the main sponsors of the tournament...
, an annual PGA TourPGA TourThe PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
event is played at Redstone Golf Club. The event takes place at the end of March-beginning of April & is part of the race to the FedEx CupFedEx CupThe FedEx Cup is a championship trophy for the PGA Tour. Its introduction marked the first time that men's professional golf had a playoff system. Announced in November 2005, it was first awarded in 2007 after a NASCAR-like points race. Bill Haas is the current champion...
. The event has historically been one week before The Masters, the seasons first major.
Notable natives and residents
- Jackie BattleJackie BattleJackie Battle is an American football running back for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Dallas Cowboys in 2007...
, running-back for the Dallas CowboysDallas CowboysThe Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
and later the Kansas City ChiefsKansas City ChiefsThe Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a... - Noted GermanGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
movie starMovie starA movie star is a celebrity who is well-known, or famous, for his or her starring, or leading, roles in motion pictures. The term may also apply to an actor or actress who is recognized as a marketable commodity and whose name is used to promote a movie in trailers and posters...
Franka PotenteFranka PotenteFranka Potente is a German film actress and singer. She first appeared in the comedy After Five in the Forest Primeval and gained critical recognition in the action thriller Lola rennt . Potente received Germany's highest film and television awards for her performances in Run Lola Run and...
spent some months as an exchange student in Humble at age 17. - Jerrod JohnsonJerrod JohnsonJerrod Terrel Johnson is an American football quarterback who is currently a member of the Arizona Rattlers. He was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He played college football at Texas A&M....
, the 2010 Pre-Season Big 12 offensive Player of the Year and Starting Quarterback for Texas A&M UniversityTexas A&M UniversityTexas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
. - Howard HughesHoward HughesHoward Robard Hughes, Jr. was an American business magnate, investor, aviator, engineer, film producer, director, and philanthropist. He was one of the wealthiest people in the world...
, aviator and film producer of the 20th c. - Bertrand BerryBertrand BerryBertrand Demond Berry is a retired American football defensive end who most recently played for the Arizona Cardinals.-Early years:Berry started his football career in the Humble Area Football League...
, former NFL player and Notre Dame graduate.
Literary references
Humble is the site of a Confederate concentration camp in Harry TurtledoveHarry Turtledove
Harry Norman Turtledove is an American novelist, who has produced works in several genres including alternate history, historical fiction, fantasy and science fiction.- Life :...
's alternate history novel Settling Accounts: In at the Death
Settling Accounts: In at the Death
Settling Accounts: In at the Death is the last novel of the Settling Accounts tetralogy that presents an alternate history of World War II that was released July 27, 2007. It brings to a conclusion the multi-series compilation by author Harry Turtledove, a series sometimes referred to as Southern...
.