Highlands, Texas
Encyclopedia
Highlands is a census-designated place
(CDP) located along the Union Pacific Railroad
, north of Interstate 10, and west of Farm to Market Road 2100
in an industrialized area of unincorporated
Harris County
, Texas
, United States
. The population was 7,089 at the 2000 census. Highlands is the hometown of T.J. Ford, Robert Francois, Justin Smith, Billy Gross, Brandon Sweeney, Robert Dixon, Kamran Majeed, Keely Walker, Tommy Morris, Corey Gibson, Rex Meadows, Laura Wright, Zach Brackin, Sean Matula, and Jonathan Abston.
. A post office opened in 1929. Highlands incorporated in 1930; its charter was voided, leaving Highlands as unincorporated again. In the 1930s Highlands had 20 businesses and its population decreased from 350 to 200. The 1936 Harris County highway map indicated two churches, a factory, a school, and a sawmill in Highlands. Highlands housed military members and war plant personnel during World War II
. By 1948 Highlands had 3,000 residents and 75 businesses. In the 1950s local business decreased and the population decreased to 2,723. A 1956 attempt for Highlands to incorporate did not pass. In the 1960s Highlands had a canning sales company and an industrial chemical company. In the early 1960s Highlands had 4,336 residents and 82 businesses. In 1965 W. O. Hutson built the Double Trouble Youth Rodeo Arena. In the early 1970s Highlands had 3,462 residents and 66 businesses. By 1977 Highlands had 5,000 residents; in 1989 Highlands reported the same population. In 1990 Highlands had an estimated population of 6,632.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the CDP has a total area of 6.6 square miles (17.1 km²), of which, 6.2 square miles (16.1 km²) of it is land and 0.4 square miles (1 km²) of it (6.09%) is water. Highlands is located on the banks of the San Jacinto River and the Houston Ship Channel
. The majority of the land in Highlands is on a high river bank. The historic Lynchburg Ferry
is nearby but the actual site is located in an unincorporated part of Harris County.
of 2000, there were 7,089 people, 2,564 households, and 1,976 families residing in the CDP. The population density
was 1,148.1 people per square mile (443.6/km²). There were 2,812 housing units at an average density of 455.4 per square mile (176.0/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 90.18% White, 1.61% African American, 0.51% Native American, 0.39% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 5.28% from other races
, and 2.00% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.01% of the population.
There were 2,564 households out of which 37.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.7% were married couples
living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.9% were non-families. 19.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.14.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 27.8% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 23.6% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 100.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.5 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $41,288, and the median income for a family was $49,655. Males had a median income of $41,926 versus $25,226 for females. The per capita income
for the CDP was $18,556. About 6.7% of families and 9.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.0% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.
The United States Postal Service
operates the Highlands Post Office at 608 Main Street.
. Highlands is divided between the Board of Trustees District 1 and the Board of Trustees District 3. As of 2008 Phelitria Barnes and Ken Martin represent the districts, respectively.
Schools in Highlands CDP include Bonnie P. Hopper Elementary School (PK-1), Highlands Elementary School (2-5), and Highlands Junior High School (6-8). Harlem Elementary School (PK-5), outside of the Highlands CDP, serves some areas with Highlands addresses that are not in the CDP. The community is zoned to Goose Creek Memorial High School
for high school.
Harlem was originally built in 1923. Highlands Elementary School opened in 1926 as part of the Crosby Independent School District
. It joined GCISD in 1928. Highlands Junior High School has existed since 1958. Hopper opened in 1980. Harlem had its current facility built in 1992. During the same year Highlands Elementary's current campus opened. Highland Junior High's current 186000 square feet (17,280 m²) campus was funded by a 2005 bond. Goose Creek Memorial opened on August 25, 2008.
, a private school for low income students, is located east of the Highlands CDP at 2615 East Wallisville Road. The school opened in 1969.
(HCPL) at 509 Stratford Street. The branch first opened in 1966 in a 1200 square feet (111.5 m²) building. A woman named Anna Stratford donated the property that the library sits on. In 1985 the library was renovated and more space was added, making the library 2,700 square feet.
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP) located along the Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
, north of Interstate 10, and west of Farm to Market Road 2100
Farm to Market Road 2100
Farm to Market Road 2100 is a north to south highway that goes from Huffman, Texas to Barrett, Texas . Formed in 1953 the road is long and the portion from US Route 90 to Farm to Market Road 1960 is officially Urban Road 2100. The northern terminus is Huffman-Cleveland Road and the southern...
in an industrialized area of unincorporated
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...
Harris County
Harris County, Texas
As of the 2010 Census, the population of the county was 4,092,459, White Americans made up 56.6% of Harris County's population; non-Hispanic whites represented 33.0% of the population. Black Americans made up 18.9% of the population. Native Americans made up 0.7% of Harris County's population...
, Texas
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...
. The population was 7,089 at the 2000 census. Highlands is the hometown of T.J. Ford, Robert Francois, Justin Smith, Billy Gross, Brandon Sweeney, Robert Dixon, Kamran Majeed, Keely Walker, Tommy Morris, Corey Gibson, Rex Meadows, Laura Wright, Zach Brackin, Sean Matula, and Jonathan Abston.
History
The community was named Highlands because the east bank of the San Jacinto River, where Highlands is located, has a higher elevation than the west bank of the river. By 1908 Highlands became a station on the Beaumont, Sour Lake and Western RailwayBeaumont, Sour Lake and Western Railway
The Beaumont, Sour Lake and Western Railway was an railroad that ran from Beaumont, Texas to Gulf Coast Junction in Houston. It passed through small southeast Texas communities such as Hull, Kenefick, and Huffman...
. A post office opened in 1929. Highlands incorporated in 1930; its charter was voided, leaving Highlands as unincorporated again. In the 1930s Highlands had 20 businesses and its population decreased from 350 to 200. The 1936 Harris County highway map indicated two churches, a factory, a school, and a sawmill in Highlands. Highlands housed military members and war plant personnel during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. By 1948 Highlands had 3,000 residents and 75 businesses. In the 1950s local business decreased and the population decreased to 2,723. A 1956 attempt for Highlands to incorporate did not pass. In the 1960s Highlands had a canning sales company and an industrial chemical company. In the early 1960s Highlands had 4,336 residents and 82 businesses. In 1965 W. O. Hutson built the Double Trouble Youth Rodeo Arena. In the early 1970s Highlands had 3,462 residents and 66 businesses. By 1977 Highlands had 5,000 residents; in 1989 Highlands reported the same population. In 1990 Highlands had an estimated population of 6,632.
Geography
Highlands is located at 29°49′0"N 95°3′34"W (29.816803, -95.059362).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the CDP has a total area of 6.6 square miles (17.1 km²), of which, 6.2 square miles (16.1 km²) of it is land and 0.4 square miles (1 km²) of it (6.09%) is water. Highlands is located on the banks of the San Jacinto River and the Houston Ship Channel
Houston Ship Channel
The Houston Ship Channel, located in Houston, Texas, is part of the Port of Houston—one of the United States's busiest seaports. The channel is the conduit for ocean-going vessels between the Houston-area shipyards and the Gulf of Mexico.-Overview:...
. The majority of the land in Highlands is on a high river bank. The historic Lynchburg Ferry
Lynchburg Ferry
The Lynchburg Ferry is a ferry across the Houston Ship Channel in the U.S. state of Texas, connecting Crosby-Lynchburg Road in Lynchburg to the north with the former State Highway 134 and San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site in La Porte to the south...
is nearby but the actual site is located in an unincorporated part of Harris County.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 7,089 people, 2,564 households, and 1,976 families residing in the CDP. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,148.1 people per square mile (443.6/km²). There were 2,812 housing units at an average density of 455.4 per square mile (176.0/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 90.18% White, 1.61% African American, 0.51% Native American, 0.39% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 5.28% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.00% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.01% of the population.
There were 2,564 households out of which 37.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.7% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.9% were non-families. 19.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.14.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 27.8% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 23.6% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 100.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.5 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $41,288, and the median income for a family was $49,655. Males had a median income of $41,926 versus $25,226 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the CDP was $18,556. About 6.7% of families and 9.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.0% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.
Government and infrastructure
Highlands is located within Harris County Precinct 3; as of 2008 ken jones heads Precinct 3.The United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
operates the Highlands Post Office at 608 Main Street.
Public schools
Highlands students are zoned to schools in the Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School DistrictGoose Creek Consolidated Independent School District
Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District is a school district headquartered in Baytown, Texas, United States.The district has 14 elementary schools , 5 junior high schools , 3 high schools , a career center, and two alternative centers for education...
. Highlands is divided between the Board of Trustees District 1 and the Board of Trustees District 3. As of 2008 Phelitria Barnes and Ken Martin represent the districts, respectively.
Schools in Highlands CDP include Bonnie P. Hopper Elementary School (PK-1), Highlands Elementary School (2-5), and Highlands Junior High School (6-8). Harlem Elementary School (PK-5), outside of the Highlands CDP, serves some areas with Highlands addresses that are not in the CDP. The community is zoned to Goose Creek Memorial High School
Goose Creek Memorial High School
Goose Creek Memorial High School is a secondary school in an unincorporated area in Harris County, Texas, United States in fall 2008. The school is north of Baytown at 6001 East Wallisville Road, 77521....
for high school.
Harlem was originally built in 1923. Highlands Elementary School opened in 1926 as part of the Crosby Independent School District
Crosby Independent School District
Crosby Independent School District is a public school district based in Crosby—an unincorporated area of northeastern Harris County, Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area....
. It joined GCISD in 1928. Highlands Junior High School has existed since 1958. Hopper opened in 1980. Harlem had its current facility built in 1992. During the same year Highlands Elementary's current campus opened. Highland Junior High's current 186000 square feet (17,280 m²) campus was funded by a 2005 bond. Goose Creek Memorial opened on August 25, 2008.
Private schools
The Chinquapin SchoolThe Chinquapin School
The Chinquapin School is a nonprofit private college-preparatory school, grades six through twelve, which serves low-income youth, particularly minorities, from the Greater Houston area...
, a private school for low income students, is located east of the Highlands CDP at 2615 East Wallisville Road. The school opened in 1969.
Public libraries
Highlands is served by the Stratford Branch Library of Harris County Public LibraryHarris County Public Library
Harris County Public Library is a public library system serving Harris County, Texas, United States. The county library system is headquartered at 8080 El Rio in Houston....
(HCPL) at 509 Stratford Street. The branch first opened in 1966 in a 1200 square feet (111.5 m²) building. A woman named Anna Stratford donated the property that the library sits on. In 1985 the library was renovated and more space was added, making the library 2,700 square feet.