Westfield, Texas
Encyclopedia
Harris County, Texas
As of the 2010 Census, the population of the county was 4,092,459, White Americans made up 56.6% of Harris County's population; non-Hispanic whites represented 33.0% of the population. Black Americans made up 18.9% of the population. Native Americans made up 0.7% of Harris County's population...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
located along Interstate 45
Interstate 45
Interstate 45 is an intrastate Interstate Highway located entirely within the U.S. state of Texas. It connects the cities of Dallas and Houston, continuing southeast from Houston to Galveston over the Galveston Causeway to the Gulf of Mexico...
and the Missouri Pacific Railroad
Missouri Pacific Railroad
The Missouri Pacific Railroad , also known as the MoPac, was one of the first railroads in the United States west of the Mississippi River. MoPac was a Class I railroad growing from dozens of predecessors and mergers, including the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway , Texas and Pacific...
nineteen miles (30 km) north of Downtown
Downtown Houston
Downtown Houston is the largest business district of Houston, Texas, United States. Downtown Houston, the city's central business district, contains the headquarters of many prominent companies. There is an extensive network of pedestrian tunnels and skywalks connecting the buildings of the district...
Houston.
History
In 1846 Herman Tautenhahn, a German immigrant, built a general store near Cypress Station. By 1876 Westfield was established; the community was named after Gate F. West, a man who owned a field along the International–Great Northern Railroad. In 1873 a post office opened. Tautenhahn moved his store closer to the rail line. Westfield's economy consisted of loading goods such as cattle, cotton, hides, and lumber from local warehouses and cattle pens onto freight cars. The community shipped a tonnage of goods equalling that shipped by nearby SpringSpring, Texas
Spring, Texas is a census-designated place within the extraterritorial jurisdiction of Houston in Harris County, Texas, United States, north of Downtown Houston. The population was 54,298 at the 2010 census...
. By 1890 Westfield had 200 people, of which most were Anglo-American
English American
English Americans are citizens or residents of the United States whose ancestry originates wholly or partly in England....
and German-American. The community included several sorghum
Sorghum
Sorghum is a genus of numerous species of grasses, one of which is raised for grain and many of which are used as fodder plants either cultivated or as part of pasture. The plants are cultivated in warmer climates worldwide. Species are native to tropical and subtropical regions of all continents...
manufacturers, three churches, three combination gristmill and cotton gins, one steam sawmill, and one school. Some residents manufactured barrels, farm implements, and furniture. In 1905 Westfield became an overflow point for employees from the nearby Humble oil field. Between 1925 and 1930 the population increased from 50 to 450. During the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
the population decreased to 50. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
200 residents and 10 businesses were in the community. The population decreased to 125 after the end of the war. By the 1950s Farm to Market Road 1960
Farm to Market Road 1960
Farm to Market Road 1960 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Texas. Its western terminus is at an intersection with U.S...
was constructed. In 1962 the store established by Tautenhahn, renamed Big T Shopping Center, moved to the intersection of F.M. 1960 and Interstate 45. The population stayed at the same level from the post-war years until the mid-1960s, when it increased to 275. From 1966 to 1990 the population remained at 275 and the area had a maximum of 32 businesses. The area post office closed in 1972. The state of Texas did not find population figures for the year 2000.
Government and infrastructure
Westfield is within Harris County Precinct 4. As of 2008 Jerry Eversole heads the precinct. Areas west of Interstate 45 are served by Harris County Sheriff's OfficeHarris County Sheriff's Office
The Harris County Sheriff's Office is a local law enforcement agency serving the over three million citizens of Harris County, Texas, United States. It is headquartered in the 1200 Jail in Downtown Houston.As of the 2000 U.S...
District I Patrol, headquartered from the Cypresswood Substation at 6831 Cypresswood Drive. Areas east of Interstate 45 are served by Harris County Sheriff's Office District II Patrol, headquartered from the Humble Substation at 7900 Will Clayton Parkway in Humble
Humble, Texas
Humble is a city in Harris County, Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area.As of the 2000 census, the city population was 14,579. The city shares a zip code with the small Houston neighborhood of Bordersville, although people who live in Bordersville still have Humble...
.
The Ponderosa Volunteer Fire Department serves areas considered to be in Westfield. One of its three stations, Station 61 at 17061 Rolling Creek Drive, serves as the VFD headquarters and serves the Westfield community. Efforts to form the Ponderosa Fire Department began in 1972. The department opened in 1976.
Westfield is located in District 150 of the Texas House of Representatives
Texas House of Representatives
The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the Texas Legislature. The House is composed of 150 members elected from single-member districts across the state. The average district has about 150,000 people. Representatives are elected to two-year terms with no term limits...
. As of 2008 Debbie Riddle
Debbie Riddle
Debbie Riddle is a horse breeder and Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives, serving House District 150, which comprises much of northwest Harris County.-Significant legislation:...
represents the district. Westfield is within District 7
Texas Senate, District 7
District 7 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that serves a portion of Harris county in the U.S. state of Texas. The current Senator from District 7 is Dan Patrick.-2006:-2002:-2000:-1996:-1994:...
of the Texas Senate
Texas Senate
The Texas Senate is the upper house of the Texas Legislature. There are 31 members of the Senate, representing 31 single-member districts across the state with populations of approximately 672,000 per constituency. There are no term limits, and each term is four years long. The Senate meets at the...
; as of 2008 Ted Poe
Ted Poe
Lloyd "Ted" Poe is a Republican politician currently representing Texas's 2nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives. The district includes most of northern Houston, as well as most of the Beaumont-Port Arthur metropolitan area. He is the first Republican to ever...
represents the district.
Westfield is in Texas's 2nd congressional district
Texas's 2nd congressional district
Texas's 2nd congressional district of the United States House of Representatives is in the southeastern portion of the state of Texas. It stretches from Houston's northern suburbs through eastern Harris County, and across Southeast Texas to the Louisiana border...
; as of 2008 Ted Poe
Ted Poe
Lloyd "Ted" Poe is a Republican politician currently representing Texas's 2nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives. The district includes most of northern Houston, as well as most of the Beaumont-Port Arthur metropolitan area. He is the first Republican to ever...
is the representative. Westfield's designated 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...
post office is the Westfield Post Office at 17119 Red Oak Drive.
Education
Areas considered to be in Westfield are served by the Spring Independent School DistrictSpring Independent School District
Spring Independent School District is a school district based in the Gordon M. Anderson Leadership Center in unincorporated Harris County, Texas, United States....
. Westfield High School
Westfield High School (Harris County, Texas)
Westfield High School is a high school located in unincorporated Harris County, Texas, United States.The school, which serves grades 9-12, is a part of the Spring Independent School District. The school, in the Westfield community, has a Houston, Texas postal address...
serves the areas considered to be "Westfield", "Greenspoint", and unincorporated Harris County.
Westfield had received its first school by 1890. In 1905 its school for White children had 137 students and one teacher, while its school for Black children had 33 and one teacher.
Public libraries
The closest public library to the area is the Baldwin Boettcher Library of Harris County Public LibraryHarris County Public Library
Harris County Public Library is a public library system serving Harris County, Texas, United States. The county library system is headquartered at 8080 El Rio in Houston....
at Mercer Park. The 10137 square feet (941.8 m²) branch opened in 1986.