Pasadena, Texas | |
|---|---|
City | |
 | |
| Motto: "Enriched by our Heritage. Inspired by our Future." | |
 Location inHarris County and the state ofTexas | |
| Coordinates:29°40′34″N95°10′26″W / 29.67611°N 95.17389°W /29.67611; -95.17389 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Harris |
| Founded | 1893 |
| Incorporated | December 22, 1923 and December 26, 1928 |
| Named after | Pasadena, California |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor-Council |
| • Mayor | Thomas Schoenbein |
| • City Council | Carlos Heredia Sr. Bianca Valerio Emmanuel Guerrero Pat Van Houte Jonathan Estrada Dolan Dow Johnny Fusilier Jr. Aaron E. Styron |
| Area | |
• City | 44.74 sq mi (115.88 km2) |
| • Land | 43.68 sq mi (113.14 km2) |
| • Water | 1.06 sq mi (2.75 km2) |
| Elevation | 30 ft (9.1 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• City | 151,950 |
| • Density | 3,462.0/sq mi (1,336.69/km2) |
| • Metro | 5,628,101 |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| ZIP codes | 77501-77508, 77059 (Brookwood), 77586 (El Jardin) |
| Area codes | 713, 281, 346, 832, 621 |
| FIPS code | 48-56000[2] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1343631[3] |
| Website | www.pasadenatx.gov |
Pasadena (/ˌpæsəˈdiːnə/) is a city in theU.S. state ofTexas, located inHarris County. It is part of theHouston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land metropolitan area. As of the 2020U.S. census, the city's population was 151,950,[4] making it the23rd most populous city in Texas and the second most populous in Harris County, afterHouston. The area was founded in 1893 by John H. Burnett ofGalveston, who named the area afterPasadena, California, because of the perceived lush vegetation.[5][6]
Prior to European settlement the area around Galveston Bay was settled by theKarankawa andAtakapan tribes, particularly theAkokisa, who lived throughout theGulf coast region.Spanish explorers such as the Rivas-Iriarte expedition and José Antonio de Evia charted the bay and gave it its name.[7] ThepirateJean Lafitte established a short-lived kingdom based in Galveston in the early 19th century with bases and hide-outs around the bay and aroundClear Lake.[8] Lafitte was forced to leave in 1821 by theU.S. Navy.[9]
Following itsdeclaration of independence fromSpain the new nation ofMexico moved to colonize its northern territory of Texas by offeringland grants 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.[10][11][12] Following a coup in the Mexican government by GeneralAntonio Lopez de Santa Anna, Texas revolted against Mexican rule in 1835.[13] After several battles and skirmishes the finalbattle of theTexas Revolution took place near modern Pasadena on April 21, 1836. While the main battlefield was located in the neighboring present-day city ofLa Porte, Santa Anna was captured in present-day Pasadena atVince's Bayou. Because this was the last conflict that led to the Mexican surrender, Pasadena and neighboringDeer Park have adopted the nickname "Birthplace ofTexas".[14]
Sam Allen started a ranch in 1843 with 350 acres (1.4 km2).This became theAllen Ranch which occupied what is now western Pasadena all the way toHarrisburg, Texas. By 1888, the ranch contained 15,000 acres (61 km2) in Harris County, 10,000 acres (40 km2) inBrazoria County, Texas with grazing lands inGalveston andFort Bend Counties.
TheGalveston, Houston & Henderson 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-mile (31 km) fence along the east side of the railway right of way to keep the cattle off the tracks. The fence ran fromHarrisburg toLeague 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 fromBuffalo Bayou to the tracks onSims Bayou ran all the way toGalveston Bay. It contained 100,000 acres (400 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 (4.0 ha) lots. He had also established the nearby towns of Deepwater andGenoa, later to be incorporated into Pasadena and Houston.
The1900 hurricane that destroyedGalveston heavily damaged Pasadena, as well. The city received a population boost from some Galveston refugees who relocated to the mainland following the catastrophe.[15][16] Donations by the newly createdRed Cross, including millions ofstrawberry plants toGulf Coast farmers, helped revive the community.[17] This and the subsequent establishment of a major strawberry farm in the area byTexaco founderJoseph S. Cullinan made Pasadena a major fruit producer for many years afterward.[18] As the community recovered major tracts of the Allen Ranch were liquidated opening up new development.[19] Rice farmers from Japan settled in the community further diversifying its agriculture.Champion Coated Paper Company of Ohio opened a paper mill in 1937.[17][20] Other businesses began to develop.
In 1901 theTexas Oil Boom began with the gusher atSpindletop. The discovery of theoil field at Goose Creek led to increasing petroleum exploration around Galveston Bay.[21] By 1917–1920 refinery operations had appeared in Pasadena and continued to expand thereafter for example thePasadena Refining System...[17] The world wars gradually brought further industrial development, with Pasadena's growth rate surpassing even neighboring Houston.[16]
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 wereunincorporated.[5]
By the mid-20th century Pasadena's economy had become strongly tied to petroleum and other heavy industry.NASA'sJohnson Space Center (JSC) was established near Pasadena in 1963 with the residential community ofClear Lake City, partially under Pasadena's jurisdiction, established nearby.[22] These developments helped to diversify the town's economy significantly.[17] Eventually, the city gained the unofficial monikerStinkadena by locals due to the pollution from its large industrial base.[23][24][25][26]
Former Pasadena City Council member andState RepresentativeRay Barnhart described the city at the time as "a lovely community but politically corrupt."[27] Barnhart recalled that a half dozen Pasadena officials were indicted in the late 1950s and early 1960s forpublic corruption.[27]
In 1965,Houston Post reporterGene Goltz Received thePulitzer Prize for his exposure of government corruption in Pasadena, Texas, which resulted in widespread reforms.[28]
In the 21st century, Pasadena emerged as a mostly working-class suburb of Houston.
On October 31, 2015, anEF2tornado struck a warehouse within Pasadena city limits.[29] Half of the warehouse was completely leveled with its roof significantly damaged. The tornado moved northeast into La Porte city limits and damaged approximately 30 homes.[30]
On January 24, 2023, anEF3tornado struck northwestern Pasadena.[31] Multiple neighborhoods and apartment complexes were severely damaged by the tornado. No major casualties occurred with this tornado. The tornado would go on to affectDeer Park, andBaytown, Texas.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 44.5 square miles (115 km2), of which 44.2 square miles (114 km2) is land and 0.4 square miles (1.0 km2) (0.81%) is water. The city is bordered by theHouston Ship Channel (Buffalo Bayou /San Jacinto River) to the north. The southeasternmost part of the city frontsGalveston Bay.
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters.
Neighborhoods in Pasadena include:
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | 1,647 | — | |
| 1940 | 3,436 | 108.6% | |
| 1950 | 22,483 | 554.3% | |
| 1960 | 58,737 | 161.3% | |
| 1970 | 89,957 | 53.2% | |
| 1980 | 112,560 | 25.1% | |
| 1990 | 119,363 | 6.0% | |
| 2000 | 141,674 | 18.7% | |
| 2010 | 149,043 | 5.2% | |
| 2020 | 151,950 | 2.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000[32] | Pop 2010[33] | Pop 2020[34] | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 66,923 | 48,734 | 37,341 | 47.24% | 32.70% | 24.57% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 2,068 | 2,965 | 4,992 | 1.46% | 1.99% | 3.29% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 409 | 312 | 260 | 0.29% | 0.21% | 0.17% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 2,531 | 3,074 | 3,346 | 1.79% | 2.06% | 2.20% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 31 | 68 | 59 | 0.02% | 0.05% | 0.04% |
| Other Race alone (NH) | 99 | 168 | 466 | 0.07% | 0.11% | 0.31% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 1,265 | 1,030 | 2,449 | 0.89% | 0.69% | 1.61% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 68,348 | 92,692 | 103,037 | 48.24% | 62.19% | 67.81% |
| Total | 141,674 | 149,043 | 151,950 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the2020 United States census, there were 151,950 people, 48,174 households, and 36,201 families residing in the city. As of the census of 2010, there were 149,043 people.[2] There were 54,712 housing units.[35]
According to the 2010 census, the racial and ethnic makeup of the city was 83.3%White, 2.7%African American, 1.5%American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.1%Asian, 11.6% fromother races, and 1.9% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 66.2% of the population.[35] In 2020, the racial and ethnic makeup was 24.57% non-Hispanic white, 3.29% African American, 0.17% Native American, 2.2% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.31% some other race, 1.61% multiracial, and 67.81% Hispanic or Latino of any race.[36]
The city's key economic sectors include exploration for petroleum and gas, petroleum refining, petrochemical processing, solar panel manufacturing, maritime shipping, aerospace, and healthcare. The city's economy is closely linked to the nearbyHouston Ship Channel and the Bayportshipping terminal andindustrial district, as well as theNational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)'sLyndon B. Johnson Space Center in the borderingClear Lake Area.[37] ThePasadena Refining System, a partnership ofPetrobras and Astra Holding USA, is headquartered in Pasadena.[38]
Additionally, Harris County operates the Kyle Chapman/Pasadena Courthouse Annex.[39]Harris Health System (formerly Harris County Hospital District) operates the Strawberry Health Center,[40] and the Pediatric and Adolescent Health Center – Pasadena.[41] The nearest public hospital isBen Taub General Hospital in theTexas Medical Center, Houston.[42] TheTexas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) operates the Houston V District Parole Office in Pasadena.[43]
There are fourpost offices in the city limits.[44][45][46][47] In July 2011 the USPS announced that one, John Foster Post Office, may close.[48]
According to the city's 2017 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[49] the top employers in the city are:
| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pasadena Independent School District | 8,330 |
| 2 | SGS Petroleum Service Corp. | 2,500 |
| 3 | The Boeing Company | 2,000 |
| 4 | Mundy Company | 1,921 |
| 5 | University of Houston-Clear Lake | 1,548 |
| 6 | Shell Chemical | 1,500 |
| 7 | San Jacinto College | 1,367 |
| 7 | Bayshore Medical Center | 1,210 |
| 9 | Lyondell Chemical Co. | 1,150 |
| 10 | City of Pasadena | 1,056 |
The government of Pasadena operates under amayor-council form of government with a mayor and eight council members who are responsible for enacting legislation, adopting budgets and setting policies.[50]
The city has its own police department, which employs approximately 282 Officers, with one Police Chief, three Assistant Chiefs and other supervisory positions. ThePasadena Volunteer Fire Department is the largest of all volunteer municipal fire departments in the United States.[51][52]
The city has several museums, including the Pasadena Historical Museum,[53] the Bay Area Museum[54] and Armand Bayou Nature Center. Pasadena also has a community theater,[55] an annual rodeo,[56] and the Pasadena Philharmonic. The city's newspaper is thePasadena Citizen.[57]
The Champion paper mill closed in 2005.[20] Several country music songs have been recorded with "Pasa-get-down-dena" as the title includingKenefick on their album "Hard Road."
John Travolta,Debra Winger and other actors came to the city to film the 1980 hit movieUrban Cowboy, which depicted life and young love in Pasadena. The film centered on the city'shonky-tonk barGilley's, which was co-owned by country music starMickey Gilley. In 1989, Gilley's suffered an arson fire that gutted the interior of the building, including the mechanical bull used inUrban Cowboy. The shell of the building stood until 2006, when it was demolished by the Pasadena Independent School District, its current owner. Only the old sound recording studio remains. Gilley resided in Pasadena until his death May 7, 2022. The old address of Gilley's is a used-car lot.[58]
In 1900,Clara Barton of theAmerican Red Cross purchased 1.5 millionstrawberry plants and sent them to Pasadena to help victims of the1900 Galveston hurricane get back on their feet. By the 1930s those crops had flourished so much that Pasadena was claiming the title ofStrawberry 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.[59] Attendance at the annual Strawberry Festival was 56,000 in 2008.
Pasadena Philharmonic Society and Orchestra[60] 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.
Most of city of Pasadena is served by thePasadena Independent School District. Some of the eastern part is served byDeer Park Independent School District, some of the southern part is served byClear Creek Independent School District andLa Porte Independent School District.[61]
TheRoman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston operated the St. Pius V School in Pasadena from 1947,[62] until its 2020 closure; theCOVID-19 pandemic contributed to the closure.[63]
Institutions of higher education include:
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.[66][67]
The city[68] operates 15 tennis courts, several baseball fields, and a total of 43 parks.[69] These includeover 14 miles (23 km) of trails,[70]four Youth Recreation Centers,[71]theVerne Cox Multipurpose Recreation Center,[72]three pools for Swimming or Aquatics,[73]an Athletics department,[clarification needed][74]a Dog Park,[75]Party Rentals,[71]a Golf Course,[76]an Historical Museum,[77]and a Senior Citizen Center.[78]
Harris County operates several community centers in Pasadena.[79]
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.[82]
Armand Bayou Nature Center (ABNC) is a 2,500 acres (1,000 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.[citation needed] 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.[citation needed] 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. As of 2010[update] ABNC has been designated as one of five preserves under the Texas Coastal Preserve Program of theTexas Parks and Wildlife Department.[83]
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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 225). The east side of theSam Houston Tollway (Beltway 8) runs through the eastern portion of the city.
TheHarris County Toll Road Authority sellsEZ Tags in the city.[84]
Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas (METRO) operates a park & ride service from thePlaza Paseo 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.[85]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.[86] The Pasadena Park and Ride lot is located on the north side of the mall.[87]
Harris County Youth Village, ajuvenile detention facility, is located in far southern Pasadena,[88] but it has aSeabrook postal address.[89]
The city of Pasadena, community police outreach has devoted "friendship gardens" to the city ofHadano.
The Galveston Hurricane of 1900 caused many people to resettle in Pasadena.
The earliest information about farming in the watershed actually originated on the land of Anson Taylor who was at Taylor Lake and Taylor Bayou. Taylor was an associate of Jean Lafitte and sold his produce, firewood, and meat from wild game and cattle to Lafitte's camp town, Campechy, on Galveston Island.
Pediatric and Adolescent Health Center - Pasadena 3925 Fairmont Parkway Pasadena, Texas 77504
812 South Main, Pasadena, TX 77506
Univ of Houston Clear Lake- The university boundary is indicated on this map.
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