South Houston is a city in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sov ...

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

, within Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land metropolitan area and Harris County. The population was 16,153 at the 2020 census. It is bordered by the cities of

Houston Houston (; ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in Texas, the Southern United States#Major cities, most populous city in the Southern United States, the List of United States cities by population, fourth-most pop ...

and

Pasadena Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commercial district. Its ...

, and geographically located southeast of Houston.

History

C.S. Woods of the Western Land Company founded the settlement of Dumont in 1907. A post office appeared in 1910. In 1913 Dumont was incorporated as the city of South Houston. Because of the 1913 incorporation, Houston did not incorporate South Houston's territory into its city limits, while Houston annexed surrounding areas that were

unincorporated Unincorporated may refer to: * Unincorporated area, land not governed by a local municipality * Unincorporated entity, a type of organization * Unincorporated territories of the United States, territories under U.S. jurisdiction, to which Congress ...

.Lee, Renée C.
Annexed Kingwood split on effects
" ''

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 it ...

''. Sunday October 8, 2006. A21. Retrieved on July 6, 2011. "Some of the area communities that incorporated as cities and escaped annexation by Houston:" Print version exclusively has the information cited; the information is ''not'' included in the online edition. South Houston's initial industrial activity consisted of shipping produce along the Galveston, Houston and Henderson Railroad. The hurricane of 1915 destroyed many of the local industries. The establishment of the

Houston Ship Channel The Houston Ship Channel, in Houston, Texas, is part of the Port of Houston, one of the busiest seaports in the world. The channel is the conduit for ocean-going vessels between Houston-area terminals and the Gulf of Mexico, and it serves an inc ...

resulted in the establishment of manufacturing industries inland, including in South Houston. Between the 1940s and the early 1960s South Houston found rapid population growth. The city had 7,523 inhabitants in 1960. In 1980, South Houston had 11,782 inhabitants and 303 businesses. In 1990, 14,207 inhabitants lived in South Houston. Elephants belonging to former South Houston mayor George Christy, a circus owner, assisted the construction of the Spencer Highway. From the 1980 census to the 1990 census,

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, 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 viceroyalties form ...

s began to move into South Houston by an amount between 1,000 and 3,500 per square mile. Most Hispanics in South Houston were of Mexican descent.

Geography

South Houston is located at (29.660980, –95.229787). 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 th ...

, the city has a total area of 7.8 km², none of which is covered with 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 off ...

, there were 16,153 people, 5,221 households, and 4,107 families residing in the city. 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 inc ...

of 2010, there were 16,983 people from 4,617 households residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 1.1%

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 o ...

, 1.2%

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 ensl ...

, 0.80% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.00%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of Oce ...

, 1.74% 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 2.6% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 89.4% of the population. There were 4,593 households, out of which 47.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.1% 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, 13.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.5% were non-families. 15.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.45 and the average family size was 3.86. In the city, the population was spread out, with 34.1% under the age of 18, 11.7% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 16.5% from 45 to 64, and 6.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.6 males. The median income for a household in the city was $44,607 n 2017 dollars 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 $15,611. About 24% of the population was 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 ...

, including 25.8% of those under age 18 and 10.5% of those age 65 or over.

Government and infrastructure

Local government

The South Houston City Council establishes city policies, considering resolutions and ordinances, appointing South Houston residents to positions on municipal committees and boards, and establishing the annual budgets. City council meets during the first and third Tuesdays of each month in the South Houston Municipal Court; meetings begin at 7:30 PM; it is open to members of the public. As of 2008 the mayor is Joe Soto. The council members are Irene Tamayo, Bill Kelly, Albert Hernandez, Robert Garcia, and Amy Burnett. The South Houston Fire Department serves the city. The South Houston Police Department is headquartered at 1023 West Dallas Street. As of 2008 Herbert Gilbert is the chief of police.

County, state, and federal representation

South Houston is located within Harris County Commissioner Precinct 2; as of 2020 Adrian Garcia heads Precinct 2. South Houston is located in District 145 of the

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 ...

. As of 2008 Rick Noriega represents the district. South Houston is within District 6 of the

Texas Senate The Texas Senate ( es, Senado de Texas) is the upper house of the Texas Legislature, Texas State Legislature. There are 31 members of the Senate, representing single-member districts across the U.S. state of Texas, with populations of approximate ...

; as of 2008

Mario Gallegos Mario Valentin Gallegos Jr. (September 8, 1950 – October 16, 2012) was an American Democratic politician in the U.S. state of Texas. He was the senator from District 6 in the Texas Senate, which serves a portion of Harris County. Politica ...

is the representative. South Houston is within Texas's 29th congressional district; as of 2019. Sylvia Garcia is the representative. The

United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an Independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the executive branch of the Federal government of the Uni ...

operates the South Houston Post Office at 315 North Allen Genoa Road. The nearest public health center of the

Harris Health System The Harris Health System, previously the Harris County Hospital District (HCHD), is a governmental entity with taxing authority that owns and operates three hospitals and numerous clinics throughout Harris County, Texas, United States, includin ...

(formerly Harris County Health System) is Strawberry Health Clinic in

. The nearest public hospital is

Ben Taub General Hospital Ben Taub Hospital is a public hospital located in Houston, Texas within the Texas Medical Center. Having opened in May 1963, the hospital is owned and operated by the Harris Health System and is staffed by the faculty, residents, and students fr ...

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 concentrate ...

, Houston.

Economy

The Lewis Food Town grocery store chain is based in South Houston. In 2006

H-E-B H-E-B Grocery Company, LP, is an American privately held supermarket chain based in San Antonio, Texas, with more than 340 stores throughout the U.S. state of Texas, as well as in northeast Mexico. The company also operates Central Market, an ...

opened the "Mi Tienda" ("My Store") Hispanic-themed store in South Houston. As of 2007 all of its employees spoke Spanish.

Education

Primary and secondary schools

Public schools

South Houston is served by the Pasadena Independent School District. The following elementary schools serve sections of South Houston:
Pearl Hall Elementary School
(South Houston)

(South Houston) ** It opened in August 1992. it had 775 students.

(South Houston)

(South Houston) As of 2000 South Houston Elementary had computers and computer equipment in all of its classrooms as well as a broadcasting studio operated by students. In the period 1999–2000 South Houston Elementary, despite the low socio-economic backgrounds of its students, received "recognized" scores from the

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

. Sections of South Houston west of Old Galveston Road are served b
Rick Schneider Middle School
(Houston, Grades 5–6). Parts of South Houston are zoned t

(Pasadena, Grades 5–6). Parts of South Houston are not served by any "middle school" and instead are served by elementary schools, intermediate schools, and high schools. Sections of South Houston west of Old Galveston Road are served b

(South Houston, Grades 7–8). Parts east of Old Galveston Road are served b

(Pasadena, Grades 6–8). South Houston Intermediate opened on property acquired by PISD in 1947; it previously housed the Asgard College for Girls, a prison for delinquent boys, a psychiatric hospital, a transit house for the federal government, and a National Youth Association Camp. All of South Houston is served by South Houston High School.

Public libraries

South Houston is served by the South Houston Branch of Harris County Public Library at 607 Avenue A. The first South Houston library opened in 1927. In 1937 money was raised to build a structure to house the library; this structure stands in a park next to the current library. In the 1950s the library moved into a building with a welfare office and a clinic. In 1967 the city purchased land and a barracks building from

Ellington Field Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base is a joint installation shared by various active component and reserve component military units, as well as aircraft flight operations of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration ( NASA) under the aegis ...

; the city then moved the library there, where it remained until 1991. The current branch opened in May 1991.

Colleges and universities

Residents of Pasadena ISD (and therefore South Houston) are zoned to San Jacinto College.

Gallery of schools

Image:SouthHoustonElementarySchooltexas.JPG, South Houston Elementary School Image:MatthysElementarySouthHoustonTexas.JPG, Walter Matthys Elementary School Image:LFSmithElementarySchoolSouthHoustonTexas.JPG, L. F. Smith Elementary School Image:PearlHallElementarySchoolSouthHoustonTexas.JPG, Pearl Hall Elementary School Image:SouthHoustonIntermediateSchoolTexas.JPG, South Houston Intermediate School

Transportation

Harris County Transit doesn't serve South Houston.Routes / Maps
" Harris County Transit. Retrieved on January 15, 2010.

Gallery

Image:SouthHoustonPDFrontEntranceTexas.JPG, South Houston Police Department front entrance Image:SouthHoustonMunicipalCourtTexas.JPG, South Houston Municipal Court

Notes

References

External links

City of South Houston official websiteSouth Houston Chamber of CongressSouth Houston Police Department
(Archive)

* {{Authority control Cities in Harris County, Texas Cities in Texas Greater Houston