Houston, Texas is the biggest city in Texas. It is also 4th biggest city in the USA. It is also the county seat of Harris County and the main economic center of the Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown metroplex. Houston was founded in the mid-1830s by two real estate tycoons from New York who bought more than 6,600 acres of land in the Buffalo Bayou.
The said entrepreneurs are Augustus Chapman Allen and John Kirby Allen, and they are brothers, with Augustus being the older of the two. They got the land for just $5,000 using the money handed down to Augustuss spouse, Charlotte. It was the suggestion of Charlotte to name the area Houston after General Sam Houston, who was the commander of the American forces during the Battle of San Jacinto, in present day Harris County, Texas.
By 1837, Houston transitioned to cityhood. Along with its incorporation as a city, it also became the capital of the Republic of Texas and the seat of government for the Harrisburg County. Shipping and water-borne businesses were significant industries in the early years of Houstons cityhood. By 1860, Houston became a crucial commercial hub especially in the cotton trade. By the 1890s it had become the railroad center of Texas. Houston struck big when it found oil and this set off a cascade of big changes that benefited the city and the region. The creation of the deepwater port in Houston following the destruction of the Port of Galveston by a hurricane also meant economic growth for the city.
The city was not spared from the dire effects of World War II. During that time, there was a marked reduction in tonnage levels at the port and shipping activities stopped. Houston businessmen turned to refining petrochemicals and manufacturing synthetic rubber as other lucrative ventures during those difficult times. Many companies from other parts of the country began relocating to Houston in the 1950s, and this resulted in an economic boom and a marked increase in population. In the years that followed, several important facilities were built in Houston and these included the NASA Space Center, the Astrodome, and the Texas Medical Center.
Houston growth slowed down because of the recession of the 1990s, but the city was able to quickly recover from it by lowering their dependence to oil, and devoting its energies to sectors that werent as affected. Houston's quick-thinking and great confidence despite the problems they face makes the city a very promising one.
If you want to read about the history of other cities in Texas, tap here.
Nessun commento:
Posta un commento