Webster is a city in the
U.S. state of
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 ...
located in
Harris County, within the
Houston–The Woodlands-Sugar Land metropolitan area. Its population was 12,499 at the
2020 U.S. census
History
The community was founded in 1879 by James W. Webster under the name "Gardentown". It was established initially as a colony for settlers from England. It began as a stopover for travelers between
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 ...
/
Harrisburg,
Galveston,
Kemah, and
Seabrook. Eventually, railroads, such as the
Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway, were built through the area. Farmers in the area raised
pears and other produce.
[ Texas State Historical Association.]
In 1903, the Houston Chamber of Commerce invited
Seito Saibara, a former
Japanese member of parliament and a Christian theologian, to come to Texas to teach
rice
Rice is the seed of the grass species '' Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly '' Oryza glaberrima'' (African rice). The name wild rice is usually used for species of the genera '' Zizania'' and ''Porteresia'', both wild and domestica ...
farming. Rice at that time was emerging as an important cash crop. Saibara settled in Webster and established a small farming community of Japanese Christians. Saibara and his son
Kiyoaki established the foundations of what became the rice industry of the
U.S. Gulf Coast
The Gulf Coast of the United States, also known as the Gulf South, is the coastline along the Southern United States where they meet the Gulf of Mexico. The coastal states that have a shoreline on the Gulf of Mexico are Texas, Louisiana, Mississ ...
.
[ Texas State Historical Association.]
Dairies and livestock ranches developed in the town, as well, in the early 1900s.
Petroleum
Petroleum, also known as crude oil, or simply oil, is a naturally occurring yellowish-black liquid mixture of mainly hydrocarbons, and is found in geological formations. The name ''petroleum'' covers both naturally occurring unprocessed crude ...
was discovered at the Webster (Friendswood) Oil Field in 1937,
but the population remained small. The community was incorporated in 1958.
In 1961, the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration announced that it was building the Manned Spacecraft Center (now known as the
Johnson Space Center) nearby along the shores of
Clear Lake. Growth and development quickly swept over the
Clear Lake area
Clear Lake, or the Clear Lake Area, is a region in parts of Harris and Galveston County in Texas, United States. It is part of the Galveston Bay Area, which itself is a section of the Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land metropolitan area.Ki ...
, and Webster's population blossomed.
Webster today has become a thriving bedroom community closely tied to the Clear Lake area and its high-tech industry.
Geography
Webster is located in southeastern Harris County at (29.538581, –95.119354).
It is bordered to the north by the city 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 to the northeast by
Nassau Bay
Nassau Bay is a city in Harris County, Texas, United States, bordering the southeastern edge of the city of Houston. It is located in the Clear Lake Area near Galveston Bay, directly adjacent to the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. The population w ...
.
Clear Creek forms the southeastern border of Webster and is the Harris County /
Galveston County
Galveston County ( ) is a county in the U.S. state of Texas, located along the Gulf Coast adjacent to Galveston Bay. As of the 2020 census, the population was 350,682. The county was founded in 1838. The county seat is the City of Galves ...
line.
League City borders Webster to the south and southwest, in both counties.
Interstate 45
Interstate 45 (I-45) is a major Interstate Highway located entirely within the US state of Texas. While most Interstate routes which have numbers ending in "5" are cross-country north–south routes, I-45 is comparatively short, with th ...
runs through the western side of Webster, with access from exits 23 through 25. Downtown Houston is to the northwest, and
Galveston is to the southeast.
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
An economy is an area of th ...
, the city has a total area of , of which , or 3.24%, is covered by water.
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...
, Webster has a
humid subtropical climate, ''Cfa'' on climate maps.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the
2020 United States census, there were 12,499 people, 5,334 households, and 2,530 families residing in the city.
The 2019
American Community Survey determined 11,451 people lived within the city limits.
The racial and ethnic makeup of the city was 70.6%
non-Hispanic white
Non-Hispanic whites or Non-Latino whites are Americans who are classified as "white", and are not of Hispanic (also known as "Latino") heritage. The United States Census Bureau defines ''white'' to include European Americans, Middle Eastern Am ...
, 19.4% Black or African American, 0.1% American Indian or Alaska Native, 4.2% Asian, 3.7% multiracial, and 33.1% Hispanic or Latin American of any race.
In 2019, the 4,994 households had an owner-occupied housing rate of 13.1%, and the median value of an owner-occupied housing unit was $186,400. Webster had a median gross rent of $1,131 from 2015–2019. The city of Webster had a median household income of $55,497 and per capita income of $29,242. Roughly 18.7% of persons lived at or below the poverty line according to the 2019 survey.
At 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 in ...
of 2000,
9,083 people, 4,114 households, and 1,970 families were residing in the city. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), 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 ...
was 1,372.9 people per square mile (529.8/km
2). The 4,733 housing units had an average density of 715.4/sq mi (276.0/km
2). The
racial makeup of the city was 64.85% White, 9.03% African American, 0.55% Native American, 5.72% Asian, 0.15% Pacific Islander, 15.78% from other races, and 3.92% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 27.24% of the population.
Of the 4,114 households, 24.6% had children under 18 living with them, 32.7% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 52.1% were not families. About 40.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 2.1% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.14, and the average family size was 2.97.
In the city, the age distribution was 20.9% under 18, 15.0% from 18 to 24, 43.5% from 25 to 44, 15.4% from 45 to 64, and 5.1% who were 65 or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females, there were 109.3 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 107.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $42,385, and for a family was $43,495. Males had a median income of $35,346 versus $29,808 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 $21,964. About 12.5% of families and 13.2% 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 ...
, including 19.2% of those under 18 and 5.6% of those 65 or over.
Government and infrastructure
The city of Webster has fire stations #1 and #2, with the fire department offices in the second station.
[Public Information Phone Numbers]
" City of Webster. Retrieved on May 16, 2010. The city has its own police department.
Harris County Housing Authority Harris County Housing Authority (HCHA) is the low-income housing and public housing authority of Harris County, Texas in Greater Houston. Its headquarters are in southern Houston. It mainly serves areas outside of Houston, as the Houston Housing Au ...
operates Baybrook Park, a
public-housing complex for seniors, in the Webster city limits. It has 100 units.
[Our Properties]
" Harris County Housing Authority. Retrieved on January 1, 2019. "Baybrook Park Address: 500 W. Texas Avenue, Webster, TX 77598"
The
Texas Department of Public Safety operates its Webster Field Investigator Office and Driver's License Office in a nearby area in Houston.
The
Texas Department of Criminal Justice
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) is a department of the government of the U.S. state of Texas. The TDCJ is responsible for statewide criminal justice for adult offenders, including managing offenders in state prisons, state jai ...
operates the Webster District Parole Office in a nearby area in Houston.
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 ...
Webster Post Office is located at 17077 North Texas Avenue. Some locations in the City of Houston have Webster mailing addresses.
Harris Health System (formerly Harris County Hospital District) designated Strawberry Health Center in
Pasadena for ZIP code 77598. The nearest public hospital is
Ben Taub General Hospital in the
Texas Medical Center.
Economy
The
Baybrook Mall
Baybrook Mall is a shopping mall located near the Clear Lake City area in Houston, Texas; It has a Friendswood mailing address, but it is in the Houston city limits. - Maps for comparisonMap of the city of Houston8 x 11 version The mall is locate ...
is located in the City of Houston,
[SN_81.pdf]
Archive
. Retrieved on March 31, 2014. near Webster.
[Kaplan, David.]
Major expansion set for Baybrook Mall
" ''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 ...
''. March 24, 2014. Retrieved on March 31, 2014. "The company that owns the indoor shopping complex off the Gulf Freeway in suburban Webster will add 555,000 square feet of retail, restaurant and entertainment space and create a community lawn the length of a football field."
Education
Primary and secondary schools
Public schools
Pupils in Webster attend schools in
Clear Creek Independent School District
Clear Creek Independent School District (CCISD) is a school district based in League City, Texas, United States. The district serves most of the Clear Lake Area and some other neighboring parts of the Houston metropolitan area. CCISD is the 29th ...
. The community is divided between the Board of Trustees District 2 and the Board of Trustees District 4. They are represented by Win Weber and Stuart J. Stromeyer, respectively, as of 2008. CCISD was established in 1948, partly from the former Webster school district, which served up to high school and took high-school students from Kemah and Seabrook.
Most residents within the city limits are zoned to Margaret S. McWhirter Elementary School in Webster. The school occupies a building. The current McWhirter campus held its groundbreaking in 2014, and opened in 2016. The re-dedication was held in March of that year. That year 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. gave the school a grant allowing it to re-establish a full day Prekindergarten program.
Some residential sections of the city are served by Armand Bayou (Houston), Falcon Pass (Houston), League City (
League City), and Whitcomb (Houston) elementary schools. Most residents are zoned to Clear Creek Intermediate School (League City). Some residents are zoned to Clear Lake, and Space Center intermediate schools, both in
Clear Lake City and in Houston. Most residents are zoned to
Clear Creek High School in League City, while
Clear Lake High School in Clear Lake City, Houston, serves a small section.
P.H. Greene Elementary School, in an
unincorporated area
An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...
, serves areas outside of the city with Webster addresses.
=History of schools
=
Webster Intermediate School formerly served the city, but moved to an unincorporated area near Friendswood and was renamed Westbrook Intermediate School in spring 2005; Westbrook does not serve Webster.
Private schools
Iman Academy
Iman Academy ( ar, مدارس الإيمان) is an Islamic K-12 private school system in Houston with two campuses serving grades one through grade twelve. Iman Academy was established in 1995 by a group of community members and families.
Iman A ...
Southeast Secondary School is in southeast Houston, northeast of Webster, off of Highway 3.
Colleges and universities
The portion of Clear Creek ISD in Harris County (and therefore Webster) is assigned to
San Jacinto College.
Parks and recreation
The Edgar A. Smith Family
YMCA
YMCA, sometimes regionally called the Y, is a worldwide youth organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, with more than 64 million beneficiaries in 120 countries. It was founded on 6 June 1844 by George Williams (philanthropist), Georg ...
is located in Houston; it has a Webster mailing address.
Notable people
*
Stephanie Beatriz, actress
*
Josh Huestis, basketball player for the
Oklahoma City Thunder
*
Dennis Paul, a
Republican member 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 abou ...
from District 129, formerly resided in Webster.
*
Steve Stockman, Republican former member of the
United States House of Representatives
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 the ...
from
Texas's 36th congressional district
*
Ryan Trecartin
Ryan Trecartin (born 1981) is an American artist and filmmaker currently based in Athens, Ohio. He studied at the Rhode Island School of Design, graduating with a BFA in 2004. Trecartin has since lived and worked in New Orleans, Los Angeles, Ph ...
, multimedia artist
See also
*
Seito Saibara
References
External links
City of Webster official website''Handbook of Texas'' Online article on WebsterMcWhirter Elementary School
{{authority control
Cities in Harris County, Texas
Cities in Texas
Galveston Bay Area
Greater Houston
Populated places established in 1879
1879 establishments in Texas