Bacliff, Texas
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Bacliff is a
census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counte ...
(CDP) in north-central Galveston County, Texas, United States, northwest of
Galveston Galveston ( ) is a Gulf Coast of the United States, coastal resort town, resort city and port off the Southeast Texas coast on Galveston Island and Pelican Island (Texas), Pelican Island in the U.S. state of Texas. The community of , with a pop ...
. The population was 9,677 at the 2020 census, up from 8,619 at the 2010 census. Bacliff, originally called Clifton-by-the-Sea, began as a seaside resort town. Located on the western shore of Galveston Bay, Bacliff, along with San Leon and Bayview, are the largest unincorporated communities on the Galveston County mainland. The Bacliff CDP is home to the Kenneth E. Little Elementary school and Bayshore Park, created from land donated by Texas Genco.


History

Bacliff was established in 1910 by local landowners G.C. Perkins and W.Y. Fuqua as Clifton-by-the Sea.> The area was developed as a seaside
weekend The weekdays and weekend are the complementary parts of the week, devoted to labour and rest, respectively. The legal weekdays (British English), or workweek (American English), is the part of the seven-day week devoted to working. In most o ...
resort,Lomax, John Nova. "Gangsters in Bacliff." ''
Houston Press The ''Houston Press'' is an online newspaper published in Houston, Texas, United States. It is headquartered in the Midtown Houston, Midtown area. It was also a weekly print newspaper until November 2017. The publication is supported entirely ...
''. September 11, 2008
2
.
and included parks, hotels, summer homes, and a bathhouse and open air pavilion built on a pier over the water. Telephone service came to Clifton-by-the-Sea in 1913, and Grand Avenue (FM 646) became the main street. Hurricanes,
Galveston Galveston ( ) is a Gulf Coast of the United States, coastal resort town, resort city and port off the Southeast Texas coast on Galveston Island and Pelican Island (Texas), Pelican Island in the U.S. state of Texas. The community of , with a pop ...
's recovery after the Hurricane of 1900, and rapid transportation diminished Clifton-by-the-Sea's popularity. The hurricane of 1915 destroyed many of the improvements to the area, but by 1924 the bathhouse and pavilion had been restored and summer residents returned to the community. A fire destroyed the pavilion in 1929 and it was rebuilt and hosted numerous summer concerts by both the Galveston and Houston orchestras. The hurricane of 1943 caused major damage to the area and the bathhouse and pavilion were not rebuilt. In 1933, Clifton-by-the-Sea was home to 50 residents and two businesses, and from 1940 to 1949 it was home to 100 residents and four businesses. After World War II the area expanded as it became home for workers of the nearby petrochemical plants. The expansion of the area required the establishment of a post office in 1948. The
U.S. Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or simply the Postal Service, is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the executive branch of the federal governmen ...
refused to allow the name Clifton-by-the-Sea to be used due to its length, and the name Clifton was already in use by another Texas town, so the residents chose the same name as the subdivision at the center of business, Bay Cliff, as a replacement. However, the name was misspelled on the postal paperwork as Bacliff. The new name had only seven letters, so it was admissible. "Gator" Miller, former publisher of the ''Seabreeze'', said that in the 1950s the '' Galveston Daily News'' bought a large parcel of land and awarded free lots to subscribers; people who canceled subscriptions lost their homesites, which were given to other subscribers. Miller said that this resulted in confused
title A title is one or more words used before or after a person's name, in certain contexts. It may signify their generation, official position, military rank, professional or academic qualification, or nobility. In some languages, titles may be ins ...
s and a lack of large business; Miller said that a retailer would not wish to buy land in Bacliff and then discover that an individual claimed title to the land. In 1964, Houston Lighting and Power began construction on two 450 MW electric generating units in Bacliff as part of the company's Project Enterprise expansion. The units were of supercritical boiler design, which was then a new technology. The power plant, originally known as the Bacliff Plant, was renamed the P. H. Robinson plant, in honor of company president Perk H. Robinson. In the 1970s and 1980s, there was a dispute over the valuation of the power plant between HL&P and the Dickinson Independent School District (DISD). In 1979 HL&P said the plant was worth $238 million but DISD's board of equalization said it was worth over $242 million. A legal dispute ensued between the two agencies. During the 1980s, three measures to incorporate the Bacliff area failed by wide margins.Baycliff kills incorporation, Jersey Village votes home rule
." ''
Houston Chronicle The ''Houston Chronicle'' is the largest daily newspaper in Houston, 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''. ...
''. Monday, August 11, 1986. Section 1, Page 9. Available at NewsBank, Record Number HSC0811258957.
2 area communities to vote on incorporation
." ''
Houston Chronicle The ''Houston Chronicle'' is the largest daily newspaper in Houston, 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''. ...
''. Tuesday, August 5, 1986. Section 3, Page 10. Available at NewsBank Record Number HSC0805257483.
In April 1985, residents of Bacliff, Bayview, and San Leon considered an incorporation proposal to become the City of Bayshore. Judge Ray Holbrook signed an order for the election to take place on April 6, 1985, freeing the area, which had a population of 11,000, from the
extraterritorial jurisdiction Extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) is the legal ability of a government to exercise authority beyond its normal boundaries. Any authority can claim ETJ over any external territory they wish. However, for the claim to be effective in the external ...
of League City and Texas City. Residents rejected the incorporation proposal.Election for incorporation called in Bacliff, Bayview
." ''
Houston Chronicle The ''Houston Chronicle'' is the largest daily newspaper in Houston, 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''. ...
''. Sunday July 6, 1986. Section 3, Page 5.
Results of municipal elections in Southeast Texas
." ''
Houston Chronicle The ''Houston Chronicle'' is the largest daily newspaper in Houston, 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''. ...
''. Monday April 8, 1985. Section 1, Page 10.
The vote was tallied with 1,268 against and 399 in favor. Proponents wanted a local police force and the ability to pass ordinances. Opponents said that the tax base was too small to support municipal services including police and road and drainage improvements. By 1986, the community became a
bedroom community A commuter town is a populated area that is primarily residential rather than commercial or industrial. Routine travel from home to work and back is called commuting, which is where the term comes from. A commuter town may be called by many o ...
for workers commuting to jobs in the area; during that year, the Bacliff community had 4,851 residents and 19 businesses. In 1986, residents in Bacliff and Bayview considered incorporating into a general law city. Supporters said that incorporation would establish more local control over affairs, an area police department, and the ability to pass ordinances. Opponents said that the area's tax base could not sufficiently support municipal service, including police protection and road and drainage improvements. At the time the area of considering incorporation had 7,000 people. Galveston County Judge Ray Holbrook signed an order setting the date of the election as Saturday, August 9, 1986, and releasing the area from the
extraterritorial jurisdiction Extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) is the legal ability of a government to exercise authority beyond its normal boundaries. Any authority can claim ETJ over any external territory they wish. However, for the claim to be effective in the external ...
of Kemah, League City, and Texas City. In 1986, the Bacliff and Bayview area received water and sewer services from two municipal utility districts; if the incorporation measure had passed the districts would have likely remained. Donna Maples, vice president of the Bacliff-Bayview Community Association, supported the incorporation measure. The officials overseeing the election described turnout as "heavy." Officials announced that the incorporation proposal failed on a 770 to 163 count. In 2000, in Bacliff there were 6,692 people organized into 2,523 households. That year Bacliff and San Leon formed a nine member board to prepare the communities for incorporation. At that time Bacliff and San Leon had a combined population of 10,000. The board was to have three members from the Bacliff area, three members from the San Leon area, and three at large members. It was prompted after the City of Texas City suddenly annexed several commercial parcels along
Texas State Highway 146 State Highway 146 (SH 146) is a north–south highway in southeastern Texas beginning at Interstate 45, I-45 near La Marque, Texas, La Marque and Texas City. It then crosses over the Fred Hartman Bridge over the Houston Ship Channel w ...
between Kemah and Dickinson Bayou in the year 2000. The board hoped to convince Texas City to reverse the annexation. In 2003,Aulds, T. J.
Fire at Old Power Plant Finally Dies
" The
Galveston County Daily News ''The Daily News'', formerly the ''Galveston County Daily News'' and ''Galveston Daily News'', is a newspaper published in Galveston, Texas, United States. It was first published April 11, 1842, making it the oldest newspaper in the U.S. state o ...
. The Galveston County Daily News, 17 Apr. 2011. Web. 24 Apr. 2013.
the P. H. Robinson power plant was mothballed by Texas Genco."Texas Genco to mothball 3,400 MW in ERCOT." '' Megawatt Daily''. October 7, 2002. Vol. 7, No. 192; Pg. 1. ISSN 1088-4319. Available at
LexisNexis LexisNexis is an American data analytics company headquartered in New York, New York. Its products are various databases that are accessed through online portals, including portals for computer-assisted legal research (CALR), newspaper searc ...
.
The plant was mothballed due to the proliferation of newer gas-fired merchant plants in Texas. Robinson Units 1-4 had 2,213 MW. The plant was decommissioned in 2009 and demolished in 2012. In 2013, NRG began construction on a 6 unit electrical generation "peaking plant". This plant was placed in service on June 1, 2017 After
Hurricane Ike Hurricane Ike () was a powerful tropical cyclone that swept through portions of the Greater Antilles and Northern America in September 2008, wreaking havoc on infrastructure and agriculture, particularly in Cuba and Texas. Ike took a sim ...
hit Texas in September 2008, Galveston County officials offered a debris removal program to residents in unincorporated areas, including Bacliff. Flooding from hurricane Ike was minimized due in part to Bacliff's relatively high elevation of 16 feet. In 2017, in Bacliff there were 10,925 people organized into 3,004 households.


Geography and climate

Bacliff is a Census class code U5, populated area. According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the CDP has a total area of , of which is land and , or 5.85%, is water. Bacliff is east of League City,Anders, Helen. "Bacliff's Noah's Ark calls." ''
Austin American-Statesman The ''Austin American-Statesman'' is the major daily newspaper for Austin, the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas. It is owned by Hearst Communications. The distribution of the following ''The New York Times'', ''The Washington Post'', '' ...
''. Sunday September 9, 2012. Travel D10. Available on
LexisNexis LexisNexis is an American data analytics company headquartered in New York, New York. Its products are various databases that are accessed through online portals, including portals for computer-assisted legal research (CALR), newspaper searc ...
. Also available on
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(publisher labeled as " McClatchy - Tribune Business News") ProQuest document ID 1038454263.
south of Kemah, northeast of
Galveston Galveston ( ) is a Gulf Coast of the United States, coastal resort town, resort city and port off the Southeast Texas coast on Galveston Island and Pelican Island (Texas), Pelican Island in the U.S. state of Texas. The community of , with a pop ...
, and southeast of
Downtown Houston Downtown is the largest central business district in the city of Houston and the largest in the state of Texas, located near the geographic center of the metropolitan area at the confluence of Interstate 10 in Texas, Interstate 10, Interstate 45 ...
. Most of the area is along the
Galveston Bay Galveston Bay ( ) is a bay in the western Gulf of Mexico along the upper coast of Texas. It is the seventh-largest estuary in the United States, and the largest of seven major estuaries along the Texas Gulf Coast. It is connected to the Gulf of ...
, east of
Texas State Highway 146 State Highway 146 (SH 146) is a north–south highway in southeastern Texas beginning at Interstate 45, I-45 near La Marque, Texas, La Marque and Texas City. It then crosses over the Fred Hartman Bridge over the Houston Ship Channel w ...
.Toohey, Mark. "Bacliff, Bayview voters consider incorporation." ''
Houston Chronicle The ''Houston Chronicle'' is the largest daily newspaper in Houston, 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''. ...
''. Available at NewsBank, Record Number HSC0706250286. "Most of the 3.6 square mile area is east of Texas 146 along Galveston Bay. It has a population of 7,000. "
The Bacliff, San Leon, and Bayview communities form the "Bayshore" area.Evans, Thayer. "Crime numbers go down - Figures drop 26.4 percent in unincorporated Galveston County." ''
Houston Chronicle The ''Houston Chronicle'' is the largest daily newspaper in Houston, 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''. ...
''. Thursday February 3, 2005. ThisWeek p. 1. "Other unincorporated areas are along Texas 6 outside Hitchcock and Santa Fe and in the Bayshore area, which includes Bacliff, Bayview and San Leon." Available at NewsBank Record Number: 3841079.


Demographics


2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 9,677 people, 3,672 households, and 2,684 families residing in the CDP.


2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 8,619 people, 3,022 households, and 2,095 families residing in the CDP. This represented a growth of approximately 23.8% since the 2000 census. The population density was 3,405.4 people per square mile. The racial makeup of the CDP was 74.3% White, 3.5% African American, 0.7% Native American, 2.8% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 15.9% from other races, and 2.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 37.1% of the population. There were 3,022 households, out of which 34.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.9% were married couples living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.7% were non-families. 24.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.87 and the average family size was 3.41. In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 18.7% under the age of 18 years, 7.5% from 18 to 24 years, 31.3% from 25 to 44 years, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 8.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.3 males. As of 2012 most residents of Bacliff are commuters. As of 2012 Bacliff, Bayview, and San Leon together make up the largest unincorporated community in the mainland portion of Galveston County by population.Aulds, T. J.
Fishing a Big Part of San Leon Bacliff Bayshore
" The Galveston County Daily News. The Galveston County Daily News, 22 Apr. 2012. Web. 05 May 2013.
In 2008 Phale Cassady Le, an outreach coordinator of Boat People SOS Houston, said that in Bacliff and San Leon there were between 150 and 200 Vietnamese families with origins in crab, oyster, and shrimp fishing operations.Cenegy, Nick. "Ike ripped Vietnamese fishing community." ''
The Galveston County Daily News ''The Daily News'', formerly the ''Galveston County Daily News'' and ''Galveston Daily News'', is a newspaper published in Galveston, Texas, United States. It was first published April 11, 1842, making it the oldest newspaper in the U.S. state of ...
''. Sunday November 22, 2009. Retrieved on May 5, 2013. "In San Leon and Bacliff, there are between 150 and 200 Vietnamese families in a tightly woven community with all lines leading back to oyster, crab and shrimp fishing, said Phale Cassady Le, an outreach coordinator with Boat People SOS Houston." and "Phale said as much as 90 percent of the 1,600 clients they have served since the group began its work earlier this year have been Vietnamese." and "Part of what makes that particular community's situation so tough is its tradition of self-reliance and wariness of outsiders. Fishing boats often are built by hand over many years as fishermen scrape up enough money, Van Horn Nguyen, a San Leon-area boat owner and fisherman, said." and "Most of the Vietnamese don't have home or boat insurance of any kind, and many aren't versed in English well enough to interpret the documents if they did, Phale said."
According to Le, most of the Vietnamese have no house or boat insurance, and even if they did have this insurance, their English is not well developed enough to read the terms of the policies. Many families had hand-made boats that were constructed over several years as the owner made more and more money. Nick Cenegy of ''
The Galveston County Daily News ''The Daily News'', formerly the ''Galveston County Daily News'' and ''Galveston Daily News'', is a newspaper published in Galveston, Texas, United States. It was first published April 11, 1842, making it the oldest newspaper in the U.S. state of ...
'' said that the Vietnamese community in Bacliff and San Leon had a "tradition of self-reliance and wariness of outsiders." The Vietnamese first moved into the Galveston Bay Area in the 1970s and established shrimping businesses with borrowed money. By the early 1980s, many native residents in the area became angered and a conflict started between the groups. Because media groups portrayed White residents as, in the words of Bob Burtman of the ''
Houston Press The ''Houston Press'' is an online newspaper published in Houston, Texas, United States. It is headquartered in the Midtown Houston, Midtown area. It was also a weekly print newspaper until November 2017. The publication is supported entirely ...
'', "bigoted rednecks," many residents had a suspicion of the media; Burtman said that the media had exaggerated the importance of
Ku Klux Klan The Ku Klux Klan (), commonly shortened to KKK or Klan, is an American Protestant-led Christian terrorism, Christian extremist, white supremacist, Right-wing terrorism, far-right hate group. It was founded in 1865 during Reconstruction era, ...
involvement in that conflict.Burtman, Bob. "Besieged by the Bay." ''
Houston Press The ''Houston Press'' is an online newspaper published in Houston, Texas, United States. It is headquartered in the Midtown Houston, Midtown area. It was also a weekly print newspaper until November 2017. The publication is supported entirely ...
''. Thursday June 26, 1997. p
4
. Retrieved on May 12, 2013.
Due to the conflict, local residents had also gained anti-government feelings that were present in 1997. That year, Burtman said "For the most part, the Vietnamese and Texan shrimpers have ironed out their differences, though mistrust remains."


Crime

As of 2008 (Originally started in 1995), Bacliff had the 4th Street Bloods (4SB), a
street gang A gang is a social group, group or secret society, society of associates, friends, or members of a family with a defined leadership and internal organization that identifies with or claims control over Wiktionary:territory#Noun, territory in a ...
consisting of mostly
White American White Americans (sometimes also called Caucasian Americans) are Americans who identify as white people. In a more official sense, the United States Census Bureau, which collects demographic data on Americans, defines "white" as " person having ...
s.Lomax, John Nova. "Gangsters in Bacliff." ''
Houston Press The ''Houston Press'' is an online newspaper published in Houston, Texas, United States. It is headquartered in the Midtown Houston, Midtown area. It was also a weekly print newspaper until November 2017. The publication is supported entirely ...
''. September 11, 2008
1
.
The name of the gang originates from its headquarters in Bacliff. Documents filed in federal court stated that the gang was formed by six people in the mid-1990s. Cindy George of the ''
Houston Chronicle The ''Houston Chronicle'' is the largest daily newspaper in Houston, 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''. ...
'' said "The gang purportedly makes money by selling powdered and crack cocaine as well as methamphetamine."George, Cindy.
Reputed Bacliff gang members facing drug charges
." ''
Houston Chronicle The ''Houston Chronicle'' is the largest daily newspaper in Houston, 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''. ...
''. May 21, 2008. Retrieved on May 6, 2013.
To identify themselves, members wore red and had tattoos that read "4th Street Playa" and "Kliff Side". In 2008 the
Federal Bureau of Investigation The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...
(FBI) Texas City Safe Street Task Force, the Galveston County Sheriff's Office, and other agencies started an investigation into the gang.Texas City Safe Street's Task Force Nets Four More For Trafficking Crack
"

United States Department of Justice The United States Department of Justice (DOJ), also known as the Justice Department, is a United States federal executive departments, federal executive department of the U.S. government that oversees the domestic enforcement of Law of the Unite ...
. September 9, 2011. Retrieved on May 6, 2013.
That year, 10 people were arrested, accused of drug charges. In 2011 the
Federal Government of the United States The Federal Government of the United States of America (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) is the Federation#Federal governments, national government of the United States. The U.S. federal government is composed of three distinct ...
arrested four men from Bacliff, accusing to be a part of the gang and charging them crimes related to
crack cocaine Crack cocaine, commonly known simply as crack, and also known as rock, is a free base form of the stimulant cocaine that can be Smoking, smoked. Crack offers a short, intense Euphoria (emotion), high to smokers. The ''Manual of Adolescent Sub ...
distribution. In 2011 12 people accused of being members faced drug charges. In 2012 a federal judge in Houston sentenced four 4SB men to prison. They had pleaded guilty to their crimes.


Infrastructure


Utilities

Two municipal utility districts serve the Bacliff CDP. Some sections of the Bacliff CDP are served by the Bacliff Municipal Utility District (MUD), while other sections are served by the Bayview MUD. In November 2011 the Bacliff MUD requested and received an 8.95 million dollar bond issue for the expansion of water services which are currently provided to about 2,700 water taps. This bond issue will be funded by Bacliff residents through increased property taxes. In addition to water/sewer service, the Bacliff MUD became responsible for administering trash collection as of February 2016. The Bacliff Volunteer Fire Department provides fire protection services. In 2010, under the
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) (), nicknamed the Recovery Act, was a stimulus package enacted by the 111th U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama in February 2009. Developed in response to the G ...
, the fire department got a $356,320 loan and a $191,854 grant from the
United States Department of Agriculture The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is an executive department of the United States federal government that aims to meet the needs of commercial farming and livestock food production, promotes agricultural trade and producti ...
Rural Development. The department used it to buy a newly built pumper fire truck. As of January 2014 Bacliff resident James Wistinghausen was the General Manager of the Bacliff MUD and the Fire Chief for the Bacliff Volunteer Fire Department.


County, state, and federal representation

The community is within the boundaries of Galveston County
Commissioners' Court Commissioners' court, or in Arkansas a quorum court, is the governing body of county government in three US states: Arkansas, Texas and Missouri. It is similar in function to a board of county commissioners. A similar system was in place in the ...
Precinct 1. As of 2017, Darrell Apffel is the Commissioner of the precinct. The Galveston County Sheriff's Office is the primary provider of law enforcement for Bacliff. In November 2012, Rick Sharp was elected constable of Precinct 1, replacing Pam Matranga. The Galveston County Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace court is located in Bacliff; as of April, 2015, the Justice of the Peace was Alison Cox. On January 26, 2016, a new Law Enforcement Center, located on Grand Avenue at 12th St, was opened. This building was a former illegal gambling hall and was confiscated by Galveston County, it now serves as a local base of operations for the Galveston County Sheriff's Department and Galveston County Precinct 1 Constable's office. Bacliff is located in District 23 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. There are no Term limits in the United States, term limits. The ...
. As of 2016, Wayne Faircloth represents the district. Bacliff is within District 11 of the
Texas Senate The Texas Senate is the upper house of the Texas Legislature, with the Texas House of Representatives functioning as the lower house. Together, they form the State legislature (United States), state legislature of the state of Texas. The Senate ...
; as of 2016
Larry Taylor Samuel Lawrence Taylor (June 26, 1942 – August 19, 2019) was an American bass guitarist, best known for his work as a member of the blues rock band Canned Heat. Before joining Canned Heat, he had been a session musician, session bassist for T ...
represents that district. In 1992, Bacliff was within District 24 of the Texas House of Representatives; after statewide legislative redistricting District 24 became District 23 in 1993 with its boundary changing by several city blocks. Bacliff is in
Texas's 14th Congressional district Texas's 14th congressional district for the United States House of Representatives stretches from Freeport to Orange, Texas. It formerly covered the area south and southwest of the Greater Houston region, including Galveston, in the state of ...
. As of 2016,
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 ...
represents the district. The
United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or simply the Postal Service, is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the executive branch of the federal governmen ...
Bacliff Post Office is located at 415 Grand Avenue. In 1994 Republican Party strength grew in Bacliff.


Media

Bacliff has one local tabloid which has been published in Bacliff and distributed free of charge since 1986, ''The Eagle Point'' Press Also circulated in Bacliff, between 2008 and 2018, on a monthly basis is ''The Seabreeze News'', which is published in San Leon


Economy

Bacliff, like San Leon, and Bayview, originated as a fishing community. In 2012 T.J. Aulds of the ''
Galveston County Daily News ''The Daily News'', formerly the ''Galveston County Daily News'' and ''Galveston Daily News'', is a newspaper published in Galveston, Texas, United States. It was first published April 11, 1842, making it the oldest newspaper in the U.S. state o ...
'' stated that much of the area's economic influence moved to the corridor along
Texas State Highway 146 State Highway 146 (SH 146) is a north–south highway in southeastern Texas beginning at Interstate 45, I-45 near La Marque, Texas, La Marque and Texas City. It then crosses over the Fred Hartman Bridge over the Houston Ship Channel w ...
, and that the economy adjusted with the growth of retail food service outlets and bars. Like San Leon and Bayview, many residents in Bacliff commute to work in
Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
. Bacliff CDP had 3,147 employed civilians as of the 2000 Census, including 1,360 females. Of the civilian workers, 2,435 (77.4%) were private for profit wage and salary workers. Of them 56 (1.8% of the total Bacliff CDP civilian workforce) were employees of their own corporations, 82 (2.6%) were private non-profit wage and salary workers, 151 (4.8%) worked for local governments, 144 (4.6%) were state government workers, 53 (1.7%) were federal workers, 268 (9.3%) were self-employed, and 14 of them (less than 1% of the total Bacliff CDP workforce) worked in agriculture, forestry, fishing, or hunting. 14 (Less than 1%) were unpaid family workers.


Education

Some of the areas within the Bacliff CDP fall under the boundary of Dickinson Independent School District (DISD), while northern areas are zoned to Clear Creek Independent School District (CCISD). The CCISD part of the community north of Bay Avenue is within the Board of Trustees District 5, represented by Dee Scott as of 2014.School Board Members: Bios and Contact Information
." '' Clear Creek Independent School District''. Retrieved on December 6, 2008.
The DISD portion is zoned to Kenneth E. Little Elementary School in the Bacliff community in unincorporated Galveston County. The current facility, on a campus, has 33 classrooms and capacity for about 750 students. The architect of the building was Bay Architects and the construction company was Falcon Group Construction. Construction began in the year 2000 and completion was scheduled for June 2001. The cost was $7.5 million. Classrooms are arranged in pods organized by grade level. Each pod has a commons area. The school has a lighthouse motif reflecting its proximity to the
Galveston Bay Galveston Bay ( ) is a bay in the western Gulf of Mexico along the upper coast of Texas. It is the seventh-largest estuary in the United States, and the largest of seven major estuaries along the Texas Gulf Coast. It is connected to the Gulf of ...
. The school entrance has a frosted dome, pyramidal skylight. The previous school building was located on the same site. Portions of the original building were to be demolished after students moved into the new school facility. Residents of the DISD portion are also zoned to Barber Middle School in Dickinson, McAdams Junior High School in Dickinson, and Dickinson High School in Dickinson. CCISD pupils are zoned to Stewart Elementary School (formerly Kemah Elementary School) in unincorporated Galveston County, Bayside Intermediate School in League City, and
Clear Falls High School Clear Falls High School is a public high school located in League City, Texas and is part of the Clear Creek Independent School District. The school, which serves grades 9 through 12, had its first graduating class in 2013. The school opened ...
in League City. Previously residents were zoned to League City Intermediate School, and Clear Creek High School in League City. Residents of Dickinson ISD and the Galveston County portion of Clear Creek ISD (and therefore Bacliff) are zoned to the College of the Mainland, a
community college A community college is a type of undergraduate higher education institution, generally leading to an associate degree, certificate, or diploma. The term can have different meanings in different countries: many community colleges have an open enr ...
in Texas City.


Parks and recreation

Along the
Galveston Bay Galveston Bay ( ) is a bay in the western Gulf of Mexico along the upper coast of Texas. It is the seventh-largest estuary in the United States, and the largest of seven major estuaries along the Texas Gulf Coast. It is connected to the Gulf of ...
Bacliff has several boat ramps.Colby, p
73
The Galveston County Department of Parks and Senior Services operates several recreational facilities in Bacliff. The Bacliff Community Center is at 4503 11th Street. The Bayshore Park at 5437 East Farm to Market Road 646 (FM 646) has five baseball fields, one boat ramp, one historic site, ten picnic areas, one pier, one playground, and five practice backstops. The park was originally owned by Texas Genco for 35 years; the county operated the park according to an agreement. In 2005 Texas Genco donated the park to the county. Many anglers and their families use Bayshore Park as a place of recreation. In 2014 Galveston County purchased and cleared a new tract in Bacliff which will become a new park for the Bayshore area. In August 2016 the Galveston County Commissioners Court approved a $1.9 million contract to build a Community Center at the park with Galveston County crews initiating construction the same month. As of January 2018 the new Bacliff Community Center and Park was in full operation. The Bacliff Boat Ramp is located behind Clifton's Seaside Diner, while the Bayshore Park Boat Ramp is located on Farm to Market Road 646, aka Bayshore Drive. The nearest full service marina is the Eagle Point fishing camp, located off East Bayshore Drive in San Leon. As of 2016 one of the most popular restaurants in Bacliff was Noah's Ark. T.J. Aulds of ''
The Galveston County Daily News ''The Daily News'', formerly the ''Galveston County Daily News'' and ''Galveston Daily News'', is a newspaper published in Galveston, Texas, United States. It was first published April 11, 1842, making it the oldest newspaper in the U.S. state of ...
'' said that Bacliff, San Leon, and Bayview "are known for great spots to eat seafood." As of 1991 Bacliff, along with Kemah and Seabrook, houses pleasure boats from
NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the federal government of the United States, US federal government responsible for the United States ...
employees due to its proximity to the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center."Texas Independence Trail." (Special Advertising Supplement Sponsored by GMC, adapted and updated from the trail map published by the Texas State Department of Highways and Public Transportation) ''
Texas Monthly ''Texas Monthly'' (stylized as ''TexasMonthly'') is a monthly American magazine headquartered in Downtown Austin, Texas. Founded in 1973 by Michael R. Levy, ''Texas Monthly'' chronicles life in contemporary Texas, writing on politics, the Natura ...
''.
Emmis Communications Emmis Corporation is an American media conglomerate based in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Emmis, based on the Hebrew word for "Truth" (''Emet'') was founded by Jeff Smulyan in 1980. Emmis has owned many radio stations, including KPWR ...
. April 1991. Volume 19, No. 4. p
96
. Retrieved from
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on May 9, 2013.


Notable person

*
Floyd Tillman Floyd Tillman (December 8, 1914 – August 22, 2003) was an American country musician who, in the 1930s and 1940s, helped create the Western swing and honky tonk genres. Tillman was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970 a ...
,"Country music star Tillman dies at 88." ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
''. Monday, August 25, 2003. National A10. Available at NewsBank, Record Number 0FF5C53EAC902101. "Memo: THIS ELECTRONIC VERSION MAY DIFFER SLIGHTLY FROM PRINTED VERSION"
country musician who contributed to the creation of
Western swing Western swing, country jazz or smooth country is a subgenre of American country music that originated in the late 1920s in the West and South among the region's Western string bands. It is dance music, often with an up-tempo beat, which att ...


References

*Bradfield, Bill and Clare Bradfield. ''Muleshoe and More: The Remarkable Stories Behind the Naming of Texas''. Taylor Trade Publishing, October 1, 1998. , 9781461732631. *Colby, Sorrell. ''Flyfishers Guide to Texas Gulf Coast''. Wilderness Adventures Press. March 15, 2009. , 9781932098662 . *Kearney, Sid. ''A Marmac Guide to Houston and Galveston: 6th Edition''. Pelican Publishing, March 1, 2009. , 9781455608508.


Notes


Further reading

* Lomax, John Nova.
Bacliff Wiggers
" ''
Houston Press The ''Houston Press'' is an online newspaper published in Houston, Texas, United States. It is headquartered in the Midtown Houston, Midtown area. It was also a weekly print newspaper until November 2017. The publication is supported entirely ...
''. Wednesday September 11, 2008.


External links

* *
Bacliff (Clifton-by-the-Sea)
" Galveston County Historical Museum, County of Galveston.
Archive

Bacliff MUD
* Aukds, T.J.

" ''
The Galveston County Daily News ''The Daily News'', formerly the ''Galveston County Daily News'' and ''Galveston Daily News'', is a newspaper published in Galveston, Texas, United States. It was first published April 11, 1842, making it the oldest newspaper in the U.S. state of ...
''. {{authority control Census-designated places in Galveston County, Texas Census-designated places in Texas Greater Houston Galveston Bay Area Populated coastal places in Texas