Pasadena, Texas
Encyclopedia
Pasadena is a city
in the U.S. state
of Texas
within the metropolitan area. It is the second-largest city in Harris County
, 17th-largest in Texas, and 162nd largest in the United States
. The area was founded in 1893 by John H. Burnett of Galveston
.
Burnett, the founder, named the area after Pasadena, California
because of the perceived lush vegetation.
As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the city's population was 149,043. The Pasadena Volunteer Fire Department
is the largest all volunteer municipal fire department in the United States
.
and Atakapan tribes, particularly the Akokisa
, who lived throughout the Gulf coast region. Spanish
explorers such as the Rivas-Iriarte expedition and José Antonio de Evia charted the bay and gave it its name. The pirate Jean Lafitte
established a short-lived kingdom based in Galveston in the early 19th century with bases and hide-outs around the bay and around Clear Lake
. Lafitte was forced to leave in 1821 by the U.S. Navy
.
Following its declaration of independence
from Spain
the new nation of Mexico
moved to colonize its northern territory of Texas by offering land grant
s to settlers both from within Mexico and from the nearby United States. The colony established by Stephen F. Austin and the Galveston Bay and Texas Land Company of New York rapidly began a wave of settlement around the bay. Following a coup in the Mexican government by General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna
, Texas revolted against Mexican rule in 1835. After several battles and skirmishes the final battle
of the Texas Revolution
took place near modern Pasadena on April 21, 1836. Santa Anna was captured at Vince's Bayou. Because this was the last conflict that led to the Mexican surrender, Pasadena and neighboring Deer Park
have adopted the nickname "Birthplace of Texas
".
This became the Allen Ranch
which occupied what is now western Pasadena all the way to Harrisburg, Texas. By 1888, the ranch contained 15000 acres (60.7 km²) in Harris County, 10000 acres (40.5 km²) in Brazoria County, Texas
with grazing lands in Galveston
and Fort Bend
Counties.
The Galveston, Harrisburg & Houston Railroad ran through the Allen ranch. There was a problem of cattle being regularly killed on the tracks and in 1875, Allen built a 19 miles (30.6 km) fence along the east side of the railway right of way to keep the cattle off the tracks. The fence ran from Harrisburg
to League City
and had four rails and a top rail wide enough to walk on. A gate was placed in the fence at the Harrisburg-Lynchburg
Road with a large sign above instructing that it should be closed at all times. The area east of this railroad fence running from Buffalo Bayou
to the tracks on Sims Bayou ran all the way to Galveston Bay
. It contained 100000 acres (404.7 km²) of grazing land for cattle.
"Proposed" towns in or near present day Pasadena were set up but short lived and either abandoned or never even got off the ground.
In 1892 Colonel John H. Burnett of Galveston established an unnamed townsite on the Vince Survey just east of the Allen Ranch. Burnett was involved in both construction and promotion of railroads and knew their impact on the value of property. The land was sold in 10 acres (4 ha) lots. He had also established the nearby towns of Deepwater and Genoa, later to be incorporated into Pasadena and Houston.
The 1900 unnamed hurricane
that destroyed Galveston
heavily damaged Pasadena, as well. The city received a population boost from some Galveston refugees who relocated to the mainland following the catastrophe. Donations by the newly created Red Cross, including millions of strawberry
plants to Gulf Coast
farmers, helped revive the community. This and the subsequent establishment of a major strawberry farm in the area by Texaco
founder Joseph S. Cullinan
made Pasadena a major fruit producer for many years afterward. As the community recovered major tracts of the Allen Ranch were liquidated opening up new development. Rice farmers from Japan
settled in the community further diversifying its agriculture. A paper mill and other businesses began to develop.
In 1901 the Texas Oil Boom
began with the gusher at Spindletop
. The discovery of the oil field at Goose Creek
led to increasing petroleum exploration around Galveston Bay. By 1920 refinery operations had appeared in Pasadena and continued to expand thereafter. The world wars gradually brought further industrial development, with Pasadena's growth rate surpassing even neighboring Houston.
Pasadena voted to incorporate in 1923, but residents decided to cancel the incorporation one year later. Pasadena incorporated in 1928. Because of the 1928 incorporation, Houston did not incorporate Pasadena's territory into its city limits, while Houston annexed surrounding areas that were unincorporated
.
By the mid-20th century Pasadena's economy had become strongly tied to petroleum and other heavy industry. NASA
's Johnson Space Center (JSC) was established near Pasadena in 1963 with the residential community of Clear Lake City
, partially under Pasadena's jurisdiction, established nearby. These developments helped to diversify the town's economy significantly.
In 1965, Houston Post reporter Gene Goltz Received the Pulitzer Prize
for his exposure of government
corruption
in Pasadena, Texas, which resulted in widespread reforms.
The nearby Bayport Industrial District
, one of the nation's largest chemical processing complexes, is vital to employment. High-tech businesses in the area related to the JSC have developed as well, and the opening of the Bayport shipping terminal is rapidly adding to the city's economic base.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 44.5 square miles (115.3 km²), of which 44.2 square miles (114.5 km²) is land and 0.4 square miles (1 km²) (0.81%) is water. The city is bordered by the Houston Ship Channel
(Buffalo Bayou
/ San Jacinto River) to the north. The southeastern most part of the city fronts Galveston Bay
.
.
of 2000, there were 141,674 people, 47,031 occupied housing units, and 35,179 families residing in the city. The population density
was 3,208.1 people per square mile (1,238.7/km²). There were 50,367 housing units at an average density of 1,140.5 per square mile (440.4/km²).
The racial makeup of the city was 71.4% White, 1.6% African American, 0.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.8% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander, 21.3% from other races
, and 3.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 48.2% of the population.
There were 47,031 households out of which 43.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.8% were married couples
living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.2% were non-families. 20.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.99 and the average family size was 3.48.
In the city the population was distributed by age as follows: 31.6% under the age of 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 17.9% from 45 to 64, and 7.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 99.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.6 males.
and the Bayport shipping terminal
and industrial district
, as well as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center
in the bordering Clear Lake Area. The Pasadena Refining System
, a partnership of Petrobras
and Astra Holding USA, is headquartered in Pasadena.
for the city was $16,301. About 13.2% of families and 16.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.8% of those under age 18 and 10.5% of those age 65 or over.
operates the Strawberry Health Center in Pasadena.
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice
(TDCJ) operates the Houston V District Parole Office in Pasadena.
There are four post offices
in the city limits. In July 2011 the USPS announced that one, John Foster Post Office, may close.
with a mayor and eight council members who are responsible for enacting legislation, adopting budgets and setting policies.http://www.ci.pasadena.tx.us/cityhall.htm
Because of its location near the refineries that dot the nearby ship channel, Pasadena has been dubbed by locals with the nickname "Stinkadena." Another reason for the name may be the large sewage treatment plant located along State Highway 225 that links Houston to Pasadena. Another nickname, "Pasa-get-down-dena", was coined in the mid-1980s by 97 Rock's morning DJ, Moby in the Morning. Several country music songs have been recorded with "Pasa-get-down-dena" as the title including Kenefick on their album "Hard Road."
, Debra Winger
and other actors came to the city to film the 1980 hit movie Urban Cowboy
, which depicted life and young love in Pasadena. The film centered on the city's honky-tonk bar Gilley's
, which was co-owned by country music star Mickey Gilley
. In 1989 Gilley's suffered an arson fire that gutted the interior, but the building's shell was still standing until 2006 when it was demolished by the Pasadena Independent School District
, its current owner. Only the old sound recording studio remains. Gilley still resides in Pasadena.
caused many people to resettle in Pasadena. Clara Barton
of the American Red Cross
purchased 1.5 million strawberry
plants and sent them to Pasadena to help victims of the flood get back on their feet. By the 1930s those crops had flourished so much that Pasadena was claiming the title of Strawberry Capital of the World. At its height, the city's strawberry growers shipped as many as 28 train carloads of strawberries each day. To honor that history, the city still holds an annual Pasadena Strawberry Festival. Strawberry Road stretches through much of the city near where the old strawberry crops grew. Attendance at the annual Strawberry Festival was 56,000 in 2008.
Institutions of higher education include:
. Some of the eastern part is served by Deer Park Independent School District
, some of the southern part is served by Clear Creek Independent School District
and La Porte Independent School District
.
Local residents have access to tennis courts, soccer fields, jogging tracks, walking tracks, picnic tables, family gathering pavilions at Pasadena's 47 parks, 5 swimming pools, and 5 game room buildings, museum, recreation center, 15 tennis courts and 21 ball fields.
San Jacinto Branch YMCA
is located in Pasadena.
City parks are maintained by the City of Pasadena, Texas.
(ABNC) is a 2500 acres (1,011.7 ha) preserve on the western shore of Galveston Bay in Pasadena. It is the only remnant of this region's original eco-systems: coastal tallgrass prairie, bottomland forest and bayou. A diversity of plant life has taken root here, including bottomland hardwoods. Hundreds of species of wildlife thrive in the narrow wooded streams and scattered lakes, ponds and marshes. Armand Bayou also is a breeding and nursery ground for many finfish and shellfish and a haven for rarely seen species such as bobcats and owls.
ABNC has been designated as one of five preserves under the Texas Coastal Preserve Program of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
.
). The east side of the Sam Houston Tollway (Beltway 8) runs through the eastern portion of the city.
The Harris County Toll Road Authority
sells EZ Tag
s in the city.
(METRO) operates a park & ride service from the Pasadena Town Square Mall.
This joint venture between Harris County, the city of Pasadena and METRO extended select trips. METRO operates four trips during the morning and five trips during the afternoon rush hours. Harris County Transit
operates a bus route that runs through most of the city, stopping at health centers, shopping centers, colleges, and other venues, with connections to neighboring cites. The Pasadena Park and Ride lot is located on the north side of Pasadena Town Square
.
, Japan
- Puch'on, South Korea
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
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 metropolitan area. It is the second-largest city 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...
, 17th-largest in Texas, and 162nd largest in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The area was founded in 1893 by John H. Burnett of Galveston
Galveston, Texas
Galveston is a coastal city located on Galveston Island in the U.S. state of Texas. , the city had a total population of 47,743 within an area of...
.
Burnett, the founder, named the area after Pasadena, California
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
because of the perceived lush vegetation.
As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the city's population was 149,043. The Pasadena Volunteer Fire Department
Pasadena Volunteer Fire Department
The Pasadena Fire Department in Pasadena, Texas, United States has a membership that includes over 200 active and 50 semi-active firefighters, as of 2010...
is the largest all volunteer municipal fire department in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Early history
Prior to European settlement the area around Galveston Bay was settled by the KarankawaKarankawa
Karankawa were a group of Native American peoples, now extinct as a tribal group, who played a pivotal part in early Texas history....
and Atakapan tribes, particularly the Akokisa
Akokisa
The Akokisa were the indigenous tribe that lived on Galveston Bay and the lower Trinity and San Jacinto rivers in Texas, primarily in the present-day Greater Houston area...
, who lived throughout the Gulf coast region. Spanish
Spanish Empire
The Spanish Empire comprised territories and colonies administered directly by Spain in Europe, in America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. It originated during the Age of Exploration and was therefore one of the first global empires. At the time of Habsburgs, Spain reached the peak of its world power....
explorers such as the Rivas-Iriarte expedition and José Antonio de Evia charted the bay and gave it its name. The pirate Jean Lafitte
Jean Lafitte
Jean Lafitte was a pirate and privateer in the Gulf of Mexico in the early 19th century. He and his elder brother, Pierre, spelled their last name Laffite, but English-language documents of the time used "Lafitte", and this is the commonly seen spelling in the United States, including for places...
established a short-lived kingdom based in Galveston in the early 19th century with bases and hide-outs around the bay and around Clear Lake
Clear Lake (Galveston Bay)
Clear Lake is a brackish lake located near Houston, Texas, USA in Harris County. The lake feeds Galveston Bay. It is bordered by Houston , Pasadena, League City, Clear Lake Shores, Taylor Lake Village, and El Lago, Texas...
. Lafitte was forced to leave in 1821 by the U.S. Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
.
Following its declaration of independence
Declaration of independence
A declaration of independence is an assertion of the independence of an aspiring state or states. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another nation or failed nation, or are breakaway territories from within the larger state...
from Spain
Spanish Empire
The Spanish Empire comprised territories and colonies administered directly by Spain in Europe, in America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. It originated during the Age of Exploration and was therefore one of the first global empires. At the time of Habsburgs, Spain reached the peak of its world power....
the new nation of Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
moved to colonize its northern territory of Texas by offering land grant
Land grant
A land grant is a gift of real estate – land or its privileges – made by a government or other authority as a reward for services to an individual, especially in return for military service...
s to settlers both from within Mexico and from the nearby United States. The colony established by Stephen F. Austin and the Galveston Bay and Texas Land Company of New York rapidly began a wave of settlement around the bay. Following a coup in the Mexican government by General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna
Antonio López de Santa Anna
Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón , often known as Santa Anna or López de Santa Anna, known as "the Napoleon of the West," was a Mexican political leader, general, and president who greatly influenced early Mexican and Spanish politics and government...
, Texas revolted against Mexican rule in 1835. After several battles and skirmishes the final battle
Battle of San Jacinto
The Battle of San Jacinto, fought on April 21, 1836, in present-day Harris County, Texas, was the decisive battle of the Texas Revolution. Led by General Sam Houston, the Texian Army engaged and defeated General Antonio López de Santa Anna's Mexican forces in a fight that lasted just eighteen...
of the Texas Revolution
Texas Revolution
The Texas Revolution or Texas War of Independence was an armed conflict between Mexico and settlers in the Texas portion of the Mexican state Coahuila y Tejas. The war lasted from October 2, 1835 to April 21, 1836...
took place near modern Pasadena on April 21, 1836. Santa Anna was captured at Vince's Bayou. Because this was the last conflict that led to the Mexican surrender, Pasadena and neighboring Deer Park
Deer Park, Texas
Deer Park is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The city is located in Harris County and is situated in Southeast Texas. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of Deer Park was 32,010....
have adopted the nickname "Birthplace 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...
".
Ranching and settlement
Sam Allen started a ranch in 1843 with 350 acres (1.4 km²).This became the Allen Ranch
Allen Ranch
The Allen Ranch, or Sam Allen Ranch, was one of the first and longest running ranches in the history of the state of Texas in the United States. The ranch was started a few years after the Texas Revolution in what is now southeast Houston and Pasadena. The ranch itself extended from Clear Lake to...
which occupied what is now western Pasadena all the way to Harrisburg, Texas. By 1888, the ranch contained 15000 acres (60.7 km²) in Harris County, 10000 acres (40.5 km²) in Brazoria County, Texas
Brazoria County, Texas
Brazoria County[p] is a county in the U.S. state of Texas, located on the Gulf Coast within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. Regionally, parts of the county are within the extreme southern-most fringe of the regions locally known as Southeast Texas. Brazoria County is among a...
with grazing lands in Galveston
Galveston County, Texas
Galveston County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the population was 291,309. Its county seat is Galveston. League City is the largest city in Galveston County in terms of population; between...
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.
The Galveston, Harrisburg & Houston Railroad ran through the Allen ranch. There was a problem of cattle being regularly killed on the tracks and in 1875, Allen built a 19 miles (30.6 km) fence along the east side of the railway right of way to keep the cattle off the tracks. The fence ran from Harrisburg
Harrisburg, Houston, Texas
Harrisburg is located within the city of Houston, Texas, United States....
to League City
League City, Texas
League City is a city in Galveston County and Harris County in the U.S. state of Texas, within the metropolitan area. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city population was 45,444; in the 2006 census estimate, the population was listed as 67,200. The 2010 Census places the population of League City...
and had four rails and a top rail wide enough to walk on. A gate was placed in the fence at the Harrisburg-Lynchburg
Lynchburg, Texas
Lynchburg is an unincorporated area in east central Harris County, Texas, United States.The community is also known as Lynch's Ferry.-Education:Deer Park Independent School District operates schools in the area.Zoned schools include:...
Road with a large sign above instructing that it should be closed at all times. The area east of this railroad fence running from 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...
to the tracks on Sims Bayou ran all the way to Galveston Bay
Galveston Bay
Galveston Bay is a large estuary located along the upper coast of Texas in the United States. It is connected to the Gulf of Mexico and is surrounded by sub-tropic marshes and prairies on the mainland. The water in the Bay is a complex mixture of sea water and fresh water which supports a wide...
. It contained 100000 acres (404.7 km²) of grazing land for cattle.
"Proposed" towns in or near present day Pasadena were set up but short lived and either abandoned or never even got off the ground.
In 1892 Colonel John H. Burnett of Galveston established an unnamed townsite on the Vince Survey just east of the Allen Ranch. Burnett was involved in both construction and promotion of railroads and knew their impact on the value of property. The land was sold in 10 acres (4 ha) lots. He had also established the nearby towns of Deepwater and Genoa, later to be incorporated into Pasadena and Houston.
20th century
Galveston Hurricane of 1900
The Hurricane of 1900 made landfall on the city of Galveston in the U.S. state of Texas, on September 8, 1900.It had estimated winds of at landfall, making it a Category 4 storm on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale...
that destroyed Galveston
Galveston, Texas
Galveston is a coastal city located on Galveston Island in the U.S. state of Texas. , the city had a total population of 47,743 within an area of...
heavily damaged Pasadena, as well. The city received a population boost from some Galveston refugees who relocated to the mainland following the catastrophe. Donations by the newly created Red Cross, including millions of strawberry
Strawberry
Fragaria is a genus of flowering plants in the rose family, Rosaceae, commonly known as strawberries for their edible fruits. Although it is commonly thought that strawberries get their name from straw being used as a mulch in cultivating the plants, the etymology of the word is uncertain. There...
plants to Gulf Coast
Gulf Coast of the United States
The Gulf Coast of the United States, sometimes referred to as the Gulf South, South Coast, or 3rd Coast, comprises the coasts of American states that are on the Gulf of Mexico, which includes Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida and are known as the Gulf States...
farmers, helped revive the community. This and the subsequent establishment of a major strawberry farm in the area by Texaco
Texaco
Texaco is the name of an American oil retail brand. Its flagship product is its fuel "Texaco with Techron". It also owns the Havoline motor oil brand....
founder Joseph S. Cullinan
Joseph S. Cullinan
Joseph Stephen Cullinan was a U.S. oil industrialist. Although he was a native of Pennsylvania, his lifetime business endeavors would help shape the early oil industry of Texas...
made Pasadena a major fruit producer for many years afterward. As the community recovered major tracts of the Allen Ranch were liquidated opening up new development. Rice farmers from Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
settled in the community further diversifying its agriculture. A paper mill and other businesses began to develop.
In 1901 the Texas Oil Boom
Texas Oil Boom
The Texas Oil Boom, sometimes called the Gusher Age, was a period of dramatic change and economic growth in U.S. state of Texas during the early 20th century that began with the discovery of a large petroleum reserve near Beaumont, Texas...
began with the gusher at Spindletop
Spindletop
Spindletop is a salt dome oil field located in the southern portion of Beaumont, Texas in the United States. The Spindletop dome was derived from the Louann Salt evaporite layer of the Jurassic geologic period. On January 10, 1901, a well at Spindletop struck oil . The new oil field soon produced...
. The discovery of the oil field at Goose Creek
Goose Creek Oil Field
The Goose Creek Oil Field is a large oil field in Baytown, Texas, on Galveston Bay. Discovered in 1903, and reaching maximum production in 1918 after a series of spectacular gushers, it was one of the fields which contributed to the Texas Oil Boom of the early 20th century...
led to increasing petroleum exploration around Galveston Bay. By 1920 refinery operations had appeared in Pasadena and continued to expand thereafter. The world wars gradually brought further industrial development, with Pasadena's growth rate surpassing even neighboring Houston.
Pasadena voted to incorporate in 1923, but residents decided to cancel the incorporation one year later. Pasadena incorporated in 1928. Because of the 1928 incorporation, Houston did not incorporate Pasadena's territory into its city limits, while Houston annexed surrounding areas that were 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...
.
By the mid-20th century Pasadena's economy had become strongly tied to petroleum and other heavy industry. NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
's Johnson Space Center (JSC) was established near Pasadena in 1963 with the residential community of Clear Lake City
Clear Lake City (Greater Houston)
Clear Lake City is a master-planned community located in southeast Harris County, Texas, within the Bay Area of Greater Houston. It is the second-largest master-planned community in Houston — behind Kingwood...
, partially under Pasadena's jurisdiction, established nearby. These developments helped to diversify the town's economy significantly.
In 1965, Houston Post reporter Gene Goltz Received the Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
for his exposure of government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
corruption
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
in Pasadena, Texas, which resulted in widespread reforms.
The nearby Bayport Industrial District
Bayport Industrial District
The Bayport Industrial District is a large commercial real-estate development located in southeast Harris County, Texas, within the Bay Area of Greater Houston. It is one of the two industrial districts in the extraterritorial jurisdiction of La Porte...
, one of the nation's largest chemical processing complexes, is vital to employment. High-tech businesses in the area related to the JSC have developed as well, and the opening of the Bayport shipping terminal is rapidly adding to the city's economic base.
Geography
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 44.5 square miles (115.3 km²), of which 44.2 square miles (114.5 km²) is land and 0.4 square miles (1 km²) (0.81%) is water. The city is bordered by 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:...
(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...
/ San Jacinto River) to the north. The southeastern most part of the city fronts Galveston Bay
Galveston Bay
Galveston Bay is a large estuary located along the upper coast of Texas in the United States. It is connected to the Gulf of Mexico and is surrounded by sub-tropic marshes and prairies on the mainland. The water in the Bay is a complex mixture of sea water and fresh water which supports a wide...
.
Neighborhoods
Neighborhoods in Pasadena include:- Vista Villas
- Allendale
- Bayport
- Baywood Oaks
- Baywood Shadows
- Burke Meadows
- Clear Lake City (Pasadena)
- Deepwater
- El Jardin del MarEl Jardin del Mar, Pasadena, TexasEl Jardin del Mar is a community located in Pasadena, Texas, United States. Places within El Jardin have Seabrook, Texas postal addresses...
- Golden AcresGolden Acres, Pasadena, TexasGolden Acres is an area in Pasadena, Texas, United States that was formerly an unincorporated community in Harris County.Golden Acres is located southeast of Downtown Pasadena. The name comes from the developer's slogan, "a golden opportunity."-History:...
- Old Downtown
- Parkview Manor
- Red Bluff Terrace
- Village Grove East
- Village Grove East Townhomes
- Village Grove
Climate
Pasadena has hot and humid summers and mild winters typical of the Southern United StatesSouthern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
.
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 141,674 people, 47,031 occupied housing units, and 35,179 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 3,208.1 people per square mile (1,238.7/km²). There were 50,367 housing units at an average density of 1,140.5 per square mile (440.4/km²).
The racial makeup of the city was 71.4% White, 1.6% African American, 0.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.8% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander, 21.3% 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 3.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 48.2% of the population.
There were 47,031 households out of which 43.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.8% 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, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.2% were non-families. 20.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.99 and the average family size was 3.48.
In the city the population was distributed by age as follows: 31.6% under the age of 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 17.9% from 45 to 64, and 7.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 99.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.6 males.
Economy
The city's key economic sectors include exploration for petroleum and gas, petroleum refining, petrochemical processing, maritime shipping, aerospace, and healthcare. The city's economy is closely linked to the nearby Houston Ship ChannelHouston 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:...
and the Bayport shipping terminal
Bayport Terminal
The Bayport Container Terminal, or simply the Bayport Terminal, is a major deep water port in the Greater Houston area in Texas . This relatively new terminal, part of the Port of Houston, is designed to handle standardized cargo containers and offload the nearby Barbours Cut Terminal, which has no...
and industrial district
Bayport Industrial District
The Bayport Industrial District is a large commercial real-estate development located in southeast Harris County, Texas, within the Bay Area of Greater Houston. It is one of the two industrial districts in the extraterritorial jurisdiction of La Porte...
, as well as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center
Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center
The Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's center for human spaceflight training, research and flight control. The center consists of a complex of 100 buildings constructed on 1,620 acres in Houston, Texas, USA...
in the bordering Clear Lake Area. The Pasadena Refining System
Pasadena Refining System
Pasadena Refining System, Inc. is a refinery company. The company has its headquarters in Pasadena, Texas, United States. As of 2008 it is a 50-50 partnership between Petrobras and Astra Holding USA, the USA subsidiary of NPM/CNP, and it is Petrobras's only American oil holding.In 2006 Petrobras...
, a partnership of Petrobras
Petrobras
Petróleo Brasileiro or Petrobras is a semi-public Brazilian multinational energy corporation headquartered in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is the largest company in Latin America by market capitalization and revenue, and the largest company headquartered in the Southern Hemisphere by market...
and Astra Holding USA, is headquartered in Pasadena.
Personal income
The median income for a household in the city was $38,522, and the median income for a family was $42,541. Males had a median income of $34,330 versus $25,869 for females. The per capita incomePer 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 city was $16,301. About 13.2% of families and 16.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.8% of those under age 18 and 10.5% of those age 65 or over.
Other governmental
Harris County operates the Kyle Chapman/Pasadena Courthouse Annex. Harris County Hospital DistrictHarris County Hospital District
The Harris County Hospital District is a governmental entity with taxing authority that owns and operates three hospitals and numerous clinics throughout Harris County, Texas, United States, including the city of Houston...
operates the Strawberry Health Center in Pasadena.
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice
Texas Department of Criminal Justice
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice is a department of the government of the state of Texas. The TDCJ is responsible for statewide criminal justice for adult offenders, including managing offenders in state prisons, state jails and private correctional facilities, funding and certain...
(TDCJ) operates the Houston V District Parole Office in Pasadena.
There are four post offices
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...
in the city limits. In July 2011 the USPS announced that one, John Foster Post Office, may close.
Government
The Government of Pasadena operates under a Mayor-Council form of governmentMayor-council government
The mayor–council government system, sometimes called the mayor–commission government system, is one of the two most common forms of local government for municipalities...
with a mayor and eight council members who are responsible for enacting legislation, adopting budgets and setting policies.http://www.ci.pasadena.tx.us/cityhall.htm
Police
The city has its own police department, which employs approximately 250 Officers, with 1 Police Chief, 3 Assistant Chiefs and numerous other supervisory positions.Elections
The last election was a special election held on January 19, 2008.Mayor
- John Manlove July 2001- October 2007
- Jack Douglass October 2007- January 2008
- Johnny Isbell January 2008–present
Culture
The city has several museums, including the Pasadena Historical Museum, the Bay Area Museum and Armand Bayou Nature Center. Pasadena also has a community theater, an annual rodeo and the Pasadena Philharmonic. The city's newspaper is the Pasadena CitizenBecause of its location near the refineries that dot the nearby ship channel, Pasadena has been dubbed by locals with the nickname "Stinkadena." Another reason for the name may be the large sewage treatment plant located along State Highway 225 that links Houston to Pasadena. Another nickname, "Pasa-get-down-dena", was coined in the mid-1980s by 97 Rock's morning DJ, Moby in the Morning. Several country music songs have been recorded with "Pasa-get-down-dena" as the title including Kenefick on their album "Hard Road."
Gilley's and Urban Cowboy
John TravoltaJohn Travolta
John Joseph Travolta is an American actor, dancer and singer. Travolta first became known in the 1970s, after appearing on the television series Welcome Back, Kotter and starring in the box office successes Saturday Night Fever and Grease...
, Debra Winger
Debra Winger
Mary Debra Winger is an American actress. Three-times an Oscar nominee, she received awards for acting in Terms of Endearment, for which she won the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress in 1983, and in A Dangerous Woman, for which she won the Tokyo International Film Festival...
and other actors came to the city to film the 1980 hit movie Urban Cowboy
Urban Cowboy
Released as a 2× vinyl record album, re-released on CD in 1995.Side A:#Hello Texas – Jimmy Buffett #All Night Long – Joe Walsh #Times Like These – Dan Fogelberg #Nine Tonight – Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band...
, which depicted life and young love in Pasadena. The film centered on the city's honky-tonk bar Gilley's
Gilley's Club
Gilley's is a bar/honky tonk founded in 1971 by country singer Mickey Gilley in Pasadena, Texas. It was the central location in the 1980 movie Urban Cowboy.It was a huge building with a corrugated steel roof that housed multiple bars and mechanical bulls...
, which was co-owned by country music star Mickey Gilley
Mickey Gilley
Mickey Leroy Gilley is an American country music singer and musician. Although he started out singing straight-up country and western material in the 1970s, he moved towards a more pop-friendly sound in the 1980s, bringing him further success on not just the country charts, but the pop charts as...
. In 1989 Gilley's suffered an arson fire that gutted the interior, but the building's shell was still standing until 2006 when it was demolished by the Pasadena Independent School District
Pasadena Independent School District
Pasadena Independent School District is a school district that is based in Pasadena, Texas . Dr. Kirk Lewis, was named Superintendent of Schools in 2005.Pasadena ISD serves much of southeast Harris County...
, its current owner. Only the old sound recording studio remains. Gilley still resides in Pasadena.
Strawberry Festival
The Galveston Hurricane of 1900Galveston Hurricane of 1900
The Hurricane of 1900 made landfall on the city of Galveston in the U.S. state of Texas, on September 8, 1900.It had estimated winds of at landfall, making it a Category 4 storm on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale...
caused many people to resettle in Pasadena. Clara Barton
Clara Barton
Clarissa Harlowe "Clara" Barton was a pioneer American teacher, patent clerk, nurse, and humanitarian. She is best remembered for organizing the American Red Cross.-Youth, education, and family nursing:...
of the American Red Cross
American Red Cross
The American Red Cross , also known as the American National Red Cross, is a volunteer-led, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States. It is the designated U.S...
purchased 1.5 million strawberry
Strawberry
Fragaria is a genus of flowering plants in the rose family, Rosaceae, commonly known as strawberries for their edible fruits. Although it is commonly thought that strawberries get their name from straw being used as a mulch in cultivating the plants, the etymology of the word is uncertain. There...
plants and sent them to Pasadena to help victims of the flood get back on their feet. By the 1930s those crops had flourished so much that Pasadena was claiming the title of Strawberry Capital of the World. At its height, the city's strawberry growers shipped as many as 28 train carloads of strawberries each day. To honor that history, the city still holds an annual Pasadena Strawberry Festival. Strawberry Road stretches through much of the city near where the old strawberry crops grew. Attendance at the annual Strawberry Festival was 56,000 in 2008.
Pasadena Philharmonic Society and Orchestra
Pasadena Philharmonic Society and Orchestra is a combination of two groups. The Society is composed of members of the local community that support the fine arts and classical music. The Orchestra is composed of local music educators, musicians, college students and selected high school students. The Orchestra presented its first performance in the fall of 1982. The Philharmonic has presented performances ever since.Colleges and universities
- University of Houston–Clear LakeUniversity of Houston–Clear LakeThe University of Houston–Clear Lake is a state university, and is a component institution of the University of Houston System. Its campus spans 524-acre in Pasadena, with a satellite campus in Pearland. Founded in 1971, UHCL has an enrollment of more than 8,000 students...
(partially in Pasadena, partially in Houston) - San Jacinto CollegeSan Jacinto CollegeSan Jacinto College is a community college in the Greater Houston area in the U.S. state of Texas. Established in 1961, San Jacinto College originally consisted of the areas of Channelview ISD, Deer Park ISD, Galena Park ISD, La Porte ISD, and Pasadena ISD. The College now also serves Sheldon ISD,...
(Central Campus and System Headquarters) a community collegeCommunity collegeA community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries.-Australia:Community colleges carry on the tradition of adult education, which was established in Australia around mid 19th century when evening classes were held to help adults...
system which serves all of Pasadena as well as all and portions of several other school districts.
- Texas Chiropractic College - Founded in 1908, Texas Chiropractic College is the fourth oldest chiropractic college in the nation. TCC is accredited as a Level V doctoral degree granting institution by the Southern Association of Colleges and SchoolsSouthern Association of Colleges and SchoolsThe Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is one of the six regional accreditation organizations recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation...
. TCC has maintained continuous accreditation since 1971. Its first-of-its-kind Hospital Rotations Program is a pioneer in the integrated health care field. The program provides interns the opportunity to rotate in nearly 30 hospitals and clinics throughout the Houston metropolitan area, including the Texas Medical Center.
Primary and secondary schools
Most of city of Pasadena is served by the Pasadena Independent School DistrictPasadena Independent School District
Pasadena Independent School District is a school district that is based in Pasadena, Texas . Dr. Kirk Lewis, was named Superintendent of Schools in 2005.Pasadena ISD serves much of southeast Harris County...
. Some of the eastern part is served by Deer Park Independent School District
Deer Park Independent School District
Deer Park Independent School District is a public school district in Deer Park, Texas , but also includes parts of neighboring Pasadena. Its total enrollment is approximately 11,700 students....
, some of the southern part is served by Clear Creek Independent School District
Clear Creek Independent School District
Clear Creek Independent School District is a school district based in League City, Texas . The district serves most of the Clear Lake Area and some other neighboring parts of the Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown metro area....
and La Porte Independent School District
La Porte Independent School District
La Porte Independent School District is a school district based in La Porte, Texas, United States.The district serves the cities of La Porte, Morgan's Point, and Shoreacres, a small portion of Pasadena, a small portion of Deer Park...
.
Public libraries
Pasadena owns the Pasadena Public Library with the Main Library at 1201 Jeff Ginn Memorial Drive and the Fairmont Library, a branch, at 4330 Fairmont Parkway between Panama Street and Watters Road.Parks and recreation
Harris County operates several community centers in Pasadena.- East Harris County Activity Center
- Bay Area Community Center
- Clear Lake Water Front (Pasadena Section)
Local residents have access to tennis courts, soccer fields, jogging tracks, walking tracks, picnic tables, family gathering pavilions at Pasadena's 47 parks, 5 swimming pools, and 5 game room buildings, museum, recreation center, 15 tennis courts and 21 ball fields.
San Jacinto Branch 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 Pasadena.
City parks are maintained by the City of Pasadena, Texas.
Armand Bayou Nature Center
Armand Bayou Nature CenterArmand Bayou Nature Center
Armand Bayou Nature Center is an urban preserve located in Pasadena and southeast Houston between the Johnson Space Center and the Bayport Industrial District...
(ABNC) is a 2500 acres (1,011.7 ha) preserve on the western shore of Galveston Bay in Pasadena. It is the only remnant of this region's original eco-systems: coastal tallgrass prairie, bottomland forest and bayou. A diversity of plant life has taken root here, including bottomland hardwoods. Hundreds of species of wildlife thrive in the narrow wooded streams and scattered lakes, ponds and marshes. Armand Bayou also is a breeding and nursery ground for many finfish and shellfish and a haven for rarely seen species such as bobcats and owls.
ABNC has been designated as one of five preserves under the Texas Coastal Preserve Program of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department is a Texas state agency that oversees and protects wildlife and their habitats. In addition, the agency is responsible for managing the state's parks and historical areas...
.
Infrastructure
Transportation
Pasadena is served by three freeway systems. Interstate 45 is the closest interstate to the Pasadena city limits. The main freeway artery is the Pasadena Freeway (State Highway 225Texas State Highway 225
State Highway 225, or SH 225, is an east–west freeway in the Houston area between the Interstate 610 Loop in Houston and State Highway 146 in La Porte. It is identified as the La Porte Freeway over its entire length except for Pasadena where it is called the Pasadena Freeway...
). The east side of the Sam Houston Tollway (Beltway 8) runs through the eastern portion of the city.
The Harris County Toll Road Authority
Harris County Toll Road Authority
The Harris County Toll Road Authority maintains and operates a toll road system in the Houston/Harris County area...
sells EZ Tag
EZ TAG
EZ TAG is an electronic toll collection system in Houston, Texas, United States that allows motorists to pay tolls without stopping at toll booths. Motorists with the Tags are allowed to use lanes reserved exclusively for them on all Harris County Toll Road Authority roads...
s in the city.
Public transportation
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 a park & ride service from the Pasadena Town Square Mall.
This joint venture between Harris County, the city of Pasadena and METRO extended select trips. METRO operates four trips during the morning and five trips during the afternoon rush hours. Harris County Transit
Harris County Transit
The Harris County Transit Services Division is a transportation agency that serves areas of Harris County, Texas that do not have service from Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas...
operates a bus route that runs through most of the city, stopping at health centers, shopping centers, colleges, and other venues, with connections to neighboring cites. The Pasadena Park and Ride lot is located on the north side of Pasadena Town Square
Pasadena Town Square
Pasadena Town Square is a shopping mall located in the Pasadena, Tx near Houston was opened in 1982.-References:...
.
Sister cities
Pasadena has formalized sister city agreements with the following cities: - Hadano, KanagawaHadano, Kanagawa
is a city in west-central Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of February 2010, Hadano has an estimated population of 170,293 and a population density of 1,640 persons per km²; it had a total area of 103.61 km².-Geography:...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
- Puch'on, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...