Katy, Texas
Encyclopedia
Katy is a city located in Harris
, Fort Bend
and Waller Counties in the U.S. state
of Texas
, within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown
metropolitan area. The population was 11,775 at the 2000 census
.
Katy, suburb of Houston, Texas, is named for the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad
(commonly referred to as the "K-T Railroad", now a part of Union Pacific) that ran through Katy in the 19th century. Katy was once known as Cane Island. The name is derived from Cane Island Creek which runs just west of downtown. Cane Creek is a branch of Buffalo Bayou
. The origins of the name Cane Island are believed to be from the fact that Katy was once a major sugar cane producer and rice producer. To commemorate the importance of rice to the Katy community, the Chamber of Commerce holds the Rice Harvest Festival every second weekend of October. The railroad had been built through the community by the end of 1893.
Katy incorporated in 1945. Because of the incorporation, Houston did not incorporate Katy's territory into its city limits.
Katy was recently the location of one of the ten large red balloons in the DARPA Network Challenge
on December 5, 2009. The balloon was stationed in Katy Park.
In 2009 the Gadberry Group named Katy as one of nine "9 from 2009" most notable high growth areas in the United States.
After a low income apartment complex was proposed for development in an adjacent unincorporated area
, in 2010 the Katy City Council passed a resolution stating that the development would decrease property values. The plans for the complex were canceled.
Igloo Corporation is headquartered west of Katy in unincorporated
Waller County. Academy Sports and Outdoors
has its corporate offices and product distribution center in unincorporated western Harris County.
In 2008 KBR announced that a new office facility would appear at the intersection of the Grand Parkway and Interstate 10
in unincorporated
western Harris County, Texas
, between Houston and Katy. The new complex would have been be in close proximity to the Energy Corridor area of Houston. KBR planned to continue to have a corporate presence in Downtown. In December KBR said that it would not continue with the plans due to a weakened economy.
Retail centers are springing up all throughout Katy to accommodate the rapid residential growth. The major retail growth is now being focused on the Katy Fort Bend Road near the east entrance to the Katy Mills
shopping mall.
Katy is located at 29°47′33"N 95°49′21"W (29.792582, -95.822436).
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 10.7 square miles (27.6 km²). None of the area is covered with water.
. This is the original Katy from before the 1970s when Houston's Energy Corridor (and the development that came with it) made its way west on I-10.
The "Katy area" is made up of large sections of unincorporated Harris
and Fort Bend
counties and mostly sits east and southeast of the city limits of Katy. This area is within the Katy Independent School District and nearly everyone in this area has a Katy postal address.
The Katy area includes new upscale developments and master planned communities such as Cinco Ranch, Green Trails, Wood Creek Reserve, Grayson Lakes, Seven Meadows, new and growing Pine Mill Ranch, Silver Ranch, Firethorne and Grand Lakes
, while also encompassing developments from the 1970s and 1980s such as Memorial Parkway, Kelliwood and Nottingham Country
.
All of the "Katy area" lies in the city of Houston
's extraterritorial jurisdiction
(ETJ), not Katy's ETJ. This means that the areas of "Katy area" are controlled by the city of Houston and that city has the ability to annex it in the future. The city of Katy cannot annex this area unless the city of Houston releases the area's ETJ to Katy, which has occurred in several small chunks in recent years. The most recent instance of this was in 2001 when Houston ceded about 400 acres (1.6 km²) of ETJ to the City of Katy to allow the Katy Mills Mall and surrounding parking lot to be built entirely within the City of Katy. The city of Katy paid 1 million dollars for this right, but also had added the threat of building the Katy Mills Mall entirely on Katy's land and placing the parking lot in Houston's ETJ, thus being of no tax benefit to Houston.
The "Katy area" contains well over 250,000 people.
of 2000, there were 11,775 people in "Old Katy", 3,888 households, and 3,083 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,103.7 people per square mile (426.1/km²). There were 4,072 housing units at an average density of 381.7 per square mile (147.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 83.98% White, 4.24% African American, 0.56% Native American, 0.50% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 8.65% from other races, and 2.03% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 23.75% of the population.
There were 3,888 households out of which 45.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.9% were married couples
living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.7% were non-families. 17.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.00 and the average family size was 3.37.
In the city the population was spread out with 31.5% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 30.9% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 8.1% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 98.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $51,111, and the median income for a family was $57,741. Males had a median income of $38,412 versus $33,004 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,192. 8.4% of the population and 7.0% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 9.1% were under the age of 18 and 6.5% were 65 or older.
Precinct Three, headed by Steve Radack as of 2008, serves the Harris County portion of Katy.
The United States Postal Service
(USPS) operates the Katy Post Office at 5701 4th Street in the City of Katy. The postal service also operates the Katy Post Office Annex at 1331 Pin Oak Road in the City of Katy.
.
Some of the elementary schools in the city of Katy are listed here for a full list visit www.katyisd.org
The following middle schools serve City of Katy residents:
Many homes in unincorporated Fort Bend, Harris, or Waller counties which have Katy addresses are served by other schools in Katy ISD.
is located in an unincorporated area
in Harris County
, near Katy. Pope John XXIII High School
is located in unincorporated Harris County, near Katy.
. HCC Northwest College operates the Katy Campus in an unincorporated section of Harris County.
University of Houston System at Cinco Ranch
, located in an unincorporated section of Fort Bend County, offers bachelor's or master's degrees in a variety of areas including history, English, or various fields of science or business.
Katy's newest institution of higher education - The Bible Seminary - offers non-denominational college-level Bible study and ministry training, including a graduate-level Master of Divinity degree, as well as a Bible Certificate program for local church members and leaders.
(HCPL) at 5414 Franz Road. The branch is a partnership between HCPL and the City of Katy. The city joined the county library system in 1921. The Katy Garden Club started the first library, which was housed in several private houses. At a later point it shared space with the Katy Fire Department. The first Katy branch opened in 1940. The Friends of the Katy Library began in 1972. The construction of the current 15000 square feet (1,393.5 m²) branch began in 2002. The current branch building opened for regular business in Monday April 28, 2003, with its grand opening ceremony on the previous day.
The Fort Bend County Libraries
Cinco Ranch Branch Library is in Cinco Ranch
, in unincorporated
Fort Bend County
, south of Katy. The HCPL Maud Smith Marks Branch Library is in unincorporated Harris County
, west of Katy.
5597 Gardenia Lane.
The City of Katy Dog Park is located at 5414 Franz Road.
Forbidden Gardens
was an outdoor museum replicating some of China's major historic scenes, including the first Emperor's 6,000 piece Terracotta Army
replicated in 1/3 scale. It closed in February 2011 due to construction plans for the expansion of Grand Parkway.
The Katy Tigers of Katy High School
won the 5A state football
title in 1959, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2007 and 2008.
The Katy Community is documented and told about on KatyNation and describes the tradition behind Katy Football.
The annual Katy Rice Harvest Festival is two big days of excitement and family fun with two stages of continuous live entertainment, craft and food booths, carnival and more.
(METRO) operates the Kingsland Park and Ride (Route 221) east of Katy at 21669 Kingsland Boulevard. In February 2008 METRO opened a new park and ride location at the Cinemark parking lots near the intersection of Grand Parkway and I-10. The new Route is #222. Currently, only these express routes operate to and from downtown Houston during morning and evening commute hours; METRO does not serve Katy with local routes, as most westbound bus lines in Houston terminate at or near Highway 6, a couple of miles before the Katy city limits.
Schedules can be found at: http://www.ridemetro.org/pdf/routes/katycorridor.pdf.
Privately-owned airports for private use include:
Area airports with commercial airline service include George Bush Intercontinental Airport
and William P. Hobby Airport
, both of which are in Houston.
The Katy Family YMCA
is located in nearby Cinco Ranch
in unincorporated Fort Bend County. The YMCA was formerly named after Ken Lay, due to his having given an endowment of over $1 million. Soon after the Enron scandal
began, the YMCA, since removing the name was undoable due to the financial help Lay provided, reduced the name, "Ken Lay" to approximately one-fourth the size it was before. In June 2006 Lay asked for his money to be returned in the wake of his legal trouble surrounding the Enron Scandal
; consequently his name was removed and the YMCA was renamed the Katy Family YMCA.
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...
, Fort Bend
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...
and Waller Counties in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of 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...
, within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown
Greater Houston
Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown is a 10-county metropolitan area defined by the Office of Management and Budget. It is located along the Gulf Coast region in the U.S. state of Texas...
metropolitan area. The population was 11,775 at the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
.
History
Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad
The Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad was incorporated May 23, 1870. In its earliest days the MKT was commonly referred to as "the K-T", which was its stock exchange symbol; this common designation soon evolved into "the Katy"....
(commonly referred to as the "K-T Railroad", now a part of Union Pacific) that ran through Katy in the 19th century. Katy was once known as Cane Island. The name is derived from Cane Island Creek which runs just west of downtown. Cane Creek is a branch of Buffalo Bayou
Buffalo Bayou
Buffalo Bayou is a main waterway flowing through Houston, in Harris County, Texas, USA. It begins in Katy, Fort Bend County, Texas and flows approximately east to the Houston Ship Channel and then into Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico...
. The origins of the name Cane Island are believed to be from the fact that Katy was once a major sugar cane producer and rice producer. To commemorate the importance of rice to the Katy community, the Chamber of Commerce holds the Rice Harvest Festival every second weekend of October. The railroad had been built through the community by the end of 1893.
Katy incorporated in 1945. Because of the incorporation, Houston did not incorporate Katy's territory into its city limits.
Katy was recently the location of one of the ten large red balloons in the DARPA Network Challenge
DARPA Network Challenge
The 2009 DARPA Network Challenge was a prize competition for exploring the roles the Internet and social networking play in the real-time communications, wide-area collaborations, and practical actions required to solve broad-scope, time-critical problems...
on December 5, 2009. The balloon was stationed in Katy Park.
In 2009 the Gadberry Group named Katy as one of nine "9 from 2009" most notable high growth areas in the United States.
After a low income apartment complex was proposed for development in an adjacent 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 2010 the Katy City Council passed a resolution stating that the development would decrease property values. The plans for the complex were canceled.
Economy
Several corporations are headquartered in areas surrounding Katy.Igloo Corporation is headquartered west of Katy in 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...
Waller County. Academy Sports and Outdoors
Academy Sports and Outdoors
Academy Sports + Outdoors is a sports goods discount store chain. For 74 years it was a privately held company owned by the Gochman family, until its May 2011 sale of majority ownership to the investment firm Kohlberg Kravis and Roberts LP. Academy is one of the largest sporting goods stores in the...
has its corporate offices and product distribution center in unincorporated western Harris County.
In 2008 KBR announced that a new office facility would appear at the intersection of the Grand Parkway and Interstate 10
Interstate 10
Interstate 10 is the fourth-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90, I-80, and I-40. It is the southernmost east–west, coast-to-coast Interstate Highway, although I-4 and I-8 are further south. It stretches from the Pacific Ocean at State Route 1 in Santa Monica,...
in 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...
western Harris County, Texas
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...
, between Houston and Katy. The new complex would have been be in close proximity to the Energy Corridor area of Houston. KBR planned to continue to have a corporate presence in Downtown. In December KBR said that it would not continue with the plans due to a weakened economy.
Retail centers are springing up all throughout Katy to accommodate the rapid residential growth. The major retail growth is now being focused on the Katy Fort Bend Road near the east entrance to the Katy Mills
Katy Mills
Katy Mills is an outlet shopping mall in Katy, Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area, developed by The Mills Corporation and now owned by Simon Property Group. The mall opened on October 28, 1999 and hosts a variety of over 200 specialty stores...
shopping mall.
Geography
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 city has a total area of 10.7 square miles (27.6 km²). None of the area is covered with water.
Katy vs. Katy area
Katy residents often split the city into two informal sections: "Old Katy" and "Katy Area". Old Katy is the actual city limits of Katy and lies mostly north of Interstate 10Interstate 10 in Texas
Interstate 10 is the major east–west Interstate Highway in the Southern United States. In the U.S. state of Texas, it runs east from El Paso, near the border with New Mexico, through San Antonio and Houston to the border with Louisiana in Orange, Texas....
. This is the original Katy from before the 1970s when Houston's Energy Corridor (and the development that came with it) made its way west on I-10.
The "Katy area" is made up of large sections of unincorporated Harris
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...
and Fort Bend
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...
counties and mostly sits east and southeast of the city limits of Katy. This area is within the Katy Independent School District and nearly everyone in this area has a Katy postal address.
The Katy area includes new upscale developments and master planned communities such as Cinco Ranch, Green Trails, Wood Creek Reserve, Grayson Lakes, Seven Meadows, new and growing Pine Mill Ranch, Silver Ranch, Firethorne and Grand Lakes
Grand Lakes
Grand Lakes, Texas is a "master planned community" located in the extraterritorial jurisdiction of Houston within Fort Bend and Harris Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. It lies about 25 miles west of Houston and 10 miles north of Richmond...
, while also encompassing developments from the 1970s and 1980s such as Memorial Parkway, Kelliwood and Nottingham Country
Nottingham Country
Nottingham Country is a master-planned community developed during the 1970s and 1980s in multiple phases by the Kickerillo Companies in Harris County, Texas, lying in unincorporated Harris County between the cities of Katy, Texas and Houston, Texas, with a population of approximately...
.
All of the "Katy area" lies in the city of Houston
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
's extraterritorial jurisdiction
Extraterritorial jurisdiction
Extraterritorial jurisdiction is the legal ability of a government to exercise authority beyond its normal boundaries.Any authority can, of course, claim ETJ over any external territory they wish...
(ETJ), not Katy's ETJ. This means that the areas of "Katy area" are controlled by the city of Houston and that city has the ability to annex it in the future. The city of Katy cannot annex this area unless the city of Houston releases the area's ETJ to Katy, which has occurred in several small chunks in recent years. The most recent instance of this was in 2001 when Houston ceded about 400 acres (1.6 km²) of ETJ to the City of Katy to allow the Katy Mills Mall and surrounding parking lot to be built entirely within the City of Katy. The city of Katy paid 1 million dollars for this right, but also had added the threat of building the Katy Mills Mall entirely on Katy's land and placing the parking lot in Houston's ETJ, thus being of no tax benefit to Houston.
The "Katy area" contains well over 250,000 people.
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 11,775 people in "Old Katy", 3,888 households, and 3,083 families residing in the city. 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 1,103.7 people per square mile (426.1/km²). There were 4,072 housing units at an average density of 381.7 per square mile (147.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 83.98% White, 4.24% African American, 0.56% Native American, 0.50% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 8.65% from other races, and 2.03% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 23.75% of the population.
There were 3,888 households out of which 45.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.9% 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, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.7% were non-families. 17.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.00 and the average family size was 3.37.
In the city the population was spread out with 31.5% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 30.9% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 8.1% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 98.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $51,111, and the median income for a family was $57,741. Males had a median income of $38,412 versus $33,004 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,192. 8.4% of the population and 7.0% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 9.1% were under the age of 18 and 6.5% were 65 or older.
Local government
Residents of Katy in Harris and Fort Bend counties are within Voting Precinct 9 of the West Harris County Regional Water Authority. The water authority opened in 2001.County, state, and federal representation
Harris CountyHarris 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...
Precinct Three, headed by Steve Radack as of 2008, serves the Harris County portion of Katy.
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...
(USPS) operates the Katy Post Office at 5701 4th Street in the City of Katy. The postal service also operates the Katy Post Office Annex at 1331 Pin Oak Road in the City of Katy.
Public schools
Pupils who live in Katy are zoned to schools in Katy Independent School DistrictKaty Independent School District
The Katy Independent School District is a public school district based in Katy, Texas, United States. The district enrolls over 60,000 students and is currently rated as Recognized by the Texas Education Agency...
.
Some of the elementary schools in the city of Katy are listed here for a full list visit www.katyisd.org
- Zelma Hutsell Elementary SchoolZelma Hutsell Elementary SchoolZelma Hutsell Elementary School is a public primary school at 5360 Franz Road in Katy, Texas, United States. It is a part of the Katy Independent School District.In the 2000-2001 school year Hutsell was named a National Blue Ribbon School....
- Katy Elementary SchoolKaty Elementary SchoolKaty Elementary School is a public primary school located at 5726 George Bush Avenue in Katy, Texas, United States. It is a part of the Katy Independent School District.The school was named a National Blue Ribbon School in 2006.-History:...
- WoodCreek Elementary School
- Memorial Parkway Elementary
- Exley Elementary
- Jeanette Hayes Elementary
- Nottingham Country Elementary
- Odessa Kilpatrick Elementary
- Betty Sue Creech Elementary
- Hazel S. Pattison Elementary
The following middle schools serve City of Katy residents:
- Katy Junior High School
- Woodcreek Junior High School (unincorporated Fort Bend County)
- Memorial Parkway Junior High
- McMeans Junior High
- Morton Ranch Junior High
- Rodger and Ellen Beck Junior High
- West Memorial Junior High
Many homes in unincorporated Fort Bend, Harris, or Waller counties which have Katy addresses are served by other schools in Katy ISD.
Private schools
Faith West AcademyFaith West Academy
Faith West Academy is an interdenominational, coeducational Christian private school of grades preschool-12, located in unincorporated Harris County, Texas, near Katy. The school first began in 1982....
is located in an 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 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...
, near Katy. Pope John XXIII High School
Pope John XXIII High School (Harris County, Texas)
Pope John XXIII High School is a Catholic school in unincorporated Harris County, Texas, United States.Pope John XXIII serves the west side of the Houston area in the Greater Katy Area. The school has a Katy address. The current principal is Tim Petersen....
is located in unincorporated Harris County, near Katy.
Colleges and universities
Katy is served by the Houston Community College SystemHouston Community College System
Houston Community College System is a community college system that operates community colleges in Houston, Missouri City, and Stafford in Texas....
. HCC Northwest College operates the Katy Campus in an unincorporated section of Harris County.
University of Houston System at Cinco Ranch
University of Houston System at Cinco Ranch
The University of Houston System at Cinco Ranch is a multi-institution teaching center of the located near Katy, Texas in Fort Bend County. It was founded in 1980 as the West Houston Institute and was part of the University of Houston. The Institute offered night classes at Memorial High...
, located in an unincorporated section of Fort Bend County, offers bachelor's or master's degrees in a variety of areas including history, English, or various fields of science or business.
Katy's newest institution of higher education - The Bible Seminary - offers non-denominational college-level Bible study and ministry training, including a graduate-level Master of Divinity degree, as well as a Bible Certificate program for local church members and leaders.
Public libraries
Katy is served by the Katy Branch 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 5414 Franz Road. The branch is a partnership between HCPL and the City of Katy. The city joined the county library system in 1921. The Katy Garden Club started the first library, which was housed in several private houses. At a later point it shared space with the Katy Fire Department. The first Katy branch opened in 1940. The Friends of the Katy Library began in 1972. The construction of the current 15000 square feet (1,393.5 m²) branch began in 2002. The current branch building opened for regular business in Monday April 28, 2003, with its grand opening ceremony on the previous day.
The Fort Bend County Libraries
Fort Bend County Libraries
Fort Bend County Libraries is a public library system in Fort Bend County, Texas .The library system, headquartered in the George Memorial Library in Richmond, operates two libraries and nine branches throughout Fort Bend County.-Libraries:...
Cinco Ranch Branch Library is in Cinco Ranch
Cinco Ranch, Texas
Cinco Ranch is a census-designated place and master-planned community located in the extraterritorial jurisdiction of Houston within Fort Bend and Harris Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 11,196 at the 2000 census. It lies about 25 miles west of the Harris County seat of...
, in 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...
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...
, south of Katy. The HCPL Maud Smith Marks Branch Library is in unincorporated 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...
, west of Katy.
Parks and recreation
Harris County operates the Mary Jo Peckham Community Center at5597 Gardenia Lane.
The City of Katy Dog Park is located at 5414 Franz Road.
Forbidden Gardens
Forbidden Gardens
Forbidden Gardens was an outdoor museum of Chinese culture and history located at Texas Highway 99 and Franz Road in northern Katy, Greater Houston, Texas, USA...
was an outdoor museum replicating some of China's major historic scenes, including the first Emperor's 6,000 piece Terracotta Army
Terracotta Army
The Terracotta Army or the "Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses", is a collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China...
replicated in 1/3 scale. It closed in February 2011 due to construction plans for the expansion of Grand Parkway.
The Katy Tigers of Katy High School
Katy High School
Katy High School is a high school located in Katy, Texas, United States and serves grades 9 through 12. It is a part of the Katy Independent School District...
won the 5A state football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
title in 1959, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2007 and 2008.
The Katy Community is documented and told about on KatyNation and describes the tradition behind Katy Football.
The annual Katy Rice Harvest Festival is two big days of excitement and family fun with two stages of continuous live entertainment, craft and food booths, carnival and more.
Mass transit
Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, TexasMetropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas
The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County is a major public transportation agency based in Houston . It operates bus, light rail, future commuter rail, and paratransit service in the city as well as most of Harris County...
(METRO) operates the Kingsland Park and Ride (Route 221) east of Katy at 21669 Kingsland Boulevard. In February 2008 METRO opened a new park and ride location at the Cinemark parking lots near the intersection of Grand Parkway and I-10. The new Route is #222. Currently, only these express routes operate to and from downtown Houston during morning and evening commute hours; METRO does not serve Katy with local routes, as most westbound bus lines in Houston terminate at or near Highway 6, a couple of miles before the Katy city limits.
Schedules can be found at: http://www.ridemetro.org/pdf/routes/katycorridor.pdf.
Airports
Privately-owned airports for fixed-wing aircraft for public use located near Katy include:- Sack-O-Grande AcroportSack-O-Grande AcroportSack-O-Grande Acroport , also known as the Harbican Airport is an airport in unincorporated Harris County, Texas, United States. It is located seven nautical miles north of the central business district of the city of Katy....
(also known as Harbican Airport) in unincorporated Harris County - Houston Executive AirportHouston Executive AirportHouston Executive Airport is a public-use airport in unincorporated Waller County, Texas, United States. The airport is located 28 nautical miles west of Downtown Houston. and it is in proximity to Brookshire. The airport is privately owned by WCF, LLC, which is based in Waller County.Although...
in unincorporated Waller County - West Houston AirportWest Houston AirportWest Houston Airport is a general aviation airport located in unincorporated western Harris County, Texas, United States, immediately west of the Houston city limits.The airport is located 13 miles west of Downtown Houston...
in unincorporated Harris County
Privately-owned airports for private use include:
- Hoffpauir AirportHoffpauir AirportHoffpauir Airport is an airport located in unincorporated Harris County, Texas, United States, east of the city of Katy and west of the city of Houston.The owner is Stanley C. Hoffpauir....
in unincorporated Harris County - Cardiff Brothers AirportCardiff Brothers AirportCardiff Brothers Airport is an airport located in unincorporated Fort Bend County, Texas, United States, east of the city of Fulshear and south of the city of Katy.The airport is owned by "Cardiff Brothers" of Katy, Texas. The manager is Hal V. Cardiff....
in unincorporated Fort Bend County
Area airports with commercial airline service include George Bush Intercontinental Airport
George Bush Intercontinental Airport
George Bush Intercontinental Airport, is a Class B international airport in Houston, Texas, serving the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area, the sixth-largest metropolitan area in the United States. Located north of Downtown Houston between Interstate 45 and U.S. Highway 59...
and William P. Hobby Airport
William P. Hobby Airport
William P. Hobby Airport is a public airport in Houston, Texas, located from Downtown Houston. The airport covers and has four runways. Hobby Airport is Houston's oldest commercial airport and was the city's primary air terminal until the opening of Houston Intercontinental Airport in 1969...
, both of which are in Houston.
Community information
Hospitals:- Christus St. Catherine Hospital
- Memorial Hermann Katy Hospital
- Methodist Hospital
- Texas Children's Hospital-West Campus
- (Proposed: St. Luke's Hospital on Grand Parkway, just south of I-10)
The Katy Family YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
is located in nearby Cinco Ranch
Cinco Ranch, Texas
Cinco Ranch is a census-designated place and master-planned community located in the extraterritorial jurisdiction of Houston within Fort Bend and Harris Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 11,196 at the 2000 census. It lies about 25 miles west of the Harris County seat of...
in unincorporated Fort Bend County. The YMCA was formerly named after Ken Lay, due to his having given an endowment of over $1 million. Soon after the Enron scandal
Enron scandal
The Enron scandal, revealed in October 2001, eventually led to the bankruptcy of the Enron Corporation, an American energy company based in Houston, Texas, and the dissolution of Arthur Andersen, which was one of the five largest audit and accountancy partnerships in the world...
began, the YMCA, since removing the name was undoable due to the financial help Lay provided, reduced the name, "Ken Lay" to approximately one-fourth the size it was before. In June 2006 Lay asked for his money to be returned in the wake of his legal trouble surrounding the Enron Scandal
Enron
Enron Corporation was an American energy, commodities, and services company based in Houston, Texas. Before its bankruptcy on December 2, 2001, Enron employed approximately 22,000 staff and was one of the world's leading electricity, natural gas, communications, and pulp and paper companies, with...
; consequently his name was removed and the YMCA was renamed the Katy Family YMCA.
List of mayors
- Calvin Baird (1946–1947)
- A.O. Miller (1947–1963)
- J.E. Hudgens (1963–1967)
- C.E. Freeman (1967–1969)
- M.E. Watts (1969–1971)
- Dan Cox (1971–1979)
- John G. Morrison (1979–1983)
- Johnny Nelson (1983–1987)
- Ward A. Stanberry (1988–1991)
- J.W. "Skip" Conner (1991–1995)
- M.H. "Hank" Schmidt (1995–2001)
- Doyle G. Callender (2001–2007)
- Don Elder Jr. (2007–present)
Notable Residents
- Tyler MyersTyler MyersTyler Myers is an American-born Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League . He was drafted by the Sabres in the first round, 12th overall, in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. At the end of the 2009–10 NHL season, Myers won the...
, Pro Hockey player who playes for the Buffalo SabresBuffalo SabresThe Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
in the National Hockey Leauge. - Daniel Joseph Baker, America's Got Talent Season 6 Finalist (top 24)
- Jesse SorensenJesse SorensenJessy Ryan Sorensen is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling .-Early career:Throughout 2008, Sorensen competed in various Texas Independent Wrestling Promotions as Ryan Sorensen....
, professional wrestler who currently performs for Total Nonstop Action wrestling.
External links
- Katy Texas
- Master Plan Map of Katy Area / City of Katy
- Good To Go Katy TX
- City of Katy official web site
- Katy Independent School District web site
- http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/KK/hfk1.html Handbook of TexasHandbook of TexasThe Handbook of Texas is a comprehensive encyclopedia of Texas geography, history, and historical persons published by the Texas State Historical Association .-History:...
Online article - Greater Katy Area Chamber of Commerce web site
- Katy Area Economic Development Council web site
- Katy Times — Weekly newspaper for the Katy area
- Katypost
- Katy, Texas Churches
- Katy Texas Today