Hiram Clarke is an area in

Houston Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 i ...

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...

, United States, southwest of

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(formerly Reliant Park).

History

Hiram Clarke Road was named after Hiram Clarke, a Houston Lighting & Power Co. assistant general manager and executive vice president. The Hiram Clarke area was annexed by Houston in the 1950s. The community originally consisted primarily of middle-class white residents, many of whom worked in the

Texas Medical Center The Texas Medical Center (TMC) is a medical district and neighborhood in south-central Houston, Texas, United States, immediately south of the Museum District and west of Texas State Highway 288. Over 60 medical institutions, largely concentrat ...

. As

white flight White flight or white exodus is the sudden or gradual large-scale migration of white people from areas becoming more racially or ethnoculturally diverse. Starting in the 1950s and 1960s, the terms became popular in the United States. They refer ...

to more suburban areas became the norm of the 1970s, racial and ethnic minorities replaced the original white residents. Black residents moving from inner city communities such as Fifth Ward and, later, Hispanic immigrants settled into the community. Many of the Hispanic residents initially apartment-shared as a money-saving device and later occupied single-family homes. Stephen Klineberg, a

Rice University William Marsh Rice University (Rice University) is a private research university in Houston, Texas. It is on a 300-acre campus near the Houston Museum District and adjacent to the Texas Medical Center. Rice is ranked among the top universities ...

sociology professor, stated that the new residents, in close proximity to wealthier areas like

Meyerland Meyerland is a community in southwest Houston, Texas, outside of the 610 Loop and inside Beltway 8. The neighborhood is named after the Meyer family, who bought and owned 6,000 acres (24 km²) of land in southwest Houston. Meyerland is th ...

, are able to observe but not partake in the affluence of the areas.Swartz, Mimi.
The Gangstas of Godwin Park
" ''

Texas Monthly ''Texas Monthly'' (stylized as ''TexasMonthly'') is a monthly American magazine headquartered in Downtown Austin, Texas. ''Texas Monthly'' was founded in 1973 by Michael R. Levy and has been published by Emmis Publishing, L.P. since 1998 and is ...

''. June 1, 2006. Vol. 34 Issue 6, p132. Retrieved on November 2, 2011
See profile
at

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Alt
With the development of the Corinthian Pointe Neighborhood, the area saw a boon of new construction and commercial development beginning in the mid-2000s and continuing into the present day--primarily along S. Post Oak Road. The newly developed homes were up to twice as large as the traditional ranch homes that covered the area.Lemming, Jim.

"

''

Houston Business Journal American City Business Journals, Inc. (ACBJ) is an American newspaper publisher based in Charlotte, North Carolina. ACBJ publishes The Business Journals, which contains local business news for 44 markets in the United States, Hemmings Motor New ...

''. February 6, 2000. Retrieved on October 2, 2015. In 1998, the area advocacy group South Houston Concerned Citizens Coalition received nonprofit status, so it could apply for grants to fund neighborhood projects and organize homebuyer fairs and community festivals.Martin, Betty L.
'We'll get this place in order' / S. Houston groups fight trash, crime
" ''

Houston Chronicle The ''Houston Chronicle'' is the largest daily newspaper in Houston, Texas, United States. , it is the third-largest newspaper by Sunday circulation in the United States, behind only ''The New York Times'' and the ''Los Angeles Times''. With i ...

''. Thursday August 29, 2002. ThisWeek 1. Retrieved on October 27, 2011. In 2006 a parade honoring

Vince Young Vincent Paul Young Jr. (born May 18, 1983) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for six seasons. Young was drafted by the Tennessee Titans as the third overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft, and ...

occurred in Hiram Clarke.

Boundaries

The area is primarily composed of the ZIP codes 77085, 77045, and 77047 The ZIP code 77085, which covers an area similar to a triangle, roughly bounded by U.S. Route 90A (South Main), Hiram Clarke Road, and

Beltway 8 Beltway 8 (BW8), the Sam Houston Parkway, along with the Sam Houston Tollway, is an beltway around the city of Houston, Texas, United States, lying entirely within Harris County. Beltway 8, a state highway maintained by the Texa ...

(Sam Houston Tollway), saw the number of population rise to over 200% of its original population, between 2000 and 2010. Carol Christian of the ''

'' said that the

Windsor Village United Methodist Church The Windsor Village Church Family is a United Methodist megachurch in Windsor Village in far Southwest Houston, Texas. As of March 2020, the church's senior pastor is Suzette Caldwell. Prior to 2020, Kirbyjon Caldwell, who continues to maintain a ...

was a primary factor.Christian, Carol.
This community is on the Pointe
" ''

''. Tuesday March 1, 2011. Retrieved on October 28, 2011. The area is included in the Five Corners District, which was drawn by the 80th State Legislature, and is associated with a twelve year Service and Improvement Plan scheduled to run through 2022. The plan seeks to address crime reduction, control and prevention; business development; transportation planning; and beautification, visual improvement and cultural promotion in the Hiram Clarke and surrounding areas.

Communities

The Hiram Clarke Civic Club serves portions of the area. The group's boundaries are West Airport Boulevard, Hiram Clarke Road, Landmark Street, and West Orem Drive. It has two subdivisions, with almost 1,200 households living in them. As of 2003 it had 175 members who paid dues. Matt Schwartz of the ''

'' said "Even with dues of $50 a year, enforcing restrictions with letters from attorneys or lawsuits can quickly drain resources."Schwartz, Matt.
Restrictions get boost from law / New city enforcement unlikely
" ''

''. Saturday July 5, 2003. A33 MetFront. Retrieved on October 27, 2011. One of the subdivisions it represents is Brentwood. Other subdivisions in the Hiram Clarke area include: * Cambridge VillageEdwards, Norval.
Roads, sidewalks top neighborhood concerns / Hiram Clark area civic clubs, city go door-to-door
" ''

''. Thursday May 2, 2002. ThisWeek 3. Retrieved on October 26, 2011. * Keswick Place * Ramblewood

Cityscape

Hiram Clarke is southwest of

NRG Stadium NRG Stadium, formerly Reliant Stadium, is a multi-purpose stadium in Houston, Texas, United States. Construction was completed in 2002, at a cost of $352 million and has a seating capacity of 72,220. It was the first NFL facility to have a retrac ...

and

(previously Reliant Stadium and Reliant Park),Ellison, David.
SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 40 / Windsor Village United Methodist developed a community that's not just friendly and convenient - it's also affordable / Church brings change home
" ''

''. Sunday April 30, 2006. B1 MetFront. Retrieved on October 26, 2011. "But he also wanted a relatively new house, and most homes near the Hiram Clarke area southwest of Reliant Park were built in the 1960s." about a 13 minute commute.Engel, Jennifer Floyd.
Hometown hero, He might now reside in Austin, but Houston is where Longhorns star Vince Young's heart is
" ''

Fort Worth Star-Telegram The ''Fort Worth Star-Telegram'' is an American daily newspaper serving Fort Worth and Tarrant County, the western half of the North Texas area known as the Metroplex. It is owned by The McClatchy Company. History In May 1905, Amon G. Carter ...

''. Saturday December 3, 2005. D1 Sports. Retrieved on October 26, 2011. Most of the houses in the wider area were developed in the 1960s. Mimi Swartz of ''

'' said in 2006 that, compared to

, Hiram Clarke was "a world away from its comforts" and that "the ranch houses were much smaller, the windows had bars, and weeds choked the front yards."

Government and infrastructure

Local government

As of 2011 Hiram Clarke is a part of

Houston City Council The Houston City Council is a city council for the city of Houston in the U.S. state of Texas. Currently, there are sixteen members, 11 elected from council districts and five at-large. The members of the Council are elected every four years, w ...

District K. Previously it was served by District D. Residents are a part of the City of Houston Central Southwest Super Neighborhood, which has a coverage area of . Its boundaries are U.S. Route 90A and Holmes Road on the north,

on the south,

Texas State Highway 288 State Highway 288 (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. The route was originally designated by 1939, ...

to the east, and Holmes Road to the west. It became a super neighborhood around 1999. It has forty separate neighborhoods. The

Houston Police Department The Houston Police Department (HPD) is the primary law enforcement agency serving the City of Houston, Texas, United States and some surrounding areas. With approximately 5,300 officers and 1,200 civilian support personnel it is the fifth-largest ...

serves Hiram Clarke through the Southwest Patrol Division. The Hiram Clarke Storefront is a part of the Southwest Patrol District. The South Houston Concerned Citizens Coalition had lobbied for the city to add a substation. The City of Houston operates the Hiram Clarke Multi Service Center.Hiram Clarke Multi-Service Center
" City of Houston. Retrieved on October 26, 2011. "3810 West Fuqua Houston, TX 77045" The facility is located on an site. Originally named the South Post Oak Multi-Service Center, it had a price tag of $10 million. It was scheduled to open at the end of 2008.Baird, Annette.

" ''

''. Thursday November 29, 2007. ThisWeek 3. Retrieved on October 26, 2011.

Mayor of Houston The following is a list of people who have served as mayor of the city of Houston in the U.S. state of Texas. Until 2015, the term of the mayor was two years. Beginning with the tenure of Bob Lanier, the city charter imposed term limits on offi ...

Bill White, other city politicians, and other community figures attended the groundbreaking ceremony on Friday October 12, 2007.Groundbreaking Friday for new multi-service center, neighborhood library in Hiram Clarke area
" ''

''. Tuesday October 9, 2007. Retrieved on October 26, 2011. It was the City of Houston General Services Department's pilot project in combining several municipal functions in one site, lowering construction, design, and land acquisition expenses. The city government designed the facility so it would get Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. To do this, the city installed low flow plumbing, roof overhangs, a metal roof, and high performance windows. The windows reduce heat absorption and allow natural light to enter the building. The complex includes a library facility, the Vinson library, a Head Start Center, office space for

nonprofit organizations A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

, an auditorium, youth program areas, elderly program areas, and a resource room. Sheila Savannah, the bureau chief of the City of Houston Department of Health and Human Services, said that the demographics of Hiram Clarke, with its mix of families and older, long-time inhabitants, made the community well-suited for a multi-service center.

County representation

Harris County Precinct 7 Constable patrols the community.

Transportation

Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (stylized as METRO) is a major public transportation agency based in Houston, Texas, United States. It operates bus, light rail, bus rapid transit, HOV and HOT lanes, and paratransit service (u ...

(METRO) operates the Hiram Clarke Bus Operating Facility. When METRO received a $15.5 million federal fund package for transit upgrade, METRO announced that it will spend $8 million to complete renovations on the Hiram Clarke and Kashmere bus operating facilities. METRO also operates the Hiram Clarke Transit Center. Several intersecting routes meet at the transit center.Carreau, Mark.
Fiscal problems force cuts, job freeze at Metro
" ''

''. Friday April 25, 1986. Section 1, Page 1. Retrieved on October 26, 2011. The METRO hired Del E. Webb Construction Services, a

Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix ( ; nv, Hoozdo; es, Fénix or , yuf-x-wal, Banyà:nyuwá) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona, with 1,608,139 residents as of 2020. It is the fifth-most populous city in the United States, and the on ...

-based company to build the transit center. In the northern hemisphere spring of 1983, the staff of METRO examined the plans for the construction, then in-progress, and recommended a series of changes. METRO said that its recommendations would, over a period of 30 years, save $6 million. But because METRO demanded the changes, Webb had to perform work out of sequence, costing the company time and money. Webb said that the move forced $3.2 million in additional expenses on the company. About $700,000 of that figure would have gone to subcontractors working for Webb. METRO and Webb entered a legal dispute, which lasted three years until 1986, when METRO paid a $1.8 million settlement to Webb.Staff.
Metro settles with contractor
" ''

''. Saturday August 23, 1986. Section 1, Page 15. Retrieved on October 26, 2011. In 1986, due to financial issues, METRO said that it was scaling back its plans for the transit center, then a planned project, due to financial issues at METRO.

Health care

The southeast branch of the American Red Cross serves Hiram Clarke.

Crime

, an

American football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team wi ...

player who grew up in the area in the late nineties and early aughts and continues to live there today, described the area as "a real foul neighborhood."Brown, Chip.
Young's next stop is NFL
" ''

The Dallas Morning News ''The Dallas Morning News'' is a daily newspaper serving the Dallas–Fort Worth area of Texas, with an average print circulation of 65,369. It was founded on October 1, 1885 by Alfred Horatio Belo as a satellite publication of the '' Galvest ...

'' at '' Texas Cable News''. Monday January 9, 2006. Retrieved on October 26, 2011. "Mr. Young thanked Mr. Brown for recruiting him out of the mean streets of Houston's Hiram-Clarke neighborhood. 'I'm very thankful' "In that area, it's a real foul neighborhood, but you came in there and got me out of there," Mr. Young said." In 2006 Chip Brown of ''

'' described the area as being the "mean streets." In 2005 Dick Weiss of the '' New York Daily News'' described Hiram Clarke as "run-down" and "drug-infested".Weiss, Dick.
Texas QB running wild on field now instead of off it
" '' New York Daily News''. Sunday October 30, 2005. Retrieved on November 27, 2014. In 2005 Jennifer Floyd Engel of the ''

Fort Worth Star Telegram The ''Fort Worth Star-Telegram'' is an American daily newspaper serving Fort Worth and Tarrant County, the western half of the North Texas area known as the Metroplex. It is owned by The McClatchy Company. History In May 1905, Amon G. Carter a ...

'' referred to Weiss's assessment and added that Hiram Clarke was "written off as ghetto by almost everybody else." In 2005 Jessica Garrison of ''

CSTV CBS Sports Network (a.k.a. CBSSN) is an American pay television network owned by the CBS Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global. When it launched in 2002 as the National College Sports Network (later College Sports Television also known as ...

'' said that Hiram Clarke was " Houston's toughest neighborhood." Vince Young added that "There may have been gangs, drugs and crime in my neighborhood. But we all had each other's back. It was always Hiram Clarke versus somebody else. When I was younger, it was either, 'You gonna hang with the guys or we're going to beat you every day.' That made me the physical guy I am now." Mimi Swartz of ''

'' said in 2006 that 76% of deaths occurring in Hiram Clarke were associated with "destructive habits" including

alcohol dependency Alcohol dependence is a previous (DSM-IV and ICD-10) psychiatric diagnosis in which an individual is physically or psychologically dependent upon alcohol (also chemically known as ethanol). In 2013, it was reclassified as alcohol use disorder ...

and drug abuse.

Culture

The local hip hop name for Hiram Clarke is "the Clarke". Around 1989 a haircut popular among youths in the area was called the "South Side fade". The haircut features a narrow path etched on the head in a long, straight line. Ananiaz Johnson, a 1989 graduate of James Madison High School quoted in a ''

'' article, said that "It's named after our area because it's popular here. Generally people from this neighborhood have that part. It probably originated here, and Shuntel popularized it." Available from the

Houston Public Library Houston Public Library is the public library system serving Houston, Texas, United States. History Houston Lyceum and the Carnegie Library The Houston Public Library system traces its founding to the creation of the second Houston Lyceum in 1 ...

br>newspapers section
accessible with a library card number and PIN. Johnson referred to Shuntel Coco, a

Houston Community College Houston Community College (HCC), also known as Houston Community College System (HCCS) is a public community college system that operates community colleges in Houston, Missouri City, Greater Katy, and Stafford in Texas. It is notable for active ...

School of Cosmetology student.

Shea Serrano Shea Serrano is an American author, journalist, and former teacher. He is best known for his work with the sports and pop culture websites, '' The Ringer'' and ''Grantland'', as well as his books, including '' The Rap Year Book'', '' Basketball ...

of the ''

Houston Press The ''Houston Press'' is an online newspaper published in Houston, Texas, United States. It is headquartered in the Midtown area. It was also a weekly print newspaper until November 2017. The publication is supported entirely by advertising ...

'' said that the rapper

Big Mello Curtis Donnell Davis (August 7, 1968 – June 15, 2002), better known by his stage name Big Mello, was an American rapper from Houston, Texas. Mello graduated from Madison High School, and in the early 1980s, he attended Texas Southern Uni ...

was famous for "repping Hiram Clarke in the 90's .. One of the cult icons of

outsider music Outsider music (from " outsider art") is music created by self-taught or naïve musicians. The term is usually applied to musicians who have little or no traditional musical experience, who exhibit childlike qualities in their music, or who su ...

, rapper and producer

Viper The Viperidae (vipers) are a family of snakes found in most parts of the world, except for Antarctica, Australia, Hawaii, Madagascar, and various other isolated islands. They are venomous and have long (relative to non-vipers), hinged fangs tha ...

, is also associated with the neighborhood to which he moved at the age of six. One of his most notable albums, ''The Hiram Clarke Hustler'' (2009) describes his experiences from living there as well as mentions some of the local landmarks.

Education

The

Houston Independent School District The Houston Independent School District (HISD) is the largest public school system in Texas, and the eighth-largest in the United States. Houston ISD serves as a community school district for most of the city of Houston and several nearby and ...

operates district public schools. Elementary schools serving portions of the Hiram Clarke area include Montgomery Elementary School, Grissom Elementary School, Hobby Elementary School, Petersen Elementary School, and Jean Hines-Caldwell Elementary School. Before the opening of Hines-Caldwell, Red Elementary School in Willowbend served a section of the Hiram Clarke area. Audrey H. Lawson Middle School (formerly Dick Dowling Middle School) is located in the Hiram Clarke area.Lomax, John Nova.
Houston 101: The Short Happy Life of Dick Dowling
" ''

''. Wednesday August 26, 2009. Retrieved on October 26, 2011. " ..nd a middle school with 99 percent minority enrollment (Vince Young's alma mater) out in the Hiram Clarke area." It opened on February 9, 1968. Frank Tritico had given the school district a paper highlighting the life of Richard William "Dick" Dowling, and therefore the district chose to name the school after him. It replaced the former junior high school component of

Madison High School Madison High School may refer to: * Madison County High School (Alabama), Gurley, Alabama * Madison High School (Idaho), Rexburg, Idaho * Madison Consolidated High School, Madison, Indiana * Madison High School (Kansas), Madison, Kansas * Kentuc ...

and had an initial enrollment of 1,107. At first it had grades 7-8, with the 9th grade opening in 1969. Its magnet program began on January 9, 1993, making it Richard W. Dowling Middle School of Fine Arts; the HISD board approved the establishment of the magnet program the previous November. As of 2009, 99% of the student body consists of racial and ethnic minorities. In 2016 the HISD board sought to rename schools named after officials in the

Confederate States of America The Confederate States of America (CSA), commonly referred to as the Confederate States or the Confederacy was an unrecognized breakaway republic in the Southern United States that existed from February 8, 1861, to May 9, 1865. The Confeder ...

; it was renamed after Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church first lady Audrey H. Lawson that year. Groundbreaking for Lawson's new 1,500 student, $59 million, three-story campus occurred in September 2016.

is located in Hiram Clarke and serves residents of the Hiram Clarke area.Madison High School Attendance Zone
." ''

''. The charter school KIPP Sunnyside High School (KSHS) of KIPP Public Schools has some Hiram Clarke students. Residents are also zoned to the

system. The

operates the Vinson Neighborhood Library at the Hiram Clarke Multi-Service Center. The library has traditional library services, a public reading room, an

internet café An Internet café, also known as a cybercafé, is a café (or a convenience store or a fully dedicated Internet access business) that provides the use of computers with high bandwidth Internet access on the payment of a fee. Usage is generall ...

, and HPL Express library services. The library was originally located at 3100 Fuqua; the city relocated it to the multi service center, where the library space had doubled in size from its previous location.

History of education

What is now Hiram Clarke became a part of HISD in 1938. Residents were initially zoned to Almeda School and San Jacinto High School. In the 1960s several new elementary schools opened, and in 1965 Madison High opened.

Parks and recreation

Hiram Clarke is included in the service area of the Sam Houston Area Council

Boy Scouts Boy Scouts may refer to: * Boy Scout, a participant in the Boy Scout Movement. * Scouting, also known as the Boy Scout Movement. * An organisation in the Scouting Movement, although many of these organizations also have female members. There are ...

W.L. Davis District. As of 2013, the area, along with a portion of Southeast Houston, comprises the South Bridge Community. It formerly comprised the San Jacinto Girl Scout Council's Sunshine Service Unit. It combined with a Southeast Houston service unit (Sunnyside's Edgewood Service Unit) in 2013.

Notable residents

* Wanda Adams (member of the

) * Lawrence Allen (member of the

Texas Board of Education The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is the branch of the government of Texas responsible for public education in Texas in the United States.

, son of

Texas House of Representatives The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Texas Legislature. It consists of 150 members who are elected from single-member districts for two-year terms. As of the 2010 United States census, each member represents abo ...

member Alma Allen) *

Michael Arceneaux Michael Arceneaux (born April 12, 1984) is an American writer. He is the author of the 2018 essay collection '' I Can't Date Jesus'', a ''New York Times'' bestselling book. His second book is titled ''I Don't Want to Die Poor'' (2020). Early l ...

- Author of '' I Can't Date Jesus'' *

(Lee Carter) *

(Curtis Donnell Davis) * Latoya Luckett (former member of the Destiny Child) *

César Cedeño César Cedeño Encarnación (born February 25, 1951) is a Dominican former professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball as a center fielder from 1970 to 1986, most prominently as a member of the Houston Astros where ...

(Professional Baseball Player for the Houston Astros). Resident of Cambridge Village in 1970s. * Sid Blanks (Professional Football Player for the

Houston Oilers The Houston Oilers were a professional American football team that played in Houston from its founding in 1960 to 1996 before relocating to Memphis, and later Nashville, Tennessee becoming the Tennessee Titans. The Oilers began play in 1960 a ...

). Resided in Cambridge Village on Trail Lake Lane late 1960s and 1970s. *

Jimmy Wynn James Sherman Wynn (March 12, 1942March 26, 2020), nicknamed "The Toy Cannon", was an American professional baseball player. He played 15 seasons as a center fielder; he spent ten of his fifteen seasons with the Houston Colt .45s / Astros befor ...

(Professional Baseball Player for the Houston Astros). Resident in Cambridge Village late 1970s. *Burford E. Evans (Professional Black Artist) A current resident of Cambridge Village. *Dr. James C. Watson (Medical Doctor) Resided in Cambridge Village in the 1970s.

References

External links

Lawson Middle School
{{Houston, Texas Neighborhoods in Houston