Nickname: "City on a Hill, Beantown, The Hub (of the Solar System), Athens of America" Official website: www.cityofboston.gov Location Location of Boston, Massachusetts Location in Massachusetts Government Counties Suffolk County Mayor Thomas Menino (Dem) Geographical characteristics Area Total 89.6 sq mi (232.1 km²) Land 48.4 sq mi (125.4 km²) Water 41.2 sq mi (106.7 km²) Population (2004) City proper 569,165 Density 11,760 /sq mi (4,540 /km²) Urban area 4,313,000 Metro area 5,809,111 Elevation 141 ft (43 m) Time zone Eastern (UTC-5) Summer (DST) Eastern (UTC-4)
"Boston" redirects here. For other uses, see Boston (disambiguation).
Boston is the capital of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. It is the largest city and unofficial capital of the region known as New England. Boston is one of the oldest, wealthiest, and most culturally significant large cities in the United States. Its economy is based on education, health care, finance, and technology.
Boston has many nicknames. The City on a Hill came from original Massachusetts Bay Colony's governor John Winthrop's goal to create the biblical "City on a Hill." It also refers to the original three hills of Boston. Beantown refers to early Bostonian merchants' habit for making baked beans with imported molasses. The Hub is a shortened form of writer Oliver Wendell Holmes' phrase The Hub of the Solar System, now more commonly The Hub of the Universe. William Tudor, co-founder of the North American Review, christened the city The Athens of America for its great cultural and intellectual influence. Boston is sometimes called the Puritan City because its founders were Puritans, and also called The Cradle of Liberty for its role in instigating the American Revolution. Citizens of Boston and the surrounding area are called Bostonians.
The city lies at the center of the Boston CMSA (Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area), the seventh largest in the United States. The area encompasses parts of the states of New Hampshire, Maine, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. The city also lies at the center of Greater Boston, which also includes the cities of Cambridge, Brookline, Quincy, Newton, and many suburban communities farther from Boston.
History
Boston was founded on September 17, 1630 , by Puritan colonists from England, on a peninsula called Shawmut by its original Native American inhabitants. The peninsula was connected to the mainland by a narrow isthmus, and surrounded by the waters of Massachusetts Bay and the marshes at the mouth of the Charles River. Boston's early European settlers first called the area Trimountaine. They later renamed the town for Boston, England, in Lincolnshire, from which several prominent "pilgrim" colonists emigrated. A majority of Boston's early citizens were Puritans. Massachusetts Bay Colony's original governor, John Winthrop, gave a famous sermon entitled "a City upon a Hill," which captured the idea that Boston had a special covenant with God. (Winthrop also led the signing of the Cambridge Agreement which is regarded as a key founding document of the city.) Puritan ethics molded an extremely stable and well-structured society in Boston. For example, shortly after Boston's settlement, Puritans founded America's first school, Boston Latin School (1635), and America's first college, Harvard College (1636). Hard work, moral uprightness, and an emphasis on education remain part of Boston's culture.
During the early 1770s, British attempts to exert control on the thirteen colonies, primarily via taxation, prompted Bostonians to initiate the American Revolution. The Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, and several early battles occurred in or near the city, including the Battle of Lexington and Concord, Battle of Bunker Hill, and the Siege of Boston. During this period, Paul Revere made his famous midnight ride.
After the Revolution, Boston became one of the world's wealthiest international trading ports — major exports were rum, fish, salt, and tobacco. During this era, descendants of old Boston families became regarded, in the American popular mind, as the nation's social and cultural elites; they were later dubbed the Boston Brahmins. In 1822, Boston was chartered as a city. By the mid-1800s, the city's industrial manufacturing overtook international trade in economic importance. Until the early 1900s, Boston remained one of the nation's largest manufacturing centers, and was notable for its garment production, leather goods, and machinery industries. From the mid-to-late-nineteenth century, Boston flourished culturally — it became renowned for its rarefied literary culture and lavish artistic patronage. It also became a center of the abolitionist movement.
In the 1820s, Boston's ethnic composition began to change dramatically; groups like the Irish and Italians moved into the city and brought with them Roman Catholicism. Currently, Catholics make up Boston's largest religious community. The Irish have played a major role in Boston politics — prominent figures include the Kennedys and John F. Fitzgerald. Boston in 1772 and 1880. The original area of the Shawmut Peninsula was substantially expanded by landfill. Enlarge Boston in 1772 and 1880. The original area of the Shawmut Peninsula was substantially expanded by landfill.
Between 1630 and 1890, the city tripled its physical size by land reclamation, specifically by filling in marshes and mud flats and by filling gaps between wharves along the waterfront,[1] a process Walter Muir Whitehill called "cutting down the hills to fill the coves." The most intense reclamation efforts were in the 1800s. Beginning in 1807, the crown of Beacon Hill was used to fill in a 50-acre (20 ha) mill pond that later became Haymarket Square (just south of today's North Station area). The present-day State House sits atop this shortened Beacon Hill. Reclamation projects in the middle of the century created significant parts of the areas now known as the South End, West End, Financial District, and Chinatown. After The Great Boston Fire of 1872, building rubble was used as landfill along the downtown waterfront. The most dramatic reclamation project was the filling in of the Back Bay in the mid to late 1800s. Almost 600 acres (2.4 km²) of brackish Charles River marshlands west of the Boston Common were filled in with soil brought in by rail from the hills of Needham Heights. Boston also grew by annexing the adjacent communities of East Boston, Dorchester, South Boston, Brighton, Allston, Hyde Park, and Charlestown, some of which were also augmented by landfill reclamation. Scollay Square, Boston, Boston, in the 1880s Enlarge Scollay Square, Boston, Boston, in the 1880s
By the early and mid-20th century, the city was in decline as factories became old and obsolete, and businesses moved out of the region for cheaper labor elsewhere. Boston responded by initiating various urban renewal projects, including the demolition of the old West End neighborhood and the construction of Government Center. In the 1970s, Boston boomed after thirty years of economic downturn, becoming a leader in the mutual fund industry. Boston already had a reputation for excellent healthcare services. Hospitals such as Massachusetts General Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and Brigham and Women's Hospital led the nation in medical innovation and patient care. Universities such as Harvard, MIT, and Boston University attracted many students to the Boston area. Nevertheless, the city experienced conflict starting in 1974 over desegregation busing, which resulted in unrest and violence around public schools throughout the mid-1970s. The unrest served to highlight racial tensions in the city.
Over the past several decades, Boston has experienced a dramatic loss of regional institutions and traditions, which once gave it a very distinct social character. Boston has begun to resemble other parts of the continuous string of Northeast seaboard cities dubbed the BosWash megalopolis. The city faces gentrification issues and exorbitant living costs. Regardless, throughout the past several decades, Boston has once again become a major hub of intellectual, technological, and political ideas. [edit]
Geography and climate A simulated-color satellite image of the Boston area taken on NASA's Landsat 3. Enlarge A simulated-color satellite image of the Boston area taken on NASA's Landsat 3. [edit]
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 89.6 square miles (232.1 km²)— 48.4 square miles (125.4 km²) of it is land and 41.2 square miles (106.7 km²) of it is water. The total area is 46.0% water. With an elevation of 19 feet (5.8 m) above sea level at Logan International Airport, Boston is bordered by the cities of Winthrop, Revere, Chelsea, Everett, Somerville, Cambridge, Watertown, Newton, Brookline, Needham, Dedham, Canton, Milton, and Quincy—often known as, and considered a part of, Greater Boston. Downtown Boston Enlarge Downtown Boston
Much of the Back Bay and South End are built on reclaimed land—two and a half of Boston's three original hills were used as a source of material for landfill. Only Beacon Hill, the smallest of the three original hills, remains partially intact. The downtown area and immediate surroundings consist mostly of low-rise brick or stone buildings, with many older buildings in the Federal style. Several of these buildings mix in with modern high-rises, notably in the Financial District, Government Center, Back Bay, and the South Boston waterfront. To this day, the South End Historic District remains the nation's largest surviving contiguous Victorian-era neighborhood. Smaller commercial areas are interspersed amongst single-family homes and wooden/brick multifamily row houses.
The Charles River separates Boston proper from Cambridge, Watertown, and the neighborhood of Charlestown. To the east lies Boston Harbor and the Boston Harbor Islands, many of which are part of the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area, operated by the National Park Service. The Neponset River forms the boundary between Boston's southern neighborhoods and the cities of Quincy and Milton. The Mystic River separates the neighborhoods of East Boston and Charlestown from Chelsea and Everett. [edit]
Climate Looking at Boston's Back Bay from Cambridge in the winter Enlarge Looking at Boston's Back Bay from Cambridge in the winter
Boston experiences a continental climate that is very common in New England. The weather in Boston, like much of New England, changes rapidly. It is not uncommon for the city to experience temperature swings of 54 Fahrenheit degrees (30 Celsius degrees) or more over the course of a couple of days. Summers are typically warm and humid, while winters are cold, windy and snowy. It has been known to snow in October -- the city received an inch of snow on October 30, 2005. The earliest recorded 90 °F temperature was in late March 1998, while February in Boston has seen 70 degrees only once in recorded history, on February 24, 1985. Spring in Boston can be hot, with temperatures in the 90s, though it is just as possible for a day in late May to remain in the 40s. The hottest month is July, with an average high of 82 °F (28 °C) and a low of 64 °F (18 °C). The coldest month is January, with an average high of 36 °F (2.2 °C) and a low of 22 °F (-5.6 °C).[2] Periods exceeding 90 °F in summer and below 10 °F in winter are not uncommon, but rarely prolonged. The record high temperature is 104 °F (40 °C), recorded on July 4, 1911. The record low temperature is -18 °F (-28 °C), recorded on February 9, 1934.[3] The city averages 42 in (1,080 mm) of rainfall a year. It also coincidentally averages 42 in (108 cm) of snowfall a year, although this increases dramatically as one goes inland away from the city. Massachusetts' geographic location's jutting out into the North Atlantic also make the city very prone to Nor'easter weather systems that can dump more than 20 in (50 cm) of snow on the region in one storm event. Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Avg high °F (°C) 36°F (2°C) 39°F (4°C) 46°F (8°C) 56°F (13°C) 67°F (19°C) 77°F (25°C) 82°F (28°C) 80°F (27°C) 73°F (23°C) 62°F (17°C) 52°F (11°C) 42°F (6°C) 59°F (15°C) Avg low °F (°C) 22°F (-6°C) 24°F (-4°C) 31°F (-1°C) 41°F (5°C) 50°F (10°C) 59°F (15°C) 65°F (18°C) 64°F (18°C) 57°F (14°C) 46°F (8°C) 38°F (3°C) 28°F (-2°C) 44°F (6°C) Rainfall in inches (millimeters) 3.92" (99.6mm) 3.30" (83.8mm) 3.85" (97.8mm) 3.60" (91.4mm) 3.24" (82.3mm) 3.22" (81.8mm) 3.06" (77.7mm) 3.37" (85.6mm) 3.47" (88.1mm) 3.79" (96.3mm) 3.98" (101.1mm) 3.73" (94.7mm) 42.53" (1,080.2mm) [edit]
Demographics Town (to 1820) and City of Boston Population by year[4] Census year Population Rank 1790 18,320 3 1800 24,937 4 1810 33,787 4 1820 43,298 4 1830 61,392 4 1840 93,383 5 1850 136,881 3 1860 177,840 5 1870 250,526 7 1880 362,839 5 1890 448,477 6 1900 560,892 5 1910 670,585 5 1920 748,060 7 1930 781,188 9 1940 770,816 9 1950 801,444 10 1960 697,197 13 1970 641,071 16 1980 562,994 20 1990 574,283 20 2000 589,141 20
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 589,141 people, 239,528 households, and 115,212 families residing in the city. The population density was 12,166 people per square mile (4,697/km²). There were 251,935 housing units at an average density of 5,203 per square mile (2,009/km²). The Irish are one of the larger ethnic groups in the city of Boston, and sometimes considered the capital of "Irish America". Italians also form a very large segment of the city's population. The racial makeup of the city was 49.48% White, 27.33% Black or African American, 0.40% Native American, 7.52% Asian American, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 7.83% from other races, and 4.39% from two or more races. 14.44% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race. These figures became less reliable because of the large, Brazilian population, estimated by some studies to approach 250,000 in Massachusetts. Census data did not account for this significant segment of the community because of confusing terminology, as Brazilians speak Portuguese and often do not consider themselves specifically Hispanic, Latino, White or African American. Per capita income in the greater Boston area, by U.S. Census block group Enlarge Per capita income in the greater Boston area, by U.S. Census block group
There were 239,528 households out of which 22.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 27.4% were married couples living together, 16.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 51.9% were non-families. 37.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 3.17.
In the city the population was spread out with 19.8% under the age of 18, 16.2% from 18 to 24, 35.8% from 25 to 44, 17.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $39,629, and the median income for a family was $44,151. Males had a median income of $37,435 versus $32,421 for females. The per capita income for the city was $23,353. 19.5% of the population and 15.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 25.6% of those under the age of 18 and 18.2% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
The population is pushed up to one million or more on an average week day. On days with major events such as baseball or basketball games the population can easily increase to 1.5 million. Like many other major cities in the 1950s and 1960s, Boston's population decreased dramatically due to new highway systems that made it easier to access the suburbs and outer regions.
See also: Neighborhoods in Boston, Massachusetts
[edit]
Law and government Massachusetts State House Enlarge Massachusetts State House
Boston has a "strong mayor" system in which the mayor is vested with extensive executive powers. The mayor is elected to a four-year term by plurality voting. The city council is elected every two years. There are nine district seats, each elected by the residents of that district through plurality voting, and four at-large seats. Each voter casts up to four votes for at-large councilors, no more than one vote per candidate. The candidates with the four highest vote totals are elected. The president of the city council, currently Michael F. Flaherty, is elected by the councilors from within themselves. The school committee is appointed by the mayor, as are city department heads.
In addition to city government, numerous state authorities and commissions play a role in the life of Bostonians, including the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation and the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport). As the capital of Massachusetts, Boston plays a major role in state politics. Boston is also the United States federal government center for New England. Properties include the John F. Kennedy Federal Office Building and the Thomas P. O'Neil Federal Building. The city also serves as the home of the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, as well as the headquarters of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston (the First District of the Federal Reserve). The city is in the Eighth and Ninth Congressional districts.
Boston's low crime rate in the last years of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st has been credited to its police department's collaboration with neighborhood groups and church parishes to prevent youths from joining gangs, as well as heavy involvement from the District Attorney's office. The current DA for Suffolk County and Boston, Daniel F. Conley, spent nearly ten years working at reducing gang violence in the city. This helped lead in part to what has been touted as the "Boston Miracle." Murders in the city dropped from 152 in 1990 (for a murder rate of 26.5 per 100,000 people) to just 31—not one of them a juvenile—in 1999 (for a murder rate of 5.26 per 100,000).
In more recent years, however, the annual murder count has fluctuated by as much as 50% compared to the year before, with 60 murders in 2002, followed by just 39 in 2003, 64 in 2004, and 75 in 2005. Though the figures are nowhere near the high-water mark set in 1990, the aberrations in the murder rate have been unsettling for many Bostonians and have prompted discussion over whether the Boston Police Department should reevaluate its approach to fighting crime.[5][6][7]
Boston has eight sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International (SCI): Barcelona (Spain), Hangzhou (People's Republic of China), Kyoto (Japan), Melbourne (Australia), Padua (Italy), Strasbourg (France), Sekondi-Takoradi (Ghana), and Taipei (Taiwan). The city has thrice been a recipient of the All-America City Award, the oldest and most respected civic award in the U.S. County government: Suffolk County Clerk of Courts: Michael Joseph Donovan County Treasurer: District Attorney: Daniel F. Conley Registrar of Deeds: Francis Roache Registrar of Probate: Richard Iannella Sheriff: Andrea J. Cabral State government Representative(s) in General Court: Anthony Petruccelli, Salvatore DiMasi, Brian Wallace, Marie St. Fleur, Shirley Owens-Hicks, Gloria Fox, Paul Demakis, Byron Rushing, Michael Rush, Elizabeth Malia, Linda Dorcena-Forry, Martin Walsh, Angelo Scaccia, Jeffrey Sanchez, Kevin Honan, Michael Moran Senator(s) in General Court: Jarrett Barrios, Eugene L. O'Flaherty, Marian Walsh, Steven A. Tolman, John Hart, Jr., Dianne Wilkerson, Robert Travaglini Governor's Councilor(s): Michael J. Callahan, Kelly A. Timilty, Marilyn M. Petitto Devaney Federal government Member(s) of the U.S. House of Representatives: Michael Capuano (D-8th District), Steven Lynch (D-9th District) U.S. Senators: Edward Kennedy (D) John Kerry (D)
See also: List of Mayors of Boston, Massachusetts
[edit]
Economy Boston's Back Bay viewed over the Charles River from the Esplanade. Enlarge Boston's Back Bay viewed over the Charles River from the Esplanade.
Boston's colleges and universities have a major impact on the city and region's economy. Not only are they major employers, but they also attract high-tech industries to the city and surrounding region, including computer hardware and software companies as well as biotechnology companies like Millennium Pharmaceuticals and Biogen Idec. Boston receives the highest amount of annual funding from the National Institutes of Health of all cities in the United States.[8]
Other important industries include financial services, especially mutual funds and insurance. Boston-based Fidelity Investments helped popularize the mutual fund in the 1980s, and has made Boston one of the top financial cities in the United States. The city is also the regional headquarters of major banks such as Bank of America and Sovereign Bank, and a center for venture capital. Boston is also a printing and publishing center. Textbook publisher Houghton Mifflin is headquartered within the city. The city is also a major convention destination with four major convention centers: the Hynes Convention Center in the Back Bay, the Bayside Expo Center in Dorchester, and the World Trade Center Boston and Boston Convention & Exhibition Center on the South Boston waterfront. Because of its status as a state capital and the regional home of federal agencies, law and government is another major component of the city's economy.
Major companies headquartered within the city include Gillette, owned by Procter & Gamble, and Teradyne, one of the world's leading manufacturers of semiconductors and other electronic equipment. New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc. has its headquarters in the city. Other major companies are located outside the city, especially along Route 128. The Port of Boston is the largest and busiest seaport in Massachusetts. It is also a major seaport along the United States east coast as well as a major fishing port.
See also: Major companies in Greater Boston
[edit]
Education [edit]
Colleges and universities
Boston's reputation as the Athens of America derives in large part from the teaching and research activities of more than 100 colleges and universities located in its metropolitan area. Boston College was the first institution of higher education established in the city. It was originally located in the South End before moving to Chestnut Hill, on the city's western edge. Its campus gradually expanded and it is now within the outer edges of the city's political boundaries. Boston University, now the city's second largest employer and one of the largest private universities in the country, was originally established in Vermont before moving to Brookline and later to its present campus in the Back Bay in the 1950s. Harvard University, the nation's oldest institution of higher learning, is based across the Charles River in Cambridge; however, most of its current land holdings lie in Boston. These holdings include the Arnold Arboretum, and its business and medical schools. Harvard recently announced plans to expand its main campus across the Charles River into Boston's Allston neighborhood, which already hosts some of the university's dormitories and sports facilities.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) operates several major laboratories within the city. Emerson College, a highly regarded arts and communications school, maintains a campus near the Theatre District at the southeast corner of Boston Common. Northeastern University, a large private university with a distinctive cooperative education program, maintains a campus in the Fenway district. Next door is Wentworth Institute of Technology, a nationally accredited institution and a founding member of the Colleges of the Fenway. Founded in 1904, it offers fifteen bachelor's degree programs in such areas as architecture, computer science, and engineering. Suffolk University, a small private university known for its law school, maintains a campus on Beacon Hill. The city is also home to a number of conservatories and art schools, including the Massachusetts College of Art, New England Conservatory, Boston Conservatory, and Berklee College of Music. The University of Massachusetts Boston, Roxbury Community College, and Bunker Hill Community College are the city's three state-run colleges. [edit]
Primary and secondary schools
Boston Public Schools, the oldest public school system in the U.S., enrolls 58,600 students from kindergarten to grade 12. The system operates 145 schools, which includes Boston Latin School (the oldest public school, established in 1635), English High (the oldest public high school, established 1821), and Mather (the oldest public elementary school, established in 1639).[9] The city also has private, parochial, and charter schools. 3000 students of racial minorities attend participating suburban schools through the Metropolitan Educational Opportunity Council, or METCO.
See also: List of colleges and universities in metropolitan Boston
[edit]
Culture A summer day on the Charles River esplanade. Enlarge A summer day on the Charles River esplanade.
Main article: Culture in Boston, Massachusetts
Boston shares many cultural roots with greater New England, including a dialect of the Eastern New England accent popularly known as Boston English, and a regional cuisine with a large emphasis on seafood and dairy products. Irish Americans are a major influence on Boston's politics and religious institutions and consequently on the rest of Massachusetts. Italian, Chinese, and Hispanic groups also have major contributions to Boston's cultural composition. Boston has its own collection of neologisms known as Boston slang.
Many consider Boston a highly cultured city, perhaps as a result of its intellectual reputation; much of Boston's culture originates at its universities.[10] The city also has a number of ornate theatres, including the Cutler Majestic Theatre and The Wang Center for the Performing Arts. Renowned performing arts groups include the Boston Ballet, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Boston Pops, Boston Lyric Opera Company, and the Handel and Haydn Society (the oldest choral company in the United States). There are a number of major annual events such as First Night, which occurs during New Year's Eve, and several events during the Fourth of July. These events include the weeklong Harborfest festivities and a Boston Pops concert accompanied by fireworks on the banks of the Charles River. Faneuil Hall, looking at the east side Enlarge Faneuil Hall, looking at the east side
In contrast to what might be considered the more "refined" aspects of Boston's culture, the city is also one of the birthplaces of the hardcore punk genre of music. Boston musicians have contributed greatly to the hardcore scene over the years (see also Boston hardcore). Boston also had one of the leading local ska scenes in the ska revival of the mid-1990s with bands like The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, The Allstonians, and Skavoovie and the Epitones. [edit]
Media
Main article: Media in Boston, Massachusetts
The Boston Globe, owned by the New York Times Company, and The Boston Herald are Boston's two major daily newspapers. The city is also served by a number of smaller publications such as The Boston Phoenix, The Improper Bostonian, and The Weekly Dig.
Boston has the largest broadcasting market in New England, with the Boston radio market being the eleventh largest in the United States.[11] Several major AM stations include talk radio WRKO 680 AM, sports/talk station WEEI 850 AM, and news radio WBZ 1030 AM. A variety of FM radio formats serve the area as well as NPR stations WBUR and WGBH. University radio stations include WZBC (Boston College), WERS (Emerson), and WUMB (UMass Boston).
The Boston television DMA, which also includes Manchester, New Hampshire, is the fifth largest in the United States.[12] The city is served by stations representing every major American network including WBZ 4 (CBS), WCVB 5 (ABC), WHDH 7 (NBC), WFXT 25 (Fox), WSBK 38 (UPN), and WLVI 56 (WB). Boston is also home to PBS station WGBH 2, which also operates WGBX 44. WGBH is a major producer of PBS programs. Most Boston television stations have their transmitters in nearby Needham and Newton. [edit]
Sites of interest The Frog Pond in the Boston Common. Enlarge The Frog Pond in the Boston Common.
Main article: Sites of interest in Boston, Massachusetts
Because of the city's prominent role in the American Revolution, several historic sites relating to that period are preserved as part of the Boston National Historical Park. Many are found along the Freedom Trail, which is marked by a red line or bricks embedded in the ground. Also along the Freedom Trail is Boston Common, with the Boston Public Garden being adjacent. Boston Common is part of the Emerald Necklace, a string of parks designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. In the winter, the Frog Pond at Boston Common doubles as a popular ice-skating rink. Another major park is the Esplanade located along the banks of the Charles River. A major recreation site for many Bostonians, it is also the site of the Hatch Shell. Other parks are scattered throughout the city, with the major parks located near Castle Island, Charlestown, the Dorchester shoreline, and East Boston. Back Bay Enlarge Back Bay
The Back Bay district includes many prominent landmarks such as the Christian Science Center, Boston Public Library, Copley Square, and Newbury Street. Back Bay is also the home of two of New England's tallest buildings: the John Hancock Tower and the Prudential Center.[13] Near the John Hancock Tower is the old John Hancock Building with its prominent weather forecast beacon. Other notable districts/neighborhoods include Beacon Hill, Charlestown, Chinatown, Downtown Crossing, North End, and South Boston.
Boston is home to several world-renowned museums, including the Museum of Fine Arts, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and the Museum of Science. The University of Massachusetts campus at Columbia Point houses the John F. Kennedy Library. The New England Aquarium, Franklin Park Zoo, Boston Athenaeum (one of the oldest independent libraries in the United States), and the Boston Children's Museum are located within the city.
There are also two self-guided walking tours: Harbor Walk, which is designed to allow people the walk the entire shore of Boston Harbor, and the Black Heritage Trail. A popular guided tour is the Boston Duck Tour, which uses World War II-era duck boats. The outer suburbs of Boston, which tend to be forested, have vibrantly colored foliage every autumn that attracts many tourists. [edit]
Sports
The TD Banknorth Garden (formerly called the Fleet Center) is above North Station and is the home of two major league teams: the Boston Bruins ice hockey team of the (National Hockey League) and the Boston Celtics basketball team of the (National Basketball Association). The Celtics have the distinction of having more World Championships than any other NBA team with 16 championships from 1957 to 1986. A Boston Red Sox baseball game at Fenway Park Enlarge A Boston Red Sox baseball game at Fenway Park
The Boston Red Sox baseball is a member of the American League of Major League Baseball. They play their home games at Fenway Park, located near Kenmore Square, in the Fenway section of Boston. It is the oldest sports arena or stadium in active use in the United States, among the four major professional sports. Boston was once the home of the National League's Boston Braves, before they left for Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1953, and then later on Atlanta, Georgia. Boston was also one of the sites of the first World Series in 1903. The series was played between the Boston Pilgrims (currently the Boston Red Sox) and the Pittsburgh Pirates.[14]
The New England Patriots of the National Football League team plays their home games in nearby Foxboro. Boston fans travel there to see the Patriots and the New England Revolution soccer team of Major League Soccer. Both teams play at Gillette Stadium. Before moving to Foxboro the Patriots, while still playing in the now defunct American Football League, played their home games at Fenway Park and Harvard Stadium. The team moved to Foxboro in 1971. Another major league team is the Boston Cannons lacrosse team of Major League Lacrosse. The team plays at Boston University's Nickerson Field (the former Braves Field).
Boston's many colleges and universities field sports teams. The most prominent include Boston College (member of the Atlantic Coast Conference), Boston University (America East Conference), Northeastern University (Colonial Athletic Association), and Harvard University (Ivy League). The hockey teams of these four universities meet every year in an immensely popular four-team tournament known as the "Beanpot".
One of the most famous sporting events in the city is the Boston Marathon, the 26 mile (42 km) run from Hopkinton to Copley Square in the Back Bay. The Marathon is so popular and heavily attended that the city declares the Monday that is run Patriot's Day, or "Marathon Monday" as it is known locally. Adding to the excimtement, the Red Sox always schedule a home baseball game early in the day. Another famous event held in the city is the Head of the Charles Regatta rowing competition on the Charles River.
Boston's first all-female flat-track roller derby league, Boston Derby Dames, formed in May 2005. The league is among the original members of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association.
See also: U.S. cities with teams from four major sports
[edit]
Infrastructure [edit]
Health and medicine
As the home to some of the world's most respected research hospitals, Boston enjoys an international reputation in the medical field. The Longwood Medical Area is a region of Boston with a concentration of medical and research facilities, including Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Children's Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Harvard Medical School. Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Brigham and Women's Hospital were both formed by mergers: the former between Beth Israel Hospital and New England Deaconess Hospital, and the latter by Peter Bent Brigham Hospital and the Boston Hospital for Women. Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) is located near the Beacon Hill neighborhood, with the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital nearby. Boston also has VA medical centers in the Jamaica Plain and West Roxbury neighborhoods.
Many of Boston's major medical facilities are associated with universities. The facilities in the Longwood Medical Area and MGH are world-renowned research medical centers affiliated with Harvard Medical School. New England Medical Center, located in the southern portions of the Chinatown neighborhood, is affiliated with Tufts University. Boston Medical Center, located in the South End neighborhood, is the primary teaching facility for the Boston University School of Medicine as well as the largest trauma center in the Boston area; it was formed by the merger of Boston University Hospital and Boston City Hospital. [edit]
Transportation Longfellow Bridge across the Charles River, with two MBTA Red Line trains. The Beacon Hill neighborhood is in the background. Enlarge Longfellow Bridge across the Charles River, with two MBTA Red Line trains. The Beacon Hill neighborhood is in the background.
Main article: Boston transportation
Logan International Airport, located in the East Boston neighborhood, is the major airport serving Boston. Another airport serving the city and surrounding areas is Hanscom Field in Lexington and Bedford. T. F. Green Airport in Providence, Rhode Island, and Manchester-Boston Airport in Manchester, New Hampshire, are airports outside Massachusetts which serve as secondary facilities.
Downtown Boston's streets appear as though they were not planned, and are often alleged, incorrectly, to have evolved from centuries-old foot and cow paths. Except for the reclaimed Back Bay and part of South Boston, the city has no street grid. Boston has been described as a "City of Squares", referring to the tradition of naming the intersections of major thoroughfares after prominent city residents. Roads change names and lose and add lanes seemingly at random. The city also has a number of rotaries, which have confused many drivers. In its March 2006 issue, Bicycling magazine named Boston as one of the three worst cities in U.S. for cycling, though the city does have a huge cult following of the activity, especially fixed gear.
Boston is the eastern terminus of I-90, also known as the Mass Pike. I-95, which surrounds the city, is locally referred to by its historical state route numbering — Route 128. U.S. Route 1 (also known locally as 'Route 1') and I-93 runs north to south through the city. The most infamous portion, the Central Artery, runs through downtown Boston and was constantly prone to heavy traffic. Through the Big Dig the elevated highway was replaced with an underground tunnel.
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) operated the nation's first underground rapid transit system, which has since been expanded, reaching as far north as Malden, as far south as Braintree, and as far west as Newton. Collectively known as the "T", the MBTA also operates an extensive network of bus lines and water shuttles, and a commuter rail network extending north to the Merrimack River valley, west to Worcester, and south to Providence, Rhode Island.
Amtrak's Northeast Corridor and Chicago lines originate at South Station and stop at Back Bay. Fast Northeast Corridor trains, which service New York City, Washington, D.C., and points in between, also stop at Route 128 Station in the southwestern suburbs of Boston. Meanwhile, Amtrak's Downeaster service to Maine originates at North Station. [edit]
Utilities
Water supply and sewage-disposal services are provided by the Boston Water and Sewer Commission. The Commission in turn purchases wholesale water and sewage disposal from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA). Established as a public authority in 1984, the MWRA pipes water from reservoirs in Western and Central Massachusetts, notably the Quabbin and Wachusett Reservoirs, for several communities within Greater Boston. The agency operates several facilities for sewage treatment, notably an effluent tunnel in Boston Harbor and the Deer Island Wastewater Treatment Plant near the mouth of Boston Harbor.
NSTAR is the exclusive distributor of electric power to the city, though due to deregulation, customers now have a choice of electric generation companies. Natural gas is distributed by KeySpan Corporation (the successor company to Boston Gas); only commercial and industrial customers may choose an alternate natural gas supplier. Verizon, successor to New England Telephone, NYNEX, and Bell Atlantic, is the primary wired telephone service provider for the area. Phone service is also available from various national wireless companies. Cable television is available from Comcast and RCN. Broadband Internet access is provided by Comcast and RCN in certain areas. Satellite television is available from Dish Network and DirecTV. A variety of DSL providers and resellers are able to provide broadband Internet over Verizon-owned phone lines. [edit]
See also
* Notable Bostonians * List of television shows set in Boston * List of films, operas, and plays set in Boston * List of Boston skyscrapers * Boston in fiction * Fictional people from Boston
[edit]
Notes
1. ^ The History of Land Fill in Boston iBoston.org. Accessed January 9, 2006. Also see Boston: History of the Landfills 2. ^ NWS Taunton, MA. Boston Daily Normals. Accessed April 19, 2006. 3. ^ NWS Taunton, MA. Boston Temperature Records. Accessed April 19, 2006. 4. ^ Gibson, Campbell (June 1998). Population of the 100 Largest Cities and Other Urban Places in the United States: 1790 to 1990. U.S. Bureau of the Census - Population Division. 5. ^ Winship, Christopher (March 2002). End of a Miracle? Harvard University. 6. ^ Boston Police Department's Monthly Crime Statistics (2005). CityOfBoston.gov. 7. ^ Boston MA Crime Statistics (2004 - New Crime Data). areaConnect.com. 8. ^ Top 100 NIH Cities, 2004. SSTI.org. 9. ^ The Boston Public Schools at a Glance (2004). Boston Public School. Accessed October 5, 2005. 10. ^ Phelan, Joseph (11-2004). Boston Marathon. Artcyclopedia. Accessed October 1, 2005. 11. ^ Arbitron - Market Ranks and Schedule, 1-50 (Fall 2005). 12. ^ Nielsen Media - DMA Listing (September 24, 2005). 13. ^ Boston Skyscrapers. Skyscrapers.com. Accessed May 15, 2005. 14. ^ 1903 World Series - Major League Baseball: World Series History. MLB.com.
[edit]
References
* The Boston Indicators Project (2004). The Boston Foundation. * Ira Gershkoff and Richard Trachtman (2004). The Boston Driver's Handbook. Da Capo Press. ISBN 0306813262. * Patricia Harris and David Lyon (1999). Boston. Oakland, CA: Compass American Guides. ISBN 0679002847. * Howard Mumford Jones and Bessie Zaban Jones (1975). The Many Voices of Boston: A Historical Anthology 1630-1975. Boston: Little, Brown and Company. ISBN 0316472824. * Rambow, John D. et. al (2003). Fodor's Boston. New York: Fodors Travel Publication. ISBN 1400010284. * Vanderwarker, Peter (1982). Boston Then and Now. Courier Dover Publications. ISBN 0486243125. * Elevation data: USGS—Boston
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External links Find more information on Boston by searching Wikipedia's sister projects:
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Coordinates: 42.35° N -71.066666° E
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Nickname: "Space City" Official website: www.houstontx.gov Location Location of Houston, Texas Location in the state of Texas Government Counties Harris County Fort Bend County Montgomery County Mayor Bill White Geographical characteristics Area Total 601.7 sq mi (1,558 km²) Land 579.4 sq mi (1,501 km²) Water 22.3 sq mi (57.7 km²) Population (2004) City proper 2,012,626 Density 502.6 /sq mi (1,301.8 /km²) Urban area 4,283,000 Metro area 5,280,752 Coordinates 29°45′25&Prime ; N 95°22′12″ W Elevation 43 ft (13 m) Time zone CST (UTC-6) Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5)
Houston is the largest city in the state of Texas and the fourth-largest in the United States. The city covers more than 600 square miles (1,600 km²) and is the county seat of Harris County—the third-most populous in the country. As of the 2004 US Census estimate, Houston had a total population of more than 2 million. The city is at the heart of the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area, the largest cultural and economic center of the Gulf Coast region and the seventh-largest metropolitan area in the U.S. with a population of 5.3 million in 10 counties.
Houston is world-renowned for its energy (particularly oil) and aeronautics industries, and for its ship channel. The area is also the world's leading center for building oilfield equipment. The Port of Houston is the sixth-largest port in the world; amid other U.S. ports, it is the busiest in foreign tonnage and second in overall tonnage. Second only to New York City in Fortune 500 headquarters, Houston is the seat of the internationally-renowned Texas Medical Center, which contains the world's largest concentration of research and healthcare institutions.[1]
Houston is ranked as one of 11 U.S. world-class cities by the Globalization and World Cities Study Group & Network. The city has a vibrant visual and performing arts scene—the Houston Theater District is ranked second in the country for the number of theatre seats in a concentrated downtown area per capita[2] and has world-class visual and performing arts organizations. The city is also close to beaches on Galveston Island as well as one of the United States' largest concentrations of pleasure boats and local tourist attractions.
History
Houston's founding
In the mid-1800s, two brothers who were New York real estate promoters, John Kirby Allen and Augustus Chapman Allen, sought a location where they could begin building "a great center of government and commerce." In August 1836, they purchased 6,642 acres (27 km²) of land from T. F. L. Parrot, John Austin's widow, for $9,428. The Allen brothers named their town after Sam Houston.
Houston started out as a hamlet. Gail and Thomas H. Borden surveyed and mapped the town in typical grid fashion, with wide streets running parallel and perpendicular to the area's system of bayous. The city was granted incorporation on June 5, 1837, and James S. Holman became the first mayor. That same year, Houston also became the county seat of Harrisburg County, which was renamed Harris County in 1839. At this time, the the Texas Legislature designated Houston as the temporary capital of the new Republic of Texas. On January 14, 1839, the capital was moved to Austin, then known as Waterloo. [edit]
Early settlers
Early settlers used lumber to build frame houses, ditches for drainage, and relied on pigs to clean the streets. Lawlessness, epidemics and financial problems prompted the people of the community to establish a Chamber of Commerce, chartered by the Congress of the Republic on November 26, 1838. Because many of the first settlers were from the South, Houston endorsed the slavery-plantation system. Slaves lived scattered through the neighborhoods, though there were few free blacks in the city. During this period, yellow fever struck periodically—in 1839 the disease devastated the fledgling city, killing about 12 percent of its population.
In 1840, the city was divided into four wards, each with different community functions. The wards are no longer political divisions today, though their names are still used to refer to geographic areas. The Allen brothers began to promote Houston as a place to live at the same time the Republic of Texas started promoting colonization of Texas.
By 1860 Houston began to emerge as a commercial and railroad hub for the export of cotton. Railroad spurs from the Texas inland converged in Houston, where they met rail lines to the ports of Galveston and Beaumont. During the Civil War, Houston served as a headquarters for General John Bankhead Magruder, who used Houston as an organization point for the Battle of Galveston. Houston saloon keeper Dick Dowling became the city's first famous personality after his victory at the battle of Sabine Pass in 1863.
After the Civil War, Houston businessmen initiated efforts to widen the city's extensive system of bayous so the city could accept more commerce between downtown and the nearby port of Galveston. After several privately-financed dredging projects in the 1860's and 1870's, the U.S. government took over the Houston Ship Channel project in 1881. [edit]
Early 20th century
In 1900, Houston's population was about 45,000, making it the 85th largest city in the United States. Oil discovery at Spindletop in Beaumont in 1901 prompted the development of the oil industry, which eventually would would transform Houston into a large city. In 1902, Theodore Roosevelt approved a $1 million improvement project for the Houston Ship Channel. By 1910, the population of Houston was larger than that of Galveston. President Woodrow Wilson opened the Port of Houston in 1914, 74 years after digging started. Service started with the Satilla, a ship that ran from Houston to New York City. By 1914, the Houston Ship Channel was dredged to give Houston a deep-water port, outpacing Galveston's port which was devastated by the Galveston Hurricane of 1900.
By the end of the 1930s, Houston began having growing pains — the city was no longer a frontier town, and its air service was inadequate for its needs. By 1939, Houston was Texas' most populous city. Educational facilities for minority groups, including Wiley College, opened in this time period. April 1940 saw streetcar service replaced by buses.
When World War II started, tonnage levels fell and five shipping lines ended service to Houston, but the war did have some economic benefits for the city. Ellington Field, initially built during World War I, was revitalized as a training center for bombardiers, and aircraft and shipbuilding became large industries statewide. The M. D. Anderson Foundation formed the Texas Medical Center in 1945. The banking industry also rose to prominence in the late 1940s. After the war, Houston's economy reverted back to a healthy, port driven economy. In 1948, several unincorporated areas were annexed into the city limits, and Houston proper began to spread across the prairie.
The Gulf Freeway and the International Terminal at Houston International Airport (originally, Houston Municipal Airport; now, William P. Hobby Airport) were signs of increasing wealth in the area. [edit]
Decades of growth The Astrodome Enlarge The Astrodome
Shipbuilding during World War II spurred Houston's growth, as well as the establishment in 1961 of NASA's "Manned Spacecraft Center" (renamed the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in 1973), which created the city's aerospace industry. December 1961 saw Hurricane Carla, a very destructive storm that hit the city head on. The Astrodome (then called the Harris County Domed Stadium), the first indoor, domed sports stadium, opened in 1965 and was quickly nicknamed the "Eighth Wonder of the World."
The late 1970s saw a population boom due to the Arab Oil Embargo as people from Rust Belt states moved en masse into Texas, which benefited from the oil crunch. But Houston's reliance on petroleum as the base of its industry led to its downfall when oil prices collapsed in the 1980s. Since then, Houston has made efforts to diversify its economy, focusing on aerospace and biotechnology, and reducing its dependence on petroleum. The space shuttle, atop its Boeing 747, flying over NASA's Johnson Space Center Enlarge The space shuttle, atop its Boeing 747, flying over NASA's Johnson Space Center
In 1981, Kathryn J. Whitmire became the city's first female mayor and held that position for 10 years. August 18, 1983 saw Hurricane Alicia, a Category 3 storm, which hit Galveston and downtown Houston, causing massive damage. The population boom calmed down when oil prices fell in 1986 due to the embargo being lifted. The space industry also took a blow that year with the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. The 1980s was a decade of recession for the Houston economy — The first nine months of 1987 saw the death of eleven banks — though its arts and culture expanded.
The year 1990 saw the Mickey Leland International Airlines building of Houston Intercontinental Airport open. The 12-gate terminal was named after Mickey Leland. In that same year, the G8 Summit was held in Houston. The largest master-planned community in Harris County—Kingwood&mda sh;was annexed in 1996, after much opposition. Lee P. Brown, Houston's first African American mayor, was elected in 1997. [edit]
The new millennium Hurricane Rita evacuation in September 2005 Enlarge Hurricane Rita evacuation in September 2005
In 2001, Tropical Storm Allison dumped feet of rain on the city, causing billions of dollars in damage and killing 43 people. To date, the flooding caused by Allison was the worst in the city's history. Many neighborhoods and communities have changed since the storm; older houses in some affected neighborhoods have been torn down and replaced with larger houses with higher foundations.
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, Houston provided shelter to more than 25,000 refugees from New Orleans, Louisiana in various facilities around the city, including the infrequently-used Reliant Astrodome stadium. This unprecedented situation involved Houston-area public school systems, which are providing education for child refugees. According to CNN, around 230,000 people from the New Orleans metropolitan area are now living in the Houston area, in shelters or elsewhere. Katrina refugees have swelled the city proper's population past 2.5 million. It is unclear how that variable will fluctuate in the coming months. Some have speculated that, because of a variety of social and economic factors, the enormous population shift could—at least in part—be permanent.
Approximately 2.5 million (out of 5.2 million) Greater Houston area residents evacuated when Hurricane Rita approached the Gulf Coast one month after Hurricane Katrina. Hurricane Rita left little damage to the Houston metropolitan area. Dead stop traffic and gas shortages were rampant during the evacuation. This event marked the largest evacuation in the history of the United States.
See also: Historical events of Houston
[edit]
Geography and climate [edit]
Geography A simulated-color image of Houston taken on NASA's Landsat 7 satellite with Galveston Bay and Galveston Island visible in the picture Enlarge A simulated-color image of Houston taken on NASA's Landsat 7 satellite with Galveston Bay and Galveston Island visible in the picture
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 601.7 square miles (1,558.4 km²)— 579.4 square miles (1,500.7 km²) of it is land and 22.3 square miles (57.7 km²) of it is water. The total area is 3.7 percent water.
Houston has four major bayous passing through the city: Buffalo Bayou, which runs into downtown and the Houston Ship Channel; and three of its tributaries: Brays Bayou, which runs along the Texas Medical Center; White Oak Bayou, which runs through the Heights and near the northwest area; and Sims Bayou, which runs through the south of Houston and downtown Houston. The ship channel goes past Galveston and into the Gulf of Mexico.
Much of Houston is very flat, making flooding a recurring problem for its residents. The city stands about 50 feet (15 m) above sea level; the Houston Heights area has the highest elevation in the city. The city once relied on groundwater for its water needs, but land subsidence forced the city to turn to ground-level water sources such as Lake Houston. [edit]
Geology
Underpinning Houston's land surface are unconsolidated clays, clay shales, and poorly-cemented sands up to several miles deep. The region's geology developed from stream deposits from the erosion of the Rocky Mountains. These sediments consist of a series of sands and clays deposited on decaying organic matter that, over time, transformed into oil and natural gas. Beneath these tiers is a water-deposited layer of halite, a rock salt. The porous layers were compressed over time and forced upward. As it pushed upward, the salt dragged surrounding sediments into dome shapes, often trapping oil and gas that seeped from the surrounding porous sands. This thick rich soil also provides a good eviroment for rice farming in suburban outskirts that the city continues to grow into near Katy. Evidence of past rice farming is even still evident in developed areas as there is an abundance of rich dark loamy top soil.
The Houston region is generally earthquake-free. While the city of Houston contains 86 mapped and historically active surface faults with an aggregate length of 149 miles (240 km), the clay below the surface precludes the buildup of friction that produces ground shaking in earthquakes. These faults generally move at a smooth rate in what is termed "fault creep." [edit]
Climate The "500-year" flood from Tropical Storm Allison Enlarge The "500-year" flood from Tropical Storm Allison
Houston's climate is classified as humid subtropical. The city is located in the gulf coastal plains biome, and its vegetation is classified as temperate grassland. Much of Houston was built on forested land, marshes, swamp, or prairie, all of which can still be seen in surrounding areas. The average yearly precipitation level is approximately 48 inches (910 to 1,220 mm). Prevailing winds are from the south and southeast during most of the year, bringing heat from the deserts of Mexico and moisture from the Gulf of Mexico.
In the summer, daily high temperatures are in the 95 °F to 102 °F (35 °C to 39 °C) range throughout much of July and August, with the average high peaking at 94 °F at the end of July.[3] The air tends to feel still and the humidity (often 90 to 100 percent relative humidity, while average afternoon relative humidity is between 57 and 60 percent in the summer) results in a heat index higher than the actual temperature. To cope with the heat, people use air conditioning in nearly every car and building in the city. Summer thunderstorms sometimes bring tornadoes to the area. Afternoon rains are not uncommon, and most days Houston meteorologists predict at least some chance of rain. The hottest temperature ever recorded in Houston was 109 °F (43 °C) on September 4, 2000.[4]
Winters in Houston are cool and temperate. Many days the temperatures are between the 45 °F and 55 °F (7 °C and 16 °C). The coldest period is usually in January, when north winds bring winter rains. Snow is almost unheard of, and typically does not accumulate when it is seen. The last snowstorm to hit Houston was on December 24, 2004; only a few inches accumulated and it was all melted by the next afternoon. The coldest temperature ever recorded in Houston was 5 °F (−15 °C) on January 23, 1940. [edit]
Government and politics Bill White, mayor of Houston as of 2006 Enlarge Bill White, mayor of Houston as of 2006
Founded in 1836 and incorporated in 1837, Houston is one of the fastest growing major cities in the United States and the largest without zoning laws. The city is the county seat of Harris County. A portion of southwest Houston extends into Fort Bend County and a small portion in the northeast extends into Montgomery County.
The city of Houston has a strong mayor-council government. The City's elected officials, serving concurrent two year terms, are: the mayor, the city controller and 14 members of the city council.
Under the strong mayor-council government, the mayor serves as the executive officer of the city. As the city's chief administrator and official representative, the mayor is responsible for the general management of the city and for seeing that all laws and ordinances are enforced.
The current mayor is Bill White, who is serving his second term. In Houston, a mayor can be elected consecutively for three terms. City council members, who also have a three-term limit, are elected from nine districts in the city, along with five at-large positions. At-large council members represent the entire city. The current city council lineup was based on a U.S. Justice Department mandate which took effect in 1979. Houston is a home rule city and all municipal elections in the state of Texas are nonpartisan. The Harris County Civil Courts Law building Enlarge The Harris County Civil Courts Law building
Many local lawmakers have been impacted by the city's term limits. Several former city officials—Anthony Hall, Rodney Ellis, Sheila Jackson-Lee, Sylvia Garcia, Martha Wong, Chris Bell, and Annise Parker—had to run for another elected position once their term expired.
Former mayor Lee P. Brown denounced the term limits, saying they prevented incumbents from gaining enough experience in city government. A proposal to double the current two-year term of office has been debated—as of 2005, several candidates for the city council have brought up the issue of whether term limits should be amended or eliminated.
Some elected officials from the Greater Houston area within the Texas Legislature—primari ly Garnet Coleman and Sylvester Turner—have also spoken against term limits.
According to the 2005 Houston Area Survey, 67 percent of non-Hispanic whites in the city are declared or favor Republicans while 88 percent of non-Hispanic blacks in the city are declared or favor Democrats. About 58 percent Hispanics (of any race) in the city are declared or favor Democrats. Overall about half of Houston area is considered socially conservative, with more conservatives residing in the suburbs and more liberals in the city. Fifty-four percent of Houston area residents oppose abortion and 49 percent believe "homosexuality is morally wrong."[5] Democratic candidate John Kerry won the city of Houston during the 2004 presidential election, while George W. Bush carried Harris county and the other surrounding counties in the Houston area [6].
See also: List of Houston mayors and List of consulates in Houston
[edit]
Economy The Port of Houston Enlarge The Port of Houston
Houston's energy industry is a world powerhouse (particularly oil), but biomedical research, aeronautics, and the ship channel are also large parts of the city's industrial base. The Houston metropolitan area comprises the largest petrochemical manufacturing area in the world, including for synthetic rubber, insecticides, and fertilizers. The area is also the world's leading center for building oilfield equipment. Much of Houston's success as a petrochemical complex is due to its busy man-made ship channel, the Port of Houston. [7] Because of these economic trades, many residents have moved to Houston from other U.S. states, as well as hundreds of countries worldwide. Unlike most places, where high gas prices are seen as harmful to the economy, they are generally seen as beneficial for Houston as many are employed in the energy industry.
Historically, Houston has had several growth spurts (and some devastating economic recessions) related to the oil industry. The discovery of oil near Houston in 1901 led to its first growth spurt — by the 1920s, Houston had grown to almost 140,000 people. The city's burgeoning aerospace industry heralded its second growth spurt, which solidified with the 1973 oil crisis. Demand on Texas oil increased, and many people from the northeast moved to Houston to profit from the trade. When the embargo was lifted, the growth mostly stopped. However, Pasadena still has its refineries, and the Port of Houston is among the busiest in the world.
Houston is second to New York City in Fortune 500 headquarters. The city has attempted to build a banking industry, but the companies originally started in Houston have since merged with other companies nationwide. Banking, however, is still vital to the region.
See also: List of companies in Houston
[edit]
Demographics [edit]
Census 2000 City of Houston Population by year [8] [9] Year Population Rank 1850 2,396 1860 4,845 1870 9,332 1880 16,513 1890 27,557 1900 44,633 85 1910 78,800 68 1920 138,276 45 1930 292,352 26 1940 384,514 21 1950 596,163 14 1960 938,219 7 1970 1,232,802 6 1980 1,595,138 5 1990 1,630,553 4 2000 1,953,631 4 2004 2,012,626 4
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 1,953,631 people, 717,945 households, and 457,330 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,371.7 people per square mile (1,301.8/km²). There were 782,009 housing units at an average density of 1,349.6 per square mile (521.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 49.27 percent White, 25.31 percent Black or African American, 0.44 percent Native American, 5.31 percent Asian, 0.06 percent Pacific Islander, 16.46 percent from other races, and 3.15 percent from two or more races. 37.41 percent of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 717,945 households out of which 33.1 percent had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.2 percent were married couples living together, 15.3 percent had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.3 percent were non-families. 29.6 percent of all households were made up of individuals and 6.2 percent had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.39.
In the city, the population was spread out with 27.5 percent under the age of 18, 11.2 percent from 18 to 24, 33.8 percent from 25 to 44, 19.1 percent from 45 to 64, and 8.4 percent who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 99.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,616, and the median income for a family was $40,443. Males had a median income of $32,084 versus $27,371 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,101. 19.2 percent of the population and 16.0 percent of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 26.1 percent of those under the age of 18 and 14.3 percent of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line. [edit]
Crime
Houston recorded 336 murders in 2005, in comparison to 272 in 2004. Murders in Houston peaked at 702 back in 1981. Despite the rise in homicides of 23.5 percent, overall crime in the city dropped by 2 percent in 2005 compared to 2004. Most of the homicides that occurred in the last quarter of 2005 occurred in the city's apartment complexes—primarily in the southwest and north-central areas of Houston.[10]
Houston is currently going through a spike in crime due in part to an influx of refugees from New Orleans into the city following Hurricane Katrina. Since September 1, 2005, when an estimated 200,000 Louisianans resettled in Houston after the hurricane, refugees are believed to have been involved in 26 slayings, or nearly 17 percent of all homicides. The cases, according to Houston police, involved 34 refugees—19 of them victims and 15 of them suspects. Houston's murder rate increased 70 percent in November and December of 2005 compared to 2004's levels. At least 35 percent of the city's December 2005 increase in homicides—five of 14 over last year’s level— have been directly attributed to the presence of Katrina refugees.[11]
Police say that southwest Houston, long recognized as a problem area, is facing another manifestation of the Louisiana exodus—Katrina crime. In late January, investigators in the Houston Police Department's Gang Murder Squad announced the arrests of eight of 11 suspects believed linked to nine homicides in the city's southwest side and two others in nearby Pasadena, which is southeast of Houston.[12] The slayings occurred since November 2005 and all the suspects are displaced New Orleanians who landed in Houston after the hurricane.
In the first 19 days of 2006, a new Neighborhood Enforcement Team Taskforce had responded to calls involving complaints by 110 Katrina refugees. Of the suspects apprehended, 229 were Katrina refugees.[13] [edit]
People and culture Tranquility Park in Downtown Enlarge Tranquility Park in Downtown
Officially, Houston is nicknamed the "Space City" as it is home to NASA's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, where Mission Control Center is located. Because of this, "Houston" was the first word spoken on the moon. Many locals, however, prefer to call it the "Bayou City." Other nicknames include "H-Town," "Clutch City," and "Magnolia City."
Because the Greater Houston area and the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex are the major economic centers of Texas, the two areas enjoy a friendly rivalry. Houstonians often consider themselves more "down to earth" than their neighbors to the north, and some Houstonians complain that Dallas seems to get more attention nationally, though Houston has a larger population. This rivalry often leads to comparison of the assets of one city to the assets of the other. For example, Dallas has more restaurants per person than even New York City while Houstonians eat out more often than residents of any other city in the United States.
Houston has the lowest cost of living and the lowest median housing costs among 27 major U.S. metropolitan areas with populations of more than 1.7 million.
The Houston Theater District is located in the heart of downtown Houston and is home to nine of Houston's performing arts organizations, six performance halls, as well as the 130,000 square foot Bayou Place entertainment complex and several public plazas and parks. Houston is one of only five cities in the United States with permanent professional resident companies in all of the major performing arts disciplines—opera, ballet, music, and theatre.
Of the many popular events held in the city by far the largest is the annual Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo that is held over twenty days from late February through early March. The event begins with trail rides that originate from several points throughout the state, all of which convene at Reliant Park for a barbeque cook-off. The rodeo includes typical rodeo events, as well as concert performances from major artists and carnival rides.
Several Houston-based restaurants—most notably Ninfa Laurenzo's Mama Ninfa's Mexican restaurant chain, Johnny Carrabba's Carrabba's, and Kim Su Tran La's Kim Sơn Vietnamese restaurant chain—have become well known in Texas and throughout the country. Houston is also home to Landry's Restaurants, Inc. which owns and operates hundreds of restaurants throughout the United States under 28 different concepts. The design for the first Compaq computer was sketched on a napkin at House of Pies—a well-known diner in the Upper Kirby district.
See also: List of famous people raised in Houston
[edit]
A cosmopolitan city Williams Waterwall in Uptown Houston Enlarge Williams Waterwall in Uptown Houston
Houston is a diverse and international city, in part because of its many academic institutions and strong biomedical, energy, manufacturing and aerospace industries. A port city, Houston also has large populations of immigrants from Mexico, China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, India, Pakistan, and Vietnam. This influx of immigrants is partially responsible for Houston having a population younger than the national average.
Houston has two Chinatowns, as well as the third largest Vietnamese American population in the United States. Recent redevelopment of Midtown from run-down to upscale has increased property values and property taxes, but has also forced some Vietnamese-Americans into other areas of the city. The older downtown Chinatown is also disappearing.
About 90 languages are frequently spoken in the Houston area. Some neighborhoods with high populations of Vietnamese and Chinese residents have Chinese and Vietnamese street signs in addition to English ones. Houston has the second highest South African population in the United States, after Miami, Florida. The city is also noted for its large Nigerian population, counting about 100,000 native Nigerians as residents[14].
The Hispanic population in Houston is increasing as more illegal immigrants from Latin American countries—primarily from Mexico—look for work in Houston. The city has the third largest Hispanic population in the United States. It is estimated that about half a million are here illegally in the city.
Houston has the largest concentration of gay and lesbian (or LGBT) population in Texas and one of the largest in the country—trailing behind San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York City. The annual gay pride parade—one of the largest events in Houston—is held in June commemorating the struggle for gay liberation, gay rights, gay pride, and the Stonewall riots of the late 1960s in New York City. The event is held along Westheimer Road in the Montrose area. This area is also home to many gay establishments, such as restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and coffeehouses.
Aided by the popularity of the late hip-hop artist DJ Screw and many local hip-hop labels such as Swisha House Records, Houston is known among youth, primarily in the South, as having its own distinctive style of hip-hop commonly known as chopped and screwed (referred to locally as simply "screw"). Many young Houstonians of all ethnicities and socioeconomic backgrounds in touch with local hip-hop culture may remember the advent of this form of Southern rap which began to take place around 1993, helping the city earn the nickname "Screwston." In its April 2006 cover story, hip hop magazine The Source declared Houston "the new hip-hop hotspot."
See also: List of events in Houston
[edit]
Cultural institutions Hobby Center for the Performing Arts Enlarge Hobby Center for the Performing Arts
Known for the vibrancy of its visual and performing arts, Houston's Theater District is ranked second in the country (behind New York City) in the amount of theatre seats in a concentrated downtown area with 12,948 seats for live performances and 1,480 movie seats. Houston has world-class visual and performing arts organizations, along with a dose of homegrown folk art such as Art Cars[15]. Houston is also one of only five cities in the United States with permanent professional resident companies in all of the major performing arts disciplines (the Houston Grand Opera, the Houston Symphony Orchestra, the Houston Ballet, and The Alley Theatre)[16]. Houston widely recognized as the nation's third most important city for contemporary visual arts. The city is a prime stop for touring companies from Broadway, concerts, shows, and exhibitions for a variety of interests, ranging from the nation's largest quilting show to auto, boat, home and gun shows.
Adjacent to the Texas Medical Center is the Museum District, which is home to most of the city's major museums — the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, the Cullen Sculpture Garden, the Houston Museum of Natural Science, the Holocaust Museum Houston, the Children's Museum of Houston, Lawndale Art Center, the Houston Zoo, the John P. McGovern Museum of Health & Medical Science, and The Menil Collection. Approximately 4 million people visit institutions in the Museum District every year.
Houston is also home to several multicultural arts organizations including: MECA (Multicultural Education and Counseling through the Arts), Kuumba House Dance Theatre, and Nuestra Palabra: Latino Writers Having Their Say. [edit]
Local attractions Bayou Place Entertainment Complex in Downtown Enlarge Bayou Place Entertainment Complex in Downtown
Space Center Houston is the official visitors’ center of NASA's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. Space Center Houston includes many interactive exhibits — including moon rocks and a shuttle simulator—in addition to special presentations that tell the story of NASA's manned space flight program. It also features Texas’ largest IMAX theater.
The Theater District, a 17-block area in the heart of downtown Houston, is home to Bayou Place Entertainment Complex, restaurants, movies, plazas and parks. Bayou Place is a large multilevel building that is home to full service restaurants, bars, live music, billiards, multiple theatres and art house films. The Houston Verizon Wireless Theatre stages a variety of live concerts and the Angelika Theatre presents the latest in art, foreign and independent films.
Houston is home to many parks including Hermann Park, which houses the Houston Zoo and the Houston Museum of Natural Science. What was once the Houston Civic Center was replaced by the George R. Brown Convention Center, one of the nation's largest; and the Jesse H. Jones Hall for the Performing Arts, home of the Houston Symphony Orchestra. Sam Houston Coliseum and Music Hall have been replaced by the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts.
Other tourist attractions include the Galleria, Houston's largest shopping mall located in the Uptown District, Old Market Square, Sam Houston Historical Park, which contains restored homes (built between 1824 and 1868) and reconstructed buildings. The San Jacinto battlefield is in the nearby city of Deer Park. The Port of Houston offers free, 90-minute cruises (except on Mondays and during September). [edit]
In the 1960s, Downtown Houston comprised of a modest collection of mid-rise office structures, but has since grown into one of the largest skylines in the United States. In 1960, the central business district had 10 million square feet (1,000,000 m²) of office space, increasing to about 16 million square feet (1,600,000 m²) in 1970. Downtown Houston was on the threshold of a boom in 1970 with 8.7 million square feet (870,000 m²) of office space planned or under construction and huge projects being launched by real estate developers. The largest proposed development was the 32-block Houston Center. Only a small part of the original proposal was ultimately constructed. Other large projects included the Cullen Center, Allen Center, and towers for Shell Oil Company. The surge of skyscrapers mirrored the skyscraper booms in other cities, such as Los Angeles and Dallas. Houston experienced another downtown construction spurt in the 1970s with the energy industry boom. Wells Fargo Bank Plaza Enlarge Wells Fargo Bank Plaza
The first major skyscraper to be constructed in Houston was the 50-floor, 714-foot-tall (218 m) One Shell Plaza in 1971. A succession of skyscrapers were built throughout the 1970s, culminating with Houston's tallest skyscraper, the 75-floor, 1,002-foot-tall (305 m) JPMorgan Chase Tower (formerly the Texas Commerce Tower), which was completed in 1982. In 2002, it was the tallest structure in Texas, ninth-tallest building in the United States and the 23rd tallest skyscraper in the world. In 1983, the 71-floor, 970-foot-tall (296 m) Wells Fargo Bank Plaza was completed, which became the second-tallest building in Houston and Texas, and 11th tallest in the country. Skyscraper construction in downtown Houston came to an end in the mid-1980s with the collapse of Houston's energy industry and the resulting severe economic recession. When the 53-floor Texaco Heritage Plaza was completed in 1987, it appeared that no more skyscrapers would be constructed for a while. However, in 2002, the Houston-based Enron Corporation began construction of a 40-floor skyscraper which was about to be completed in 2001, the year the company collapsed in one of the most dramatic corporate failures in the history of the United States. Other smaller office structures were built in the 2000-2003 period. As of December 2001, downtown Houston had about 40 million square feet (4,000,000 m²) of office space, including 28 million square feet (2,800,000 m²) of class A office space.
Many downtown buildings are linked by a system of tunnels and skywalks, which also house shops, restaurants and convenience stores. [edit]
Uptown Uptown Houston Enlarge Uptown Houston
The Uptown Houston district boomed along with Houston during the 1970s and early 1980s. A collection of mid-rise office buildings appeared along the Interstate 610 west (or simply "West Loop"). It became one of the most impressive instances of the edge city. The highest achievement of Uptown Houston was the construction of the 899-foot-tall (274 m), Philip Johnson designed landmark Williams Tower (known as the Transco Tower until 1999). At the time, it was believed to the be the world's tallest skyscraper outside of a central business district. The Williams Tower was the product of a unique era in Houston: energy companies were loaded with assets and sought impressive, monumental structures to broadcast their power. Williams Tower Enlarge Williams Tower
The Uptown Houston district is also home to other buildings designed by noted architects such as I. M. Pei and César Pelli among others also designed by Philip Johnson. Large-scale office construction in Uptown Houston, however, came to an end with the collapse of energy prices and the meltdown of Houston's economy in the mid-to-late 1980s. Uptown Houston had 23.8 million square feet (2,210,000 m²) of office space in 2001, whereas Downtown Houston had about 40 million square feet (4,000,000 m²). In the late 1990s, there was a mini-boom of mid-rise residential tower construction, typically about 30 stories tall. Uptown Houston has accumulated a large concentration of high-rise residential structures for such a low-density city.
See also: Tallest buildings in Texas
[edit]
Districts and communities
Main article: Districts and communities of Houston
Midtown Enlarge Midtown
When Houston was established in 1837, the city's founders divided it into political geographic districts called "wards." The ward designation is the progenitor of the current-day Houston City Council districts — there are nine in all.
Locations in Houston are generally classified as either being inside or outside Interstate 610, known as the "610 Loop" or "The Loop". Inside the loop generally encompasses the central business district, and has come to define an urban lifestyle and state of mind. The appellation “inner looper” carries with it the expectation of someone who appreciates cosmopolitan-style city life.
The outlying areas of Houston, the airports and the city's suburbs and enclaves are outside the loop. Another ring road, Texas Beltway 8 (also known simply as the "Beltway"), encircles the city another 5 miles (8 km) farther out. Another ring road, Texas Highway 99 (also known as the Grand Parkway), is under construction.
Houston, being the largest city in the United States without zoning laws, has grown in an unusual manner. Rather than a single "downtown" as the center of the city's employment, five additional business districts have grown throughout the inner-city. If these business districts were combined, they would form the third largest downtown in the United States. The city also has the third largest skyline in the country (after New York City and Chicago), but because it is spread over a few miles, pictures of the city show, for the most part, the main downtown area. [edit]
Healthcare and medical research Texas Medical Center Enlarge Texas Medical Center
Houston is the seat of the internationally-renowned Texas Medical Center, which contains the world's largest concentration of research and healthcare institutions.
There are 42 member institutions in the Texas Medical Center—all are not-for-profit, and are dedicated to the highest standards of patient and preventive care, research, education, and local, national, and international community well-being. These institutions include 13 renowned hospitals and two specialty institutions, two medical schools, four nursing schools, and schools of dentistry, public health, pharmacy, and virtually all health-related careers. It is where one of the first, and still the largest, air emergency service was created—a very successful inter-institutional transplant program was developed—and more heart surgeries are performed than anywhere else in the world.
Some of the academic and research health institutions are Baylor College of Medicine, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, and The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. The M. D. Anderson Cancer Center is widely considered one of the world's most productive and highly-regarded academic institutions devoted to cancer patient care, research, education and prevention.
Following the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans in late August of 2005, Tulane University Medical School temporarily relocated to Baylor College of Medicine for the 2005–2006 school year.
See also: List of hospitals in Texas
[edit]
Transportation [edit]
Highways U.S. Highway 59 as it traverses by Greenway Plaza Enlarge U.S. Highway 59 as it traverses by Greenway Plaza
In Houston urban sprawl and hot, humid summers have made automobiles the favored means of transportation. Houston also has excessive ozone levels and is ranked among the most ozone-polluted cities in the United States.
Houston freeways are heavily traveled and often under construction to meet the demands of continuing growth. Interstate 45 south has been in a continuous state of construction, in one portion or another, almost since the first segment was built in 1952. Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) planners have sought ways to reduce rush hour congestion, primarily through High-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane for vans and carpools. Timed freeway entrances, which regulate the addition of cars to the freeway, are also common. Houston has an extensive network of freeway cameras linked to a transit control center to monitor and study traffic. One characteristic of Houston's freeways (and Texas freeways in general) are its frontage roads (which locals call "feeders"). Alongside most freeways are two to four lanes in each direction parallel to the freeway permitting easy access to individual city streets. Frontage roads provide access to the freeway from businesses alongside, such as gas stations and retail stores. New landscaping projects and a longstanding ban on new billboards are ways Houston has tried to control the potential side effects of convenience.
Houston has a hub-and-spoke freeway structure with multiple loops. The innermost is Interstate 610, forming approximately a 10 mile diameter loop around downtown. The roughly square "Loop-610" is quartered into "North Loop," "South Loop," "West Loop," and "East Loop." The roads of Texas Beltway 8 and their freeway core, the Sam Houston Tollway, are the next loop, at a diameter of roughly 25 miles. Most of this freeway requires payment of $1.25 toll every five or ten miles ($2.00 toll when crossing the Houston Ship Channel). A controversial proposed highway project, Texas Highway 99 (The Grand Parkway), would form a third loop outside of Houston. Currently, the completed portion of Texas Highway 99 runs from just north of Interstate 10, west of Houston, to U.S. Highway 59 in Sugar Land, southwest of Houston, and was completed in 1994. The next portion to be constructed is from the current terminus at U.S. Highway 59 to Texas State Highway 288 in Brazoria County.
Further information: List of highways in Houston
See also: List of Texas highways
[edit]
Mass transit METRORail along the Main Street Corridor in Downtown Enlarge METRORail along the Main Street Corridor in Downtown
The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas, or METRO, provides public transportation in the form of buses, trolleys and lift vans. Uptown, METRO provides free service on the Uptown Shuttle.
METRO began running light rail service (METRORail) on January 1, 2004. Currently the track is rather short — it runs about 8 miles (13 km) from Downtown Houston to the Texas Medical Center and Reliant Park. METRO's various forms of public transportation still do not connect many of the suburbs to the greater city, causing Houstonians to rely on the automobile as a primary source of transportation. Prior to the opening of METRORail, Houston was the largest city in the United States devoid of a rail transit system by a very large margin.
Following a successful referendum held locally in 2004, METRO is currently in the beginning design phases of a ten year expansion plan to add five more sections to connect to the current rail system. An 8.3 mile (13.4 km) expansion has been approved to run the service from Uptown (the Galleria area) through Texas Southern University, ending at the University of Houston campus. [edit]
Airports The International Arrivals Building at George Bush Intercontinental Airport Enlarge The International Arrivals Building at George Bush Intercontinental Airport
Houston is served by two commercial airports—the largest of which is the George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). The airport is the ninth-busiest in the United States for total passengers, and 19th busiest worldwide. Houston is the headquarters of Continental Airlines, Bush Intercontinental is Continental Airline's largest hub, with more than 750 daily departures (more than 250 of which are Continental flights).
Bush Intercontinental currently ranks second in the United States for non-stop domestic and international service (221 destinations), trailing only Atlanta Hartsfield with 250 destinations. The United States Department of Transportation has also recently named George Bush Intercontinental Airport one of the top ten fastest growing airports in the U.S. [17]
The second-largest commercial airport in Houston is the William P. Hobby Airport (named Houston International Airport until 1967). The airport operates primarily small to medium-haul flights and is the only airport in Houston served by Southwest Airlines. Business travelers on shorter routes to Houston from within the United States tend to prefer Hobby over Bush Intercontinental.
The third-largest airport and former U.S. Air Force base, Ellington Field, is primarily used for government and private aircraft. At one point, Continental Express operated flights across the city to Bush Intercontinental primarily for residents of southeast Houston and Galveston County. Passenger flights, however, ended on September 7, 2004.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the state of Texas selected the Houston Airport System as Airport of the Year for 2005, largely because of its multi-year, $3.1 billion airport improvement program for both major airports in Houston. [edit]
Education [edit]
Colleges and universities University of Houston Enlarge University of Houston Rice University Enlarge Rice University
Houston is home to the prestigious Rice University, a private institution boasting one of the largest financial endowments of any university in the world . Rice was ranked the 17th best university overall in the nation by U.S. News & World Report [18]. The small undergraduate student body is among the nation's most select and has one of the highest percentages of National Merit Scholarship winners. Rice maintains a variety of research facilities and laboratories. Rice is also associated with the Houston Area Research Center, a consortium supported by Rice, The University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M University, and the University of Houston.
Houston is served by the University of Houston System, the largest urban state system of higher education in the Gulf Coast. The system has four universities, all but one of which are in Houston or are partially in Houston, and two multi-institution teaching centers. Their flagship institution is the University of Houston, which was founded in 1927 and is the only doctoral degree granting extensive research institution in Houston. It is the third most populous university in Texas with an enrollment of more than 35,000. The University of Houston is also home to more than 40 research centers and institutes. Among the most prestigious of the University of Houston's colleges is the University of Houston Law Center (law school). The University of Houston Law Center's Health Law and Policy Institute is ranked number one in the nation while its intellectual property law program is ranked fifth, according to U.S. News & World Report.
Texas Southern University is a historically black university located in the historic Third Ward, is heralded as a pioneer, and distinguishes itself as one of the leading producers of African American scholars that obtain collegiate, professional, and graduate degrees in the state, as well as the nation.
Houston also is home to the University of Saint Thomas, a Catholic liberal arts college following the Basilian tradition, founded by the Basilian fathers of Canada, and located in the Montrose area. Another religious college serving Houston is Houston Baptist University. South Texas College of Law, located in the heart of downtown Houston, boasts one of the nation's finest programs for trial advocacy.
Much of Houston is served by the Houston Community College System, which is one of the largest community college systems in the United States. HCCS serves the HISD portion of Houston and other areas. Parts of northern Houston are served by North Harris Montgomery Community College District. Parts of eastern and southeastern Houston are served by San Jacinto College. Many of Houston's suburbs also have their own community college systems.
Further information: List of colleges and universities in Houston
See also: List of colleges and universities in Texas
[edit]
Public schools and libraries Lamar High School Enlarge Lamar High School
There are many school districts serving the city of Houston, the largest of which, the Houston Independent School District, serves a large majority of the area within the city limits. A portion of west Houston falls under the Spring Branch and Alief independent school districts. Aldine and North Forest independent school districts take up a part of northeast Houston. Parts of Pasadena, Clear Creek, Crosby, Cypress-Fairbanks, Fort Bend, Galena Park, Huffman, Humble, Katy, New Caney, and Sheldon independent school districts also take students from the city limits of Houston.
Other agencies, such as KIPP and North Houston High School for Business, operate public alternative schools in the Houston area.
Houston is served by the Houston Public Library—it has 36 branches throughout the city, plus the Central Library, located Downtown. The portion of Houston within Fort Bend County is served by the Fort Bend County Libraries, in addition to Houston Public Library. The Harris County Public Library has 26 branches, primarily serving areas outside the city limits of Houston. [edit]
Private schools St. John's School Enlarge St. John's School
The Houston area is home to more than 300 private schools and several are well-known. Many of the schools are accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by Texas Private School Accreditation Commission (TEPSAC).
Among the 50 Houston Area Independent Schools are Robert M. Beren Academy, Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart, Strake Jesuit College Preparatory, Saint Agnes Academy, St. Thomas High School, Incarnate Word Academy, St. John's School, Saint Catherine's Montessori, Awty International School, The Emery/Weiner School, St. Thomas' Episcopal School, and The Kinkaid School.
In nearby city of Bellaire is the Episcopal High School.
Houston-area Catholic schools are operated by the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. [edit]
Professional sports Minute Maid Park Enlarge Minute Maid Park
Houston is home to the MLB Houston Astros, NFL Houston Texans, NBA Houston Rockets, WNBA Houston Comets, AHL Houston Aeros, and MLS Houston Dynamo—all of whom are playing in new state-of-the-art stadiums. Minute Maid Park (home of the Astros) and Toyota Center (home of the Rockets, Comets and Aeros) are located downtown—contributi ng to an urban renaissance that has transformed Houston's center into a day-and-night destination. Rice Stadium, at Rice University, was the home to Super Bowl VIII, and Super Bowl XXXVIII was played at the Reliant Stadium in February 2004. Other sports facilities in Houston are Hofheinz Pavilion, Reliant Astrodome, and Robertson Stadium.
The Houston Astros advanced to the World Series for the first time in the team's history on October 19, 2005, when the team won game six of the National League Championship series against their traditional rival the St. Louis Cardinals. The Astros subsequently lost the World Series to the Chicago White Sox, who swept the series four to zero.
Beginning in 2006, the Champ Car auto racing series will return to Houston for a yearly race, held on the streets of the Reliant Park complex. The city had previously been home to a Champ Car round from 1998 to 2001. On April 1, 2001, Houston hosted World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE)'s WrestleMania X-Seven at the Reliant Astrodome.
The city hosts the annual NCAA football's Houston Bowl in December. Houston was also host of the NCAA football 2005 Big 12 Conference title game. Additionally, Houston's Minute Maid Park hosted the MLB All-Star game in 2004 and Toyota Center hosted the NBA All-Star game in 2006.
The city received a new Major League Soccer team on December 15, 2005 when the San Jose Earthquakes decided to relocate the franchise to Houston. Under the relocation agreement the Earthquake name, mascot and logo will remain in San Jose reserved for a future expansion team. The Houston team, renamed "Houston Dynamo," plays at Robertson Stadium during the 2006 season.
Houston Rockets owner Leslie Alexander is currently working to bring a National Hockey League (NHL) franchise to Houston. The team is expected to be acquired by the purchase and relocation of an existing team rather than through league expansion, most likely the Pittsburgh Penguins—which is interested in relocating to Houston. Logo Club Sport League Venue Houston Aeros Ice Hockey American Hockey League Toyota Center Houston Astros Baseball Major League Baseball (NL) Minute Maid Park Houston Comets Basketball Women's National Basketball Association Toyota Center Houston Dynamo Soccer Major League Soccer Robertson Stadium Houston Rockets Basketball National Basketball Association Toyota Center Houston Texans Football National Football League (AFC) Reliant Stadium
See also: Former professional sports teams in Houston
[edit]
Media and entertainment
Houston is served by The Houston Chronicle, its only major daily newspaper with wide distribution. The Hearst Corporation, which owns and operates the Chronicle, bought the assets of the Houston Post, its long-time rival and main competition, when the Post ceased operations in 1995. The only other major publication to serve the city is the Houston Press, a free, alternative news journal with a weekly circulation of more than 300,000 readers.
Houston also is home to several TV stations and radio stations that serve the metropolitan area.
KTRK TV's Marvin Zindler is a well-known figure in Houston, recognizable as much for his voice as for his trademark blue eyeglasses. His week-long exposé on the Chicken Ranch brothel later became the basis for the Broadway musical The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, and his health reports on local restaurants have made the phrase "slime in the ice machine" immediately recognizable to any local.
KHOU-TV's investigative team, "The 11 News Defenders," began an investigation into the failure of Firestone Wilderness AT tires on several vehicles (most notably on the popular Ford Explorer). The expose ended up becoming a national story with wide-reaching implications for both Ford and Firestone. These reports garnered the station and the lead reporter, Anna Werner international attention and several awards including the prestigious Edward R. Murrow Award and George Foster Peabody Award. Among the many respected journalists that have worked for KHOU, the best known are former CBS Evening News anchor Dan Rather, Linda Ellerbee, and Jessica Savitch.
Univision Affiliate KXLN-TV is among the highest rated Spanish-language television stations in the United States. Its "En Su Defensa" (in your defense) segments have garnered regional acclaim, and En Su Defensa month was proclaimed by Mayor Bill White in 2004. Led by Investigative reporter Patricio Espinoza, the segment generated strong community following and historic ratings along with several Emmy awards through 2005.
Houston Not-For-Profit News is a subsidiary of World Internet News Cooperative. It is one of Houston's few non-profit news sources which receives no money from advertising. It totes itself as being unbiased with the ability to be more objective than the commercial news media due to the fact that they are not tied to advertisers. Stories covered by the cooperative range from consumer rights, to corporate welfare, to working-class issues. In April 2006, Houston Not-For-Profit News received four Society of Professional Journalist Mark of Excellence awards. Their work has also been nominated for a Robert F. Kennedy Memorial journalism award.
Further information: Houston featured in films and List of newspapers in Houston
See also: List of television stations in Texas and List of radio stations in Texas
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Trivia
* If the city of Houston were a state, it would rank 36th in population—its 2.01 million residents in 2004 would place it behind Nevada and ahead of New Mexico.[19] * With 5.2 million inhabitants in mid-2004, the 10-county Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area is the nation's seventh most populous metro area. Were it to become a state, it would rank 21st, ahead of Minnesota and behind Wisconsin. Its population exceeds that of North and South Dakota, Alaska, Delaware, Vermont, Wyoming, and the District of Columbia combined.[20] * Houston has the first domed stadium in the United States and also holds the NFL's first retractable roof stadium.
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Sister cities
Houston has 16 sister cities designated by Sister Cities International. Parentheses denote the year in which sister city relationships were established.
* Aberdeen, Scotland (1979) * Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (2001) * Baku, Azerbaijan (1976) * Chiba, Japan (1
