Lake Jackson is a city in
Brazoria County, Texas
Brazoria County ( ) is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, the population of the county was 372,031. The county seat is Angleton.
Brazoria County is included in the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metropolitan statis ...
, United States, within the
Greater Houston
Greater Houston, designated by the United States Office of Management and Budget as Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land, is the fifth-most populous metropolitan statistical area in the United States, encompassing nine counties along the Gulf Co ...
metropolitan area. As of the
2020 census, the city population was 28,177.
In 1942 a portion of Lake Jackson was first developed as a company town for workers of the Dow Chemical Company; it developed 5,000 acres on the former Abner Jackson
Plantation
A plantation is an agricultural estate, generally centered on a plantation house, meant for farming that specializes in cash crops, usually mainly planted with a single crop, with perhaps ancillary areas for vegetables for eating and so on. The ...
. An
oxbow lake
An oxbow lake is a U-shaped lake or pool that forms when a wide meander of a river is cut off, creating a free-standing body of water. In South Texas, oxbows left by the Rio Grande are called '' resacas''. In Australia, oxbow lakes are call ...
was also named after the planter, whose house was located at the lake. Minor ruins of the Lake Jackson Plantation can now be seen in a park at the site.
History
The city was built in the early 1940s as a
planned community
A planned community, planned city, planned town, or planned settlement is any community that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed on previously undeveloped land. This contrasts with settlements that evolve ...
, designed by
Alden B. Dow
Alden B. Dow (April 10, 1904 – August 20, 1983) was an American architect based in Midland, Michigan, and known for his contributions to the style of Michigan Modern. During a career that spanned from the 1930s to the 1960s, he designed more than ...
of
Midland, Michigan
Midland is a city in and the county seat of Midland County, Michigan. The city's population was 42,547 as of the 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Midland Micropolitan Statistical Area, part of the larger Saginaw-Midland-Bay City Comb ...
for workers in support of a new plant of the
Dow Chemical Company
The Dow Chemical Company, officially Dow Inc., is an American multinational chemical corporation headquartered in Midland, Michigan, United States. The company is among the three largest chemical producers in the world.
Dow manufactures plastic ...
, which his father owned. The City of Lake Jackson was incorporated March 14, 1944, and voted for
home rule
Home rule is government of a colony, dependent country, or region by its own citizens. It is thus the power of a part (administrative division) of a state or an external dependent country to exercise such of the state's powers of governance wit ...
ten years later in 1954.
Geography
The city of Lake Jackson is located in south-central Brazoria County, and is bordered to the east by the cities of
Clute and
Richwood Richwood may refer to:
Places
;United States
* Richwood, Georgia
* Richwood, Kentucky
* Richwood, Louisiana
* Richwood Township, Minnesota
* Richwood, New Jersey
* Richwood, Ohio
* Richwood, Texas
* Richwood, West Virginia
* Richwood, Wisconsin
...
, and to the southwest by the
Brazos River
The Brazos River ( , ), called the ''Río de los Brazos de Dios'' (translated as "The River of the Arms of God") by early Spanish explorers, is the 11th-longest river in the United States at from its headwater source at the head of Blackwater Dr ...
.
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, r ...
, the Nolan Ryan Expressway, runs through the city, leading north to
Angleton, the county seat, north to downtown
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 in ...
, and southeast to
Freeport on the
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an oceanic basin, ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of ...
.
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, Lake Jackson has a total area of , of which is land and , or 7.11%, is water.
Demographics
As of the
2020 United States census
The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...
, there were 28,177 people, 10,074 households, and 7,028 families residing in the city.
2010 census
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2010, there were 26,849 people, 10,319 households, and 7,134 families residing in the city. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was . There were 11,149 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 84.36%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 5.10%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.52%
Native American, 3.14%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.04%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 4.44% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 2.40% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 20.53% 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, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
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 26.41% under the age of 18, 5.61% from 20 to 24, 12.51% from 25 to 34, 20.60% from 35 to 49, 20.10% from 50 to 64, and 12% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.06 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.3 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 (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the city was $25,877. About 5.4% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 6.5% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Gas station and convenience store chain
Buc-ee's
Buc-ee's is a chain of country stores, gas stations, and Tesla Superchargers created and owned by Arch "Beaver" Aplin III, headquartered in Lake Jackson, Texas The chain was first founded in 1982 in Clute, Texas and began expansion with its first ...
has its headquarters in Lake Jackson.
The
Dow Chemical Company
The Dow Chemical Company, officially Dow Inc., is an American multinational chemical corporation headquartered in Midland, Michigan, United States. The company is among the three largest chemical producers in the world.
Dow manufactures plastic ...
and the
Brazosport Independent School District
Brazosport Independent School District is a school district based in Clute, Texas (USA) in Greater Houston. The district serves the cities, towns, and villages of Clute, Freeport, Jones Creek, Lake Jackson, Oyster Creek, Quintana, Richwood, ...
are major employers of residents. Dow planned to develop this community in 1941 as a 5,000-acre residential area for workers at its
Freeport plant. Lake Jackson is now home to other chemical and manufacturing facilities, along with many other types of businesses. In Lake Jackson's early days, Dow helped to create a booming economy. In 2014 it announced an expansion project that is estimated to bring nearly 2,000 employees to the area.
The unemployment rate in Lake Jackson, TX, is 8.40%, with job growth of 2.40%. Future job growth over the next ten years is predicted to be 36.40%. The income per capita is $30,625, which includes all adults and children. The median household income is $68,391. The sales tax rate in Lake Jackson, TX, is 8.25%.
Sales tax income represents a population of over 70,000 indicating the draw of the retail shopping from the area.
Arts and culture
The Lake Jackson Library is a part of the
Brazoria County Library System
The Brazoria County Library System operates public libraries in Brazoria County, Texas, United States.
The system has several libraries in many cities.
Branches
* Alvin Library - Alvin
* Angleton Library - Angleton
* Brazoria Library - Bra ...
.
Government
Lake Jackson is within
Texas's 14th congressional district
Texas's 14th congressional district for the United States House of Representatives stretches from Freeport to Beaumont. It formerly covered the area south and southwest of the Greater Houston region, including Galveston, in the state of Texas ...
and is represented by
Randy Weber
Randall Keith Weber (born July 2, 1953) is an American businessman and politician who has represented Texas's 14th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives since 2013. He was previously a member of the Texas House of ...
.
Education
Public schools
The public schools in the city are operated by
Brazosport Independent School District
Brazosport Independent School District is a school district based in Clute, Texas (USA) in Greater Houston. The district serves the cities, towns, and villages of Clute, Freeport, Jones Creek, Lake Jackson, Oyster Creek, Quintana, Richwood, ...
. Some parts of the city limits fall in the
Angleton Independent School District
Angleton ISD is a public school district in Angleton, Texas (USA), operating 5 levels of education. Established in 1897, AISD encompasses in Brazoria County, serving Angleton as well as the Village of Bonney, the Sandy Point census-designat ...
and the
Columbia-Brazoria Independent School District
Columbia-Brazoria Independent School District (CBISD) is a public school district based in the Kenneth C. Welch Administration Building in West Columbia, Texas (USA).
In addition to West Columbia, the district serves the city of Brazoria as wel ...
.
K–5 elementary schools within Lake Jackson include:
* O.M. Roberts Elementary School
* A.P. Beutel Elementary School (2007
National Blue Ribbon School
The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States Department of Education award program that recognizes exemplary public and non-public schools on a yearly basis. Using standards of excellence evidenced by student achievement measures, ...
)
* Bess Brannen Elementary School
* Elisabet Ney Elementary School
* T.W. Ogg Elementary
Residents are zoned to:
* Grady B. Rasco Middle School (5–6)
* Lake Jackson Intermediate School (7–8)
*
Brazoswood High School
Brazoswood High School is a public high school located in Clute, Texas, United States. It educates grades nine through twelve and is part of the Brazosport Independent School District. Its attendance boundary includes: - Compare to town limit ...
(9–12, in
Clute, Texas
Clute is a city in Brazoria County, Texas, within the Houston metropolitan area. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the city population was 10,604. The city gained some fame with the discovery of a fossilized mammoth named Asiel. There is now a restaur ...
)
Private schools
Private schools within Lake Jackson include:
* Brazosport Christian School
* Our Lady Queen of Peace (of the
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...
)
* Foundation Preparatory Academy
Colleges
Brazosport College
Brazosport College (BC) is a public community college in Lake Jackson, Texas. The college was opened in 1968 and offers primarily associate degrees and some bachelor's degrees. The campus features The Clarion, a regional musical performance ven ...
is a public community college located in Lake Jackson, with the majority of the Lake Jackson city limits in the college's district. The
Texas Legislature
The Texas Legislature is the state legislature of the US state of Texas. It is a bicameral body composed of a 31-member Senate and a 150-member House of Representatives. The state legislature meets at the Capitol in Austin. It is a powerful ...
designated Brazosport ISD, Columbia-Brazoria ISD, and portions of Angleton ISD that by September 1, 1995 had not been annexed by
Alvin Community College
Alvin Community College (ACC) is a public community college in Alvin, Texas. Alvin Community College provides educational opportunities in workforce training, academics, technical fields, adult basic education, and personal development.
As defi ...
as in the Brazosport College zone.
It was recently upgraded to offer a baccalaureate degree in certain technical fields. It is also distinguished for its professional music hall, The Clarion.
Infrastructure
In September 2020,
brain-eating amoeba were detected in the Lake Jackson drinking water supply resulting in the death of a 6 year old boy.
Eleven samples were taken around the city, and of those, three returned a preliminary positive results: the hose bib at the victim's home, a hydrant at a dead end street, and a storage tank at the city splash pad.
This resulted in Brazosport Water Authority issuing a do not use order on tap water in late September 2020.
Airports
Texas Gulf Coast Regional Airport
Texas Gulf Coast Regional Airport , previously known as Brazoria County Airport, is a county-owned public-use airport in unincorporated area, unincorporated Brazoria County, Texas, Brazoria County, Texas, United States, in Greater Houston, locate ...
serves Lake Jackson.
Mass transit
Southern Brazoria County Transit provides bus service options for Lake Jackson,
Clute,
Freeport and
Angleton.
Highways
Texas State Highway 332
State Highway 332 (SH 332) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Texas. The highway includes a concurrent section with SH 288 that brings the total length to . The highway begins at a junction with State Highway 36 (SH 36) in Brazoria an ...
extends from its west end
SH 36
The following highways are numbered 36:
International
* European route E36
Australia
* City Road, Sydney
* Domain Highway, Tasmania
* Arnhem Highway
Canada
*Alberta Highway 36
* Ontario Highway 36
* Saskatchewan Highway 36
China
* G36 Expr ...
in
Brazoria to its east end at
Surfside Beach.
Streets
* The city's layout and the six designs for homes were completed by Michigan architect
Alden B. Dow
Alden B. Dow (April 10, 1904 – August 20, 1983) was an American architect based in Midland, Michigan, and known for his contributions to the style of Michigan Modern. During a career that spanned from the 1930s to the 1960s, he designed more than ...
.
* 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. There is also an Any Way.
* Most other streets were named after some form of
flora
Flora is all the plant life present in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring (indigenous) native plants. Sometimes bacteria and fungi are also referred to as flora, as in the terms '' gut flora'' or '' skin flora''.
E ...
. 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 Habañero. The highways running through Lake Jackson, (
Texas Highways
''Texas Highways'' is a monthly magazine put out by the Texas Department of Transportation
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT ) is a government agency in the American state of Texas. Though the public face of the agency is generall ...
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. He wanted to maintain as many trees as possible, a principle still practiced in the development of new subdivisions. In addition, he thought that curving streets provided more surprises in unfolding vistas. Lake Jackson is a part of the
National Arbor Day Foundation
The Arbor Day Foundation is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees. The Arbor Day Foundation has more than one million members and has planted more than 350 million trees in neighborhoods, communities ...
's
Tree City USA
The Arbor Day Foundation is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees. The Arbor Day Foundation has more than one million members and has planted more than 350 million trees in neighborhoods, communities ...
list. Also, many of the streets follow Oyster Creek, which twists and winds through town. 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.
Notable people
* Bill Anderson, CEO of
Roche Pharmaceuticals
F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, commonly known as Roche, is a Swiss multinational healthcare company that operates worldwide under two divisions: Pharmaceuticals and Diagnostics. Its holding company, Roche Holding AG, has shares listed on the SIX S ...
, former CEO of
Genentech
Genentech, Inc., is an American biotechnology corporation headquartered in South San Francisco, California. It became an independent subsidiary of Roche in 2009. Genentech Research and Early Development operates as an independent center within R ...
*
Robert Ellis (guitarist)
Robert Ellis (born November 6, 1988) is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist based in Fort Worth, Texas, United States, who blends country, pop music and jazz.
History
Robert Ellis was born on November 6, 1988 in Lake Jackso ...
, Country, bluegrass and folk singer born, and spent most of his childhood, in Lake Jackson
*
King Hill
Stuart King Hill (November 8, 1936 – July 14, 2012) was an American football quarterback in the National Football League who played for the Chicago / St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Eagles, and Minnesota Vikings.
Football career
After attend ...
, All-American quarterback at
Rice University
William Marsh Rice University (Rice University) is a Private university, private research university in Houston, Houston, Texas. It is on a 300-acre campus near the Houston Museum District and adjacent to the Texas Medical Center. Rice is ranke ...
, first round pick in the 1958 NFL draft, and long-time pro quarterback grew up in Lake Jackson
*
Brad Lincoln
Brad Eric Lincoln (born May 25, 1985) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Toronto Blue Jays, and Philadelphia Phillies. Prior to playing professionally, he atten ...
, a former professional baseball player for the
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
and Toronto Blue Jays
*
Rand Paul
Randal Howard Paul (born January 7, 1963) is an American physician and politician serving as the junior U.S. senator from Kentucky since 2011. A member of the Republican Party, he is a son of former three-time presidential candidate and 12 ...
,
U.S. senator
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and powe ...
from Kentucky since 2012; spent most of his childhood in Lake Jackson
*
Ron Paul
Ronald Ernest Paul (born August 20, 1935) is an American author, activist, physician and retired politician who served as the U.S. representative for Texas's 22nd congressional district from 1976 to 1977 and again from 1979 to 1985, as well ...
,
U.S. representative
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...
from
Texas's 14th congressional district
Texas's 14th congressional district for the United States House of Representatives stretches from Freeport to Beaumont. It formerly covered the area south and southwest of the Greater Houston region, including Galveston, in the state of Texas ...
as well as a Republican presidential candidate in 2008 and 2012. He also ran as the
Libertarian Party
Active parties by country
Defunct parties by country
Organizations associated with Libertarian parties
See also
* Liberal parties by country
* List of libertarian organizations
* Lists of political parties
Lists of political part ...
candidate in 1988
*
Selena
Selena Quintanilla Pérez (; April 16, 1971 – March 31, 1995), known mononymously as Selena, was an American Tejano singer. Called the " Queen of Tejano music", her contributions to music and fashion made her one of the most celebrated Mex ...
(1971–1995), Tejano pop singer, known as the
Queen of Tejano music
*
Ryan Tepera
Dennis Ryan Tepera (born November 3, 1987) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago Cubs, and Chicago White Sox. He attended Br ...
, a relief pitcher for the
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...
of
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
*
Cole Deggs & The Lonesome (Cole Degges- Vocalist), Multi-platinum songwriter for
Kenny Chesney
Kenneth Arnold Chesney (born March 26, 1968) is an American country music singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He has recorded more than 20 albums and has produced more than 40 Top 10 singles on the US ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' Hot Coun ...
,
Gary Allan
Gary Allan Herzberg (born December 5, 1967) is an American country music singer. Signed to Decca Records in 1996, Allan made his country music debut with the release of his single " Her Man", the lead-off to his gold-certified debut album '' U ...
,
Tracy Byrd
Tracy Lynn Byrd (born December 17, 1966) is an American country music artist. Signed to Universal Music Group Nashville, MCA Nashville Records in 1992, Byrd broke through on the country music scene that year with his 1993 single "Holdin' Heaven" ...
,
Andy Griggs
Andrew Tyler Griggs (born January 31 1973)
1973) is an American country music artist. He has released three albums for RCA Records Nashville ('' You Won't Ever Be Lonely'', '' Freedom'', and ''This I Gotta See'') and a fourth ('' The Good Life'' ...
Billy Dean
William Harold Dean Jr. (born April 2, 1962) is an American country music singer and songwriter.
He first gained national attention after appearing on the television talent competition ''Star Search''. Active as a recording artist since 1990, h ...
,
Chris Janson
Christopher Pierre Janson (born April 2, 1986) is an American country music singer and songwriter. Janson has recorded three full-length albums, '' Buy Me a Boat'', '' Everybody'', and '' Real Friends'', through Warner Bros. Records Nashville, alo ...
,
Dave Dudley
Dave Dudley (born David Darwin Pedruska; May 3, 1928 – December 22, 2003) was an American country music singer best known for his truck-driving country anthems of the 1960s and 1970s and his semi-slurred bass. His signature song was "Six Day ...
&
Josh Ward, he grew up on Pine Street
References
External links
City of Lake Jackson official websiteLake Jackson Development Corporation
{{authority control
Cities in Texas
Cities in Brazoria County, Texas
Greater Houston
Company towns in Texas
Populated places established in 1944
Dow Chemical Company