River Plantation, Texas
Encyclopedia
River Plantation is a community in unincorporated
Montgomery County
, Texas
. It is located along the banks of the San Jacinto River, 6 miles (9.7 km) south of Conroe
. The lower reaches of the community were developed in the late 1960s. As of 2007 it has 1,200 houses and about 3,000 residents. Mike Drago of the Austin American-Statesman
said in 1994 that River Plantation was "upscale."
In 1994 a flood affected the community. A deluge of rain across Southeast Texas
caused flooding in several communities. Water from the San Jacinto River flooded houses and vehicles. Throughout the state, six died from the flooding. At the time of the 1994 flood, 110 houses were located on the 100-year flood plain. The Federal Government of the United States
bought and razed twenty of them; the Gwen Hruska Park is located where the former houses stood. 1,000 of the houses did not flood in 1994.
In 2007 Laura Isensee of the Houston Chronicle
said "Since the flood, the 40-year-old community with about 3,000 residents has more than rebounded. It's flourished." An overpass to Interstate 45
had opened before April 18, 2007. Isensee said that the overpass made River Plantation a more attractive community.
. Ron Craig, the treasurer and former president of the River Plantation Community Improvement Association, said, as paraphrased by Laura Isensee of the Houston Chronicle
, that "River Plantation's central location between Conroe and The Woodlands
and its unique character make it attractive to new residents moving in and longtime residents who don't want to leave."
The subdivision has curving roadways, as opposed to a grid road system. Craig said, as paraphrased by Isensee, that the community "never really had model homes."
. They are zoned to Bonnie Wilkinson Elementary School, Oree Bozman Intermediate School, Peet Junior High School, and Conroe High School
. Wilkinson was named after a principal in Conroe ISD.
Wilkinson and Bozman opened on August 24, 2009. A $527 million bond approved in May 2008 financed Bozman. Wilkinson was financed from surplus funds from a previous bond. Previously residents were zoned to Armstrong Elementary School and Cryar Intermediate School.
and land donations. The River Plantation Community Improvement Association (RPCIA) operates and maintains the park and its trails. 5022 feet (1,530.7 m) (linear feet) of concrete trails are located in the park. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Grant Assistant Program funded the trails.
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...
Montgomery County
Montgomery County, Texas
Montgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The county was created by an act of the Congress of the Republic of Texas on December 14, 1837. The county was named for the town of Montgomery, Texas. In 2000, its...
, 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...
. It is located along the banks of the San Jacinto River, 6 miles (9.7 km) south of Conroe
Conroe, Texas
Conroe is a suburban city 40 miles north of Houston in the gulf coastal plains/piney woods region of southeast Texas.It is the seat of Montgomery County and falls within the metropolitan area.As of the 2000 U.S...
. The lower reaches of the community were developed in the late 1960s. As of 2007 it has 1,200 houses and about 3,000 residents. Mike Drago of the Austin American-Statesman
Austin American-Statesman
The Austin American-Statesman is the major daily newspaper for Austin, the capital city of Texas. It is an award-winning publication owned by Cox Enterprises. The Newspaper places focus on issues affecting Austin and the Central Texas region....
said in 1994 that River Plantation was "upscale."
History
The lower reaches of the community were developed in the late 1960s. Russell Thompson, a man who filed a class action lawsuit against the developers in 1985, said that they developed the section even though they knew it could flood.In 1994 a flood affected the community. A deluge of rain across 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...
caused flooding in several communities. Water from the San Jacinto River flooded houses and vehicles. Throughout the state, six died from the flooding. At the time of the 1994 flood, 110 houses were located on the 100-year flood plain. The Federal Government of the United States
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
bought and razed twenty of them; the Gwen Hruska Park is located where the former houses stood. 1,000 of the houses did not flood in 1994.
In 2007 Laura Isensee of the Houston Chronicle
Houston 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...
said "Since the flood, the 40-year-old community with about 3,000 residents has more than rebounded. It's flourished." An overpass to 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...
had opened before April 18, 2007. Isensee said that the overpass made River Plantation a more attractive community.
Geography
River Plantation is located along the banks of the San Jacinto River, 6 miles (9.7 km) south of ConroeConroe, Texas
Conroe is a suburban city 40 miles north of Houston in the gulf coastal plains/piney woods region of southeast Texas.It is the seat of Montgomery County and falls within the metropolitan area.As of the 2000 U.S...
. Ron Craig, the treasurer and former president of the River Plantation Community Improvement Association, said, as paraphrased by Laura Isensee of the Houston Chronicle
Houston 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...
, that "River Plantation's central location between Conroe and The Woodlands
The Woodlands
The Woodlands may refer to:in Canada*The Woodlands School , a junior high and high school in Mississauga, Ontarioin the United States*The Woodlands , dog and horse racing track in Kansas City, Kansas...
and its unique character make it attractive to new residents moving in and longtime residents who don't want to leave."
The subdivision has curving roadways, as opposed to a grid road system. Craig said, as paraphrased by Isensee, that the community "never really had model homes."
Education
Residents are within the Conroe Independent School DistrictConroe Independent School District
Conroe Independent School District is a school district based in the Deane L. Sadler Administration/Technology Center in Conroe, Texas.CISD serves the cities of Conroe, Oak Ridge North, and Shenandoah, and the towns of Cut and Shoot and Woodloch...
. They are zoned to Bonnie Wilkinson Elementary School, Oree Bozman Intermediate School, Peet Junior High School, and Conroe High School
Conroe High School
Conroe High School is a secondary school in Conroe, Texas and is the flagship campus of Conroe ISD. The school is a part of the Conroe Independent School District and serves the CISD portion of the city of Conroe, Cut and Shoot, and River Plantation....
. Wilkinson was named after a principal in Conroe ISD.
Wilkinson and Bozman opened on August 24, 2009. A $527 million bond approved in May 2008 financed Bozman. Wilkinson was financed from surplus funds from a previous bond. Previously residents were zoned to Armstrong Elementary School and Cryar Intermediate School.
Parks and recreation
Gwen Hruska Park, named after a former president of the homeowner's association, is located in River Plantation. It is located on 12 acres (4.9 ha) of land that consists of post-1994 flood buyouts from the Federal Emergency Management AgencyFederal Emergency Management Agency
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security, initially created by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1978 and implemented by two Executive Orders...
and land donations. The River Plantation Community Improvement Association (RPCIA) operates and maintains the park and its trails. 5022 feet (1,530.7 m) (linear feet) of concrete trails are located in the park. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Grant Assistant Program funded the trails.
External links
- Drago, Mike. "5 die as rain inundates Southeast Texas Thousands forced to evacuate; 16 counties declared disaster areas." Austin American-StatesmanAustin American-StatesmanThe Austin American-Statesman is the major daily newspaper for Austin, the capital city of Texas. It is an award-winning publication owned by Cox Enterprises. The Newspaper places focus on issues affecting Austin and the Central Texas region....
. October 18, 1994. B1.