Blue Ridge, Houston, Texas
Encyclopedia
Blue Ridge is a community in Houston, Texas
, United States
that used to be a distinct unincorporated area
in northeast Fort Bend County
. The community, which was also known as Hobby, is located on a ridge of Oyster Creek, 16 miles (25.7 km) east of Richmond
. The section of Blue Ridge within the Houston City Limits is known as the Fort Bend-Houston Super Neighborhood #41.
's first colony. The site itself began to be permanently occupied in the late 19th century. As an independent community Blue Ridge did not have any post offices. The W. Allen Robinson family arrived in Blue Ridge in 1894, and in the 1890s the family established a ranch headquarters. Oil was discovered near Blue Ridge in 1919, and a salt mine opened shortly afterwards. In 1925 gas was discovered in the area. As resources were discovered, Blue Ride became a boomtown and developed a bank and gambling houses. In 1936 the 4348 acres (1,759.6 ha) Blue Ridge State Prison Farm incorporated the area, and most Blue Ridge residents were staff members at the facility. Blue Ridge acted as a satellite work camp for the Central Prison Farm
.
In 1958 the Texas Department of Corrections voted to sell the prison lands to private developers. The houses were developed in the 1960s and 1970s. Parts of the area were annexed by Houston in the early 1970s. The first population figure for the community was of the year 1970, when the community had 50 residents and no businesses.
said that the 5 acres (2 ha) area, before the formation of the super neighborhood, "has considered itself a stepchild of sorts in the past, an area unwittingly passed back and forth between parents."
District K. Prior to 2011 it was a part of city council district D.
In the final Mayor of Houston election before 2002, over 6,000 people voted for Lee P. Brown
.
In 1990 members of the Ridgegate and Briargate subdivisions protested proposed bus services from METRO.
. The community is within the East Division, controlling school board slots 5 through 7. As of 2008 the board members in the slots are Laurie Caldwell, Steve Smelley, and David Reitz, respectively. As an independent community Blue Ridge did not have any schools.
Zoned schools include:
Blue Ridge Elementary School was occupied in August 1969. Ridgemont was occupied in August 1973. Briargate was occupied in the fall of 1977. Willowridge's phase one began construction in February 1978 and opened in September 1979. Ridgegate was occupied in January 1981. McAuliffe was occupied in the northern hemisphere fall of 1986. Phase two of Willowridge was completed in the summer of 1992.
is located at 7007 West Fuqua in Blue Ridge. In 1997 the library was named after Sherman Stimley, the first African-American law associate of the firm Vinson & Elkins. In 1985 Stimley started the first consulting company exclusively dealing with tax-exempt bond law that was headed by an African-American in Houston.
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
that used to be a distinct unincorporated area
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in northeast Fort Bend County
Fort Bend County, Texas
Fort Bend County is a county located along the Gulf Coast region in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. In 2000 its population was 354,452, while the 2010 U.S...
. The community, which was also known as Hobby, is located on a ridge of Oyster Creek, 16 miles (25.7 km) east of Richmond
Richmond, Texas
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 11,081 people, 3,413 households, and 2,628 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,975.4 people per square mile . There were 3,595 housing units at an average density of 965.3 per square mile...
. The section of Blue Ridge within the Houston City Limits is known as the Fort Bend-Houston Super Neighborhood #41.
History
The area now known as Blue Ridge was a part of Stephen F. AustinStephen F. Austin
Stephen Fuller Austin was born in Virginia and raised in southeastern Missouri. He was known as the Father of Texas, led the second, but first legal and ultimately successful colonization of the region by bringing 300 families from the United States. The capital of Texas, Austin in Travis County,...
's first colony. The site itself began to be permanently occupied in the late 19th century. As an independent community Blue Ridge did not have any post offices. The W. Allen Robinson family arrived in Blue Ridge in 1894, and in the 1890s the family established a ranch headquarters. Oil was discovered near Blue Ridge in 1919, and a salt mine opened shortly afterwards. In 1925 gas was discovered in the area. As resources were discovered, Blue Ride became a boomtown and developed a bank and gambling houses. In 1936 the 4348 acres (1,759.6 ha) Blue Ridge State Prison Farm incorporated the area, and most Blue Ridge residents were staff members at the facility. Blue Ridge acted as a satellite work camp for the Central Prison Farm
Central Unit
The Central Unit was a Texas Department of Criminal Justice men's prison in Sugar Land, Texas. The approximately facility is from central Sugar Land on U.S. Highway 90A. The unit first opened in April 1909. The unit had 950 beds for men...
.
In 1958 the Texas Department of Corrections voted to sell the prison lands to private developers. The houses were developed in the 1960s and 1970s. Parts of the area were annexed by Houston in the early 1970s. The first population figure for the community was of the year 1970, when the community had 50 residents and no businesses.
Cityscape
The Houston Fort Bend Super Neighborhood has its boundaries as Beltway 8, Fondren Road, Hiram Clarke Road, and McHard Road. Its area is almost 8 square mile. Many churches of various ethnic groups and religions are supported by the Blue Ridge community. Carol E. Vaughn of the Houston ChronicleHouston Chronicle
The Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...
said that the 5 acres (2 ha) area, before the formation of the super neighborhood, "has considered itself a stepchild of sorts in the past, an area unwittingly passed back and forth between parents."
Government
Blue Ridge is within Houston City CouncilHouston City Council
The Houston City Council is a city council for the city of Houston in the U.S. state of Texas.Currently, there are fourteen members, nine elected from council districts and five at-large. The members of the Council are elected every two years, in odd-numbered years...
District K. Prior to 2011 it was a part of city council district D.
In the final Mayor of Houston election before 2002, over 6,000 people voted for Lee P. Brown
Lee P. Brown
Lee Patrick Brown had a long-time career in law enforcement, leading police departments in Atlanta, Houston and New York over the course of nearly four decades. During this time he helped to implement a number of techniques in community policing that appeared to result in substantial decreases in...
.
Transportation
Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO) operates public bus services.In 1990 members of the Ridgegate and Briargate subdivisions protested proposed bus services from METRO.
Primary and secondary schools
Blue Ridge is within the Fort Bend Independent School DistrictFort Bend Independent School District
The Fort Bend Independent School District, also known as Fort Bend ISD or FBISD, is a school district system in the U.S. state of Texas based in the city of Sugar Land....
. The community is within the East Division, controlling school board slots 5 through 7. As of 2008 the board members in the slots are Laurie Caldwell, Steve Smelley, and David Reitz, respectively. As an independent community Blue Ridge did not have any schools.
Zoned schools include:
- Blue Ridge Elementary School
- Briargate Elementary School
- Ridgegate Elementary School
- Ridgemont Elementary School
- Christa McAuliffe Middle School
- Willowridge High SchoolWillowridge High School (Houston)Willowridge High School is a secondary school in Houston, Texas, United States and part of the Fort Bend Independent School District. Willowridge serves grades 9 through 12....
Blue Ridge Elementary School was occupied in August 1969. Ridgemont was occupied in August 1973. Briargate was occupied in the fall of 1977. Willowridge's phase one began construction in February 1978 and opened in September 1979. Ridgegate was occupied in January 1981. McAuliffe was occupied in the northern hemisphere fall of 1986. Phase two of Willowridge was completed in the summer of 1992.
Public libraries
The Stimley-Blue Ridge Library of the Houston Public LibraryHouston Public Library
Houston Public Library is the public library system serving Houston, Texas, United States. The library system has its headquarters in the Marston Building in Neartown Houston.-History:It can trace its founding to the Houston Lyceum in 1854...
is located at 7007 West Fuqua in Blue Ridge. In 1997 the library was named after Sherman Stimley, the first African-American law associate of the firm Vinson & Elkins. In 1985 Stimley started the first consulting company exclusively dealing with tax-exempt bond law that was headed by an African-American in Houston.