Lake Jackson, Texas
Encyclopedia
Lake Jackson is a city in Brazoria County
, Texas
within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown
metropolitan area. As of a 2006 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, the city population was 27,614.
Lake Jackson is named after an oxbow lake
of the same name on the outskirts of town. The lake in turn was named after the family whose antebellum
plantation
house sat alongside the lake; only very minor ruins of the Lake Jackson Plantation can now be seen in a park at the site. The Plantation site is open to the public on the first Saturday of the month from 10 AM to dusk. Special tours may be arranged through the Lake Jackson Historical Association (979) 297-1570.
The city is the birthplace of famous Tejano
superstar, Selena
. The city has also long been the hometown of Ron Paul
, the presidential candidate and U.S. representative from Texas's 14th Congressional District
http://nationalatlas.gov/printable/images/preview/congdist/tx14_109.gif. It was the home too of State Senator
J. E. "Buster" Brown
, who represented District 17
from 1981 to 2002.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 19.8 square miles (51.3 km²), of which, 19.0 square miles (49.3 km²) of it is land and 0.8 square miles (2.0 km²) of it (3.84%) is water.
of 2000, there were 26,386 people, 9,588 households, and 7,344 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,386.0 people per square mile (535.1/km²). There were 10,475 housing units at an average density of 550.2 per square mile (212.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 86.24% White, 3.88% African American, 0.39% Native American, 2.50% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 5.19% from other races
, and 1.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14.70% of the population.
There were 9,588 households out of which 42.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.7% were married couples
living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.4% were non-families. Twenty percent of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.18.
In the city, the population was spread out with 30.6% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 9.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 95.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $60,901, and the median income for a family was $69,053. Males had a median income of $60,143 versus $30,398 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $25,877. About 5.4% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.5% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.
in support of a new plant of the Dow Chemical Company
. The City of Lake Jackson was incorporated March 14, 1944 and voted for home rule
ten years later in 1954.
Lake Jackson, "City of Enchantment", originated in 1941 when the great push was on to build the Dow Plants. Dr. A. P. Beutel, first General Manager of Dow’s Texas Division, had an idea which was to prove fateful to the history of Brazoria County...
Facing a basic decision as to what could be done to provide living accommodations for the thousands of Dow employees already here and the thousands more to come, Dr. Beutel took a carload of his fellow Dow directors over bumpy country roads to the site of the old Lake Jackson Plantation. He stopped the car and said, "What we ought to do is build a complete new town here!" This was the beginning of the City of Lake Jackson. The Dow Board of Directors agreed with him that a new community offered a better solution to the problems than attempting to develop additional areas of the already existing Brazoria County towns.
Mr. Alden B. Dow was one of the people whom Dr. Beutel took with him that day, and Mr. Dow began planning Lake Jackson. The location for the City of Lake Jackson was chosen because of the protection offered from Gulf storms, an elevation which made possible good drainage, and because of its natural scenic beauty. This city of 1300 acres (5.3 km²) was carefully planned on paper before the first ax was struck into a Live Oak, before the first spade full of gumbo saw the sun and before a single nail was driven. Actual construction of the City of Lake Jackson got underway on December 8, 1941, although machinery and equipment were being moved in on December 7th, Pearl Harbor Day.
Three hundred American and Mexican woodsmen, six bulldozers, thirty mules and five draglines began cutting, clearing and digging through the forestland. Oak Drive was the first street to be carved out of the thickly grown forest of gigantic, arching Live Oak, and Elm Trees festooned with Spanish Moss, shadowing Yaupon, Pin Oak, Ash and Elder Hackberry, Bois D`Arc and occasionally a thick butted Cypress. Rain and trees posed a real problem for construction workers back in 1942. Rain fell in torrents during August causing excavation for utility mains to take on the appearance of small canals. Architect Alden B. Dow, in preparing plans for Lake Jackson, specified that as many of the trees as possible be spared when the streets and parkways were laid out. When the time came to put down gas mains and to pave thoroughfares, certain trees were marked and crews were given strict orders not to uproot or damage them. Keeping clear of the trees was not very difficult, but staying away from the far reaching root systems was quite a problem. Today, of course, these trees give Lake Jackson a personality all its own. The streets were finally cut and concrete poured. The streets, drives and ways are laid out so that they give easy access to the center of town with a minimum of traffic hazards. The curved streets lend individuality to every lot. The city, which appears to be a maze to the average stranger, was in reality a simple system to the designers. The 'drives' go around the outskirts and are through-traffic highways; the streets end at either the 'drives' or the 'ways'; and all 'ways' lead to the downtown area. Center Way is located in the center of town. Circle Way circles the business district. And there are those unusual streets (This Way and That Way) which have caused so much comment. Of course, the growth of recent years has extended these early boundaries, yet the principle of the design remains useful to many traveling residents.
Other streets are named for flowers, fruits, shrubs, and various types of trees. In January of 1943, the 200 units of the Oak Wood Project, built by FPHA were being completed and readied for occupancy. On January 26, 1942, the first pioneer family moved into the project on Trumpet Vine Street. The "pioneers" fought mosquitoes, walked through seas of mud, bought their groceries from Clute and Freeport, and picked up their mail at the "Trailer Branch" near Dow Plant B. But in the same breath, they will tell you that they were truly happy pioneers. Here among the peaceful, moss-covered oaks, they saw the promise of a more challenging and happier way of life.
In March of 1943, the first grocery store was opened. Also, about this time, the Humble Service Station opened, and on June 7, the Proctor Walgreen Drug Store (later named Lake Drug) opened. These formed the nucleus for the business district to come. By early summer of 1943, the duplexes were filled and people were moving into individual houses of Area B, bounded by Winding Way and Camellia Street. Late in 1943 and early 1944, the houses in Area C began to be occupied and the population increased from zero on January 1, 1943 to about 1800 by April, 1944. On March 14, 1944, the City of Lake Jackson was incorporated and the streets, parks, water and sewer system, fire equipment, etc., were later given to the City by the Dow Chemical Company. By then, the happy pioneers were beginning to accept as a certainty that which they believed from the first: Lake Jackson was a sparkling land of promise with new and better opportunities for all. By 1954, Lake Jackson was large enough to vote for a Home Rule Charter. The 2000 Census population figures were 26,386.
, is represented in the United States House of Representatives
by Ron Paul
since 1997.
has its headquarters in Lake Jackson.
The Dow Chemical Company and the Brazosport Independent School District are major employers of residents.
The sales tax income represents a population of over 70,000 indicating the draw of the retail shopping from the area.
is a public community college which was recently upgraded to offer a baccalaureate degree in certain technical fields. It is also distinguished for its professional music hall, The Clarion. Brazosport College's Music Department has been able to bring many successful music artists to Lake Jackson, including Rita Coolidge, Lyle Lovett, Don McLean, Phil Woods, and John Pizarelli.
.
K-5 elementary schools within Lake Jackson include:
Residents are zoned to:
, Freeport
and Angleton
.
includes a free evening concert of Southern Gospel Music at the Baptist Church in Henley-in-Arden
, Warwickshire
, England on the way home.
St Mark's Lutheran Church is another of the city's churches, along with the "Lighthouse Baptist Church" which is at the intersection of "This Way" and "That Way."
Grace Bible Church
Brazoria County, Texas
Brazoria County[p] is a county in the U.S. state of Texas, located on the Gulf Coast within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. Regionally, parts of the county are within the extreme southern-most fringe of the regions locally known as Southeast Texas. Brazoria County is among a...
, 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 a 2006 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, the city population was 27,614.
Lake Jackson is named after an oxbow lake
Oxbow lake
An oxbow lake is a U-shaped body of water formed when a wide meander from the main stem of a river is cut off to create a lake. This landform is called an oxbow lake for the distinctive curved shape, named after part of a yoke for oxen. In Australia, an oxbow lake is called a billabong, derived...
of the same name on the outskirts of town. The lake in turn was named after the family whose antebellum
Antebellum architecture
Antebellum architecture is a term used to describe the characteristic neoclassical architectural style of the Southern United States, especially the Old South, from after the birth of the United States in the American Revolution, to the start of the American Civil War...
plantation
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
house sat alongside the lake; only very minor ruins of the Lake Jackson Plantation can now be seen in a park at the site. The Plantation site is open to the public on the first Saturday of the month from 10 AM to dusk. Special tours may be arranged through the Lake Jackson Historical Association (979) 297-1570.
The city is the birthplace of famous Tejano
Tejano
Tejano or Texano is a term used to identify a Texan of Mexican heritage.Historically, the Spanish term Tejano has been used to identify different groups of people...
superstar, Selena
Selena
Selena Quintanilla-Pérez , known simply as Selena, was a Mexican American singer-songwriter. She was named the "top Latin artist of the '90s" and "Best selling Latin artist of the decade" by Billboard for her fourteen top-ten singles in the Top Latin Songs chart, including seven number-one hits...
. The city has also long been the hometown of Ron Paul
Ron Paul
Ronald Ernest "Ron" Paul is an American physician, author and United States Congressman who is seeking to be the Republican Party candidate in the 2012 presidential election. Paul represents Texas's 14th congressional district, which covers an area south and southwest of Houston that includes...
, the presidential candidate and U.S. representative from Texas's 14th Congressional District
Texas's 14th congressional district
Texas's 14th district for the United States House of Representatives is a Congressional district that covers the area south and southwest of the Greater Houston region, including Galveston, in the state of Texas. The district was created as a result of the 1900 U.S. Census and was first contested...
http://nationalatlas.gov/printable/images/preview/congdist/tx14_109.gif. It was the home too of State Senator
Texas Senate, District 17
District 17 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that currently serves portions of Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris and Jefferson counties in the U.S. state of Texas. Senator Kyle Janek announced his resignation on May 29, 2008. Governor Rick Perry called for a special...
J. E. "Buster" Brown
J. E. "Buster" Brown
James Edward Brown, known as J. E. "Buster" Brown , is an attorney and lobbyist in Austin, Texas, who served from 1981 to 2002 as a Republican member of the Texas State Senate from District 17, based in Brazoria, Fort Bend, and part of Harris counties, south and west of Houston...
, who represented District 17
Texas Senate, District 17
District 17 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that currently serves portions of Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris and Jefferson counties in the U.S. state of Texas. Senator Kyle Janek announced his resignation on May 29, 2008. Governor Rick Perry called for a special...
from 1981 to 2002.
Geography
Lake Jackson is located at 29°2′13"N 95°26′18"W (29.036837, -95.438339).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 19.8 square miles (51.3 km²), of which, 19.0 square miles (49.3 km²) of it is land and 0.8 square miles (2.0 km²) of it (3.84%) is water.
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 26,386 people, 9,588 households, and 7,344 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 1,386.0 people per square mile (535.1/km²). There were 10,475 housing units at an average density of 550.2 per square mile (212.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 86.24% White, 3.88% African American, 0.39% Native American, 2.50% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 5.19% 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 1.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14.70% of the population.
There were 9,588 households out of which 42.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.7% 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, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.4% were non-families. Twenty percent of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.18.
In the city, the population was spread out with 30.6% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 9.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 95.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $60,901, and the median income for a family was $69,053. Males had a median income of $60,143 versus $30,398 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 $25,877. About 5.4% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.5% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.
History
The city was built in the early 1940s as a planned communityPlanned community
A planned community, or planned city, is any community that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed in a previously undeveloped area. This contrasts with settlements that evolve in a more ad hoc fashion. Land use conflicts are less frequent in planned communities since...
in support of a new plant of the Dow Chemical Company
Dow Chemical Company
The Dow Chemical Company is a multinational corporation headquartered in Midland, Michigan, United States. As of 2007, it is the second largest chemical manufacturer in the world by revenue and as of February 2009, the third-largest chemical company in the world by market capitalization .Dow...
. The City of Lake Jackson was incorporated March 14, 1944 and voted for home rule
Home rule
Home rule is the power of a constituent part of a state to exercise such of the state's powers of governance within its own administrative area that have been devolved to it by the central government....
ten years later in 1954.
Lake Jackson, "City of Enchantment", originated in 1941 when the great push was on to build the Dow Plants. Dr. A. P. Beutel, first General Manager of Dow’s Texas Division, had an idea which was to prove fateful to the history of Brazoria County...
Facing a basic decision as to what could be done to provide living accommodations for the thousands of Dow employees already here and the thousands more to come, Dr. Beutel took a carload of his fellow Dow directors over bumpy country roads to the site of the old Lake Jackson Plantation. He stopped the car and said, "What we ought to do is build a complete new town here!" This was the beginning of the City of Lake Jackson. The Dow Board of Directors agreed with him that a new community offered a better solution to the problems than attempting to develop additional areas of the already existing Brazoria County towns.
Mr. Alden B. Dow was one of the people whom Dr. Beutel took with him that day, and Mr. Dow began planning Lake Jackson. The location for the City of Lake Jackson was chosen because of the protection offered from Gulf storms, an elevation which made possible good drainage, and because of its natural scenic beauty. This city of 1300 acres (5.3 km²) was carefully planned on paper before the first ax was struck into a Live Oak, before the first spade full of gumbo saw the sun and before a single nail was driven. Actual construction of the City of Lake Jackson got underway on December 8, 1941, although machinery and equipment were being moved in on December 7th, Pearl Harbor Day.
Three hundred American and Mexican woodsmen, six bulldozers, thirty mules and five draglines began cutting, clearing and digging through the forestland. Oak Drive was the first street to be carved out of the thickly grown forest of gigantic, arching Live Oak, and Elm Trees festooned with Spanish Moss, shadowing Yaupon, Pin Oak, Ash and Elder Hackberry, Bois D`Arc and occasionally a thick butted Cypress. Rain and trees posed a real problem for construction workers back in 1942. Rain fell in torrents during August causing excavation for utility mains to take on the appearance of small canals. Architect Alden B. Dow, in preparing plans for Lake Jackson, specified that as many of the trees as possible be spared when the streets and parkways were laid out. When the time came to put down gas mains and to pave thoroughfares, certain trees were marked and crews were given strict orders not to uproot or damage them. Keeping clear of the trees was not very difficult, but staying away from the far reaching root systems was quite a problem. Today, of course, these trees give Lake Jackson a personality all its own. The streets were finally cut and concrete poured. The streets, drives and ways are laid out so that they give easy access to the center of town with a minimum of traffic hazards. The curved streets lend individuality to every lot. The city, which appears to be a maze to the average stranger, was in reality a simple system to the designers. The 'drives' go around the outskirts and are through-traffic highways; the streets end at either the 'drives' or the 'ways'; and all 'ways' lead to the downtown area. Center Way is located in the center of town. Circle Way circles the business district. And there are those unusual streets (This Way and That Way) which have caused so much comment. Of course, the growth of recent years has extended these early boundaries, yet the principle of the design remains useful to many traveling residents.
Other streets are named for flowers, fruits, shrubs, and various types of trees. In January of 1943, the 200 units of the Oak Wood Project, built by FPHA were being completed and readied for occupancy. On January 26, 1942, the first pioneer family moved into the project on Trumpet Vine Street. The "pioneers" fought mosquitoes, walked through seas of mud, bought their groceries from Clute and Freeport, and picked up their mail at the "Trailer Branch" near Dow Plant B. But in the same breath, they will tell you that they were truly happy pioneers. Here among the peaceful, moss-covered oaks, they saw the promise of a more challenging and happier way of life.
In March of 1943, the first grocery store was opened. Also, about this time, the Humble Service Station opened, and on June 7, the Proctor Walgreen Drug Store (later named Lake Drug) opened. These formed the nucleus for the business district to come. By early summer of 1943, the duplexes were filled and people were moving into individual houses of Area B, bounded by Winding Way and Camellia Street. Late in 1943 and early 1944, the houses in Area C began to be occupied and the population increased from zero on January 1, 1943 to about 1800 by April, 1944. On March 14, 1944, the City of Lake Jackson was incorporated and the streets, parks, water and sewer system, fire equipment, etc., were later given to the City by the Dow Chemical Company. By then, the happy pioneers were beginning to accept as a certainty that which they believed from the first: Lake Jackson was a sparkling land of promise with new and better opportunities for all. By 1954, Lake Jackson was large enough to vote for a Home Rule Charter. The 2000 Census population figures were 26,386.
Government and politics
Representation for Lake Jackson, within the Texas's 14th congressional districtTexas's 14th congressional district
Texas's 14th district for the United States House of Representatives is a Congressional district that covers the area south and southwest of the Greater Houston region, including Galveston, in the state of Texas. The district was created as a result of the 1900 U.S. Census and was first contested...
, is represented in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
by Ron Paul
Ron Paul
Ronald Ernest "Ron" Paul is an American physician, author and United States Congressman who is seeking to be the Republican Party candidate in the 2012 presidential election. Paul represents Texas's 14th congressional district, which covers an area south and southwest of Houston that includes...
since 1997.
Economy
Buc-ee'sBuc-ee's
Buc-ee's, Ltd is a chain of convenience store/travel centers located in the Central & Gulf Coast region of Texas. The company is owned by Arch "Beaver" Aplin III & Don Wasek and is based in Lake Jackson, Texas, 40 miles south of Houston, Texas.-Company:...
has its headquarters in Lake Jackson.
The Dow Chemical Company and the Brazosport Independent School District are major employers of residents.
The sales tax income represents a population of over 70,000 indicating the draw of the retail shopping from the area.
Colleges
Brazosport CollegeBrazosport College
Brazosport College, or BC, is a public, coeducational college located in Lake Jackson, Texas. The college was opened in 1968, and offers two-year and four-year degrees...
is a public community college which was recently upgraded to offer a baccalaureate degree in certain technical fields. It is also distinguished for its professional music hall, The Clarion. Brazosport College's Music Department has been able to bring many successful music artists to Lake Jackson, including Rita Coolidge, Lyle Lovett, Don McLean, Phil Woods, and John Pizarelli.
Public schools
The public schools in the city are operated by Brazosport Independent School DistrictBrazosport Independent School District
Brazosport Independent School District is a school district based in Freeport, Texas .The district serves the cities, towns, and villages of Clute, Freeport, Jones Creek, Lake Jackson, Oyster Creek, Quintana, Richwood, and Surfside Beach...
.
K-5 elementary schools within Lake Jackson include:
- O.M. Roberts Elementary School
- A.P. Beutel Elementary School (2007 National Blue Ribbon School)
- Bess Brannen Elementary School
- Elisabet Ney Elementary School
Residents are zoned to:
- Grady B. Rasco Middle School (5-6)
- Lake Jackson Intermediate School (7-8)
- Brazoswood High SchoolBrazoswood High SchoolBrazoswood High School is a secondary school located at 302 West Brazoswood in Clute, Texas. It educates grades nine through twelve and is part of the Brazosport Independent School District....
(9-12, in Clute, TexasClute, TexasClute is a city in Brazoria County, Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city population was 10,424. The city gained some fame with the discovery of a fossilized mammoth named Asiel...
)
Private schools
The private schools within Lake Jackson include:Mass transit
Southern Brazoria County Transit provides bus service options for Lake Jackson, CluteClute, Texas
Clute is a city in Brazoria County, Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city population was 10,424. The city gained some fame with the discovery of a fossilized mammoth named Asiel...
, Freeport
Freeport, Texas
Freeport is a city in Brazoria County, Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area and is situated in Southeast Texas. As of the 2000 U.S...
and Angleton
Angleton, Texas
Angleton is a city in and the county seat of Brazoria County, Texas, United States, within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. Angleton lies at the intersection of State Highway 288, State Highway 35, and the Union Pacific Railroad. The population was 18,130 at the 2000 census...
.
Highways
 |
State Highway 288 State Highway 288 (Texas) State Highway 288, or SH 288, is a north–south highway in the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of Texas, between I-45 in downtown Houston and Freeport, where it terminates on FM 1495... . Northbound SH 288 to Houston Houston, Texas Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ... . Southbound, SH 288 routes to Freeport Freeport, Texas Freeport is a city in Brazoria County, Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area and is situated in Southeast Texas. As of the 2000 U.S... . |
Streets
- The city's layout and the six designs for homes were completed by architect Alden B. DowAlden B. DowAlden B. Dow was an American architect; he was the son of Herbert Henry Dow and Grace A. Dow. Dow is known for his prolific architectural design. His personal house in Midland, the Midland Center for the Arts, as well as the current building for the Grace A...
. - All streets radiating from downtown end in the word "Way." Among the streets are Center Way, Winding Way, Circle Way, and Parking Way. There is an intersection of two streets named "This Way" and "That Way." In the same spirit, a local church near Bess Brannen Elementary placed a small sign in their driveway named "His Way." You will also find an "Any Way."
- Most other streets not ending in "Way" were named after some form of floraFloraFlora is the plant life occurring in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring or indigenous—native plant life. The corresponding term for animals is fauna.-Etymology:...
. As the city grew and common names such as Pine, Mulberry, and Oak were taken, developers had to become more creative; thus, among the plants used are Jalapeño, Tangerine, Mango, and Habanero. The highways running through Lake Jackson, (Texas HighwaysTexas HighwaysTexas Highways is a monthly magazine put out by the Texas Department of Transportation that, according to the agency, "promotes travel and tourism to Texas through articles and photography."...
288 & 332) and Oyster Creek Drive, are exceptions to the naming conventions. The naming convention of "Drive," meaning a route into or out of town, is less honored today than in the beginning. - Dow intentionally laid out the streets so that they seldom follow straight paths. Part of the basis for the winding streets was Dow's insistence that as few trees as possible should be removed in construction of the original street layout (which is still in practice today with the building of new subdivisions). Lake Jackson is a part of the National Arbor Day FoundationNational Arbor Day FoundationThe Arbor Day Foundation is the world's oldest and largest tree-planting organization. The foundation began September 3, 1971 with a mission "to inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees". The Foundation is supported by donations, selling trees and merchandise, and by corporate sponsors...
's Tree City USATree City USATree City USA is a tree planting and tree care program sponsored by the National Arbor Day Foundation for cities and towns in the United States.- Requirements :...
list. Also, many of the streets follow Oyster Creek, which twists and winds through town. As a result the streets, even main thoroughfares twist and wind throughout the city. In many areas of town one can travel in any of the four compass directions and have the same commute time and distance to a destination across town.
Churches and places of worship
The 1st Baptist Church has a male voice quartet, The Staff Quartet, with an international reputation. For example, their October 2009 tour of BulgariaBulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
includes a free evening concert of Southern Gospel Music at the Baptist Church in Henley-in-Arden
Henley-in-Arden
Henley-in-Arden is a small town in Warwickshire, England. The name is a reference to the former Forest of Arden. In the 2001 census the town had a population of 2,011....
, Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
, England on the way home.
St Mark's Lutheran Church is another of the city's churches, along with the "Lighthouse Baptist Church" which is at the intersection of "This Way" and "That Way."
Grace Bible Church