League City, Texas

League City is a city in Galveston County and Harris County in the U.S. state of Texas, within the Houston•Sugar Land•Baytown metropolitan area. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city population was 45,444; in the 2006 census estimate, the population was listed as 67,200. The city has a small portion north of Clear Creek within Harris County, Texas zoned for residential and commercial uses.^[3]

League City is home to several water-side resorts used by people from nearby Houston.

League City surpassed Galveston as Galveston County's largest city between 2000 and 2005.^[4]

History

League City was settled at the former site of a Karankawa Indian village. Three families, the Butlers, Cowarts, and Perkinses, are considered to be founding families of the city. The Cowart family settled on a creek now called Cowart's Creek after them (now often called "Coward's Creek"). The Perkins family built on a creek notably lined with magnolia trees, and named it Magnolia Bayou. The Butler family settled inland.

The first resident of the town proper, George W. Butler, arrived from Louisiana in 1873 and settled at the junction of Clear Creek and Chigger Bayou. The area was known as Butler's Ranch or Clear Creek until J. C. League acquired the land from a man named Muldoon on his entering the priesthood. League laid out his town site on Galveston, Houston, and Henderson Railroad, already established in the area. This began a small feud over the name, as Butler was the postmaster. The name was changed several times, alternating between Clear Creek and the new League City. In the end, League City was chosen.

In 1907, League had two railroad flatcars of live oak trees left by the railroad tracks. These were for the residents to plant on their property. Butler and his son Milby supervised the planting of these trees, now known as the Butler Oaks. Many of them line Main Street to this day.^{[citation needed]}

In the 2000s, rising real estate costs in Galveston forced many families to move to other areas, including League City. This meant an influx of children out of Galveston ISD and into other school districts like Clear Creek ISD and Dickinson ISD.^[5]

Geography

League City is located at 29°29′59″N 95°05′23″W / 29.499797°N 95.089784°W (29.499797, -95.089784).^[6] This is 23 miles (37 km) southeast of Houston, and the same distance northwest of Galveston.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 52.3 square miles (135.6 km²), of which, 51.2 square miles (132.7 km²) of it is land and 1.1 square miles (2.9 km²) of it (2.12%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census^[1] of 2007, there were 68,178 people, 16,189 households, and 12,465 families residing in the city. The population density was 886.9 people per square mile (342.4/km²). There were 17,280 housing units at an average density of 337.2/sq mi (130.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 83.99% White, 5.09% African American, 0.37% Native American, 3.17% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 5.29% from other races, and 2.04% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.49% of the population.

There were 16,189 households out of which 42.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.4% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.0% were non-families. 18.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.19.

In the city the population was spread out with 29.4% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 35.9% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 5.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 99.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.5 males.

According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in the city was $78,250, and the median income for a family was $88,338.[6] Males had a median income of $52,366 versus $34,301 for females. The per capita income for the city was $27,170. About 3.6% of families and 4.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.9% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over.

Government and infrastructure

The United States Postal Service League City Post Office is located at 240 West Galveston Street.^[7]

City Government

League City became an incorporated city in 1962. League City’s government consists of seven council members and the mayor. The mayor only votes in the event of a tie vote of city council. The City's charter is purported to be a strong mayor form of government, but this issue has been debated for years. By ordinance, a city administrator position was created under Mayor Leonard Cruse. The administrator’s position does not carry the authority of a city manager under a council manager form of government. This administrator position does not have authority to conduct the city’s business without the constant approval of council and mayor.^{[citation needed]} This ordinance has created a form of government recently referred to "Hybrid" of strong mayor and council manager forms of government. ^{[citation needed]}

Health Care

In 2008 the University of Texas Medical Branch board of regents approved the creation of the 110,000-square-foot Specialty Care Center facility, located on 35 acres of land near Interstate 45, Farm to Market Road 646, and the Victory Lakes community.^[8]

Education

Primary and secondary schools

Public schools

Clear Creek Independent School District is based in League City, and serves pupils in the Harris County portion and most of the Galveston County portion. Most pupils in League City attend schools in Clear Creek ISD. Some in Galveston County attend school in Dickinson ISD and Santa Fe ISD.

The CCISD portion of the city is divided between board of trustee districts 1, 4, and 5^[9][10][11]. They are represented by Robert Allan Davee, Stuart J. Stromeyer, and Dee Scott, respectively, as of 2008.^[12]

Clear Creek High School, of Clear Creek ISD, is located in League City. In fall 2007 Clear Springs High School opened in western League City.^[13] In the fall of 2010 Clear Falls High School will open in the CCISD Education Village in southeastern League City.

Ed White Memorial High School is a state charter school in League City.^[14]

Private schools

Bay Area Christian School started in 1973 and currently has an enrollment of 674 students from grades K•12.^[15]

St. Mary School, a Roman Catholic K-8 school operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, is in League City.^[16]

Colleges and universities

The Harris County portion of League City is served by the San Jacinto College.^[17] The Galveston County portion is served by the College of the Mainland.^[18]

Public library

The Helen Hall Library, a member of the Galveston County Library System, is operated by the city and located at 100 West Walker Street.^[19][20] The League City Public Library was renamed after Hall in 1985. During that year a $2.5 million bond to expand the 7,000-square-foot (650 m²) library passed. The library received a two-story adult services wing and a renovation of the original structure, which housed the children's and audio-visual services sections; the projects were completed by 1988. As of 2008 Hall, with 29,000 square feet (2,700 m²) of space, is the largest and busiest unit of the Galveston County Library System.^[21]

Transportation

Houston Gulf Airport was located in eastern League City. The airport's land was sold and the land became a string of houses along Texas State Highway 96.^[22]

Commercial airline service for the area is operated from George Bush Intercontinental Airport and William P. Hobby Airport, which are located in Houston.

Parks and recreation

The 38,000-square-foot (3,500 m²) Perry Family YMCA is located at 1701 League City Parkway. The branch, which cost $10.7 million U.S. dollars to build was named after Bob Perry, a homebuilder who donated $1 million. The North Galveston County YMCA began in 1993 and later moved into the Perry YMCA. John P. McGovern and his wife, Katherine, donated the 17-acre (69,000 m²) site used for the Perry YMCA.^[23]

See also

• Galveston Bay Area

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
2. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
3. ^ [1]
4. ^ Schladen, Marty. "Forces drive people off island." Galveston County Daily News. Retrieved on December 6, 2008.
5. ^ [2]
6. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2005-05-03. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
7. ^ "Post Office Location - LEAGUE CITY." United States Postal Service. Retrieved on December 6, 2008.
8. ^ Elder, Laura. "UTMB gets OK for Victory Lakes project." The Galveston Daily News. May 16, 2008. Retrieved on February 12, 2009.
9. ^ District 1 Map. Clear Creek Independent School District. Retrieved on December 6, 2008.
10. ^ District 4 Map. Clear Creek Independent School District. Retrieved on December 6, 2008.
11. ^ District 5 Map. Clear Creek Independent School District. Retrieved on December 6, 2008.
12. ^ "School Board Members: Bios and Contact Information." Clear Creek Independent School District. Retrieved on December 6, 2008.
13. ^ [3]
14. ^ [4]
15. ^ Bay Area Christian School
16. ^ [5]
17. ^ Texas Education Code, Section 130.197, "San Jacinto College District Service Area".
18. ^ Texas Education Code, Section 130.174, "College of the Mainland District Service Area".
19. ^ "Galveston County Library System"
20. ^ "Map & Directions." Helen Hall Library. Retrieved on December 6, 2008.
21. ^ "History." Helen Hall Library. Retrieved on December 6, 2008.
22. ^ Rendon, Ruth. "Fees could slow growth / Developers expected to balk at League City plan." Houston Chronicle. Sunday November 2, 2003. A29 MetFront.
23. ^ Evans, Thayer. "CONSTRUCTION UPDATE / YMCA begins taking shape / Facility slated to open later this year in League City." Houston Chronicle. Thursday May 31, 2007. ThisWeek 1.

External links

• City of League City
• League City from the Handbook of Texas Online

Categories: Cities in Texas | Galveston County, Texas | Harris County, Texas | Galveston Bay Area | Greater Houston