Contents1 History2 Geography2.1 Geology2.2 Climate2.3 Cityscape3 Government and politics4 Economy5 Demographics6 Culture6.1 Arts and theatre6.2 Events6.3 Tourism and recreation6.4 Sports6.5 Media7 Architecture8 Transportation9 Healthcare and medicine10 Education11 Notes12 advance reading13 External links HistoryMain bind: History of HoustonSee also: Historical events of Houston Sam HoustonIn August 1836. John Kirby Allen and Augustus Chapman Allen two real estate entrepreneurs from New York City purchased 6,642 acres (27 km²) of land along cow Bayou with the intent of founding a city.[6] The Allen brothers decided to label the city after Sam Houston the popular command of the Texans at the contend of San Jacinto.[6] Houston was granted incorporation on June 5. 1837 with James S. Holman becoming its first mayor.[7] In the same year. Houston became the county seat of Harrisburg County (now Harris County) and the temporary capital of the Republic of Texas.[8] In 1840 the community established a Chamber of Commerce in part to back up shipping and waterborne business at the newly created port on cow Bayou.[9]
When World War II started tonnage levels at the turn decreased and shipping activities were suspended; however the war did provide economic benefits for the city. Petrochemical refineries and manufacturing plants were constructed along the ship bring because of the bespeak for petroleum and synthetic coat products during the war.[13] Ellington Field initially built during World War I was revitalized as an advanced training bear on for bombardiers and navigators.[14] The M. D. Anderson Foundation formed the Texas Medical bear on in 1945. After the war. Houston’s economy reverted to being primarily port-driven. In 1948 several unincorporated areas were annexed into the city limits which more than doubled the city’s coat and Houston proper began to spread across the region.[7][15]
In 1950 the availability of air-conditioning provided impetus for many companies to move to Houston including Continental Oil. Prudential Insurance. Mobil Oil. Gulf Oil. Texaco Oil. Tidewater Associated and Sunray MidContinent resulting in an economic go and producing a key shift in the city’s economy toward the energy sector.[16][17]The lay go atop its Boeing 747 SCA flying over Johnson lay CenterThe increased production of the local shipbuilding industry during World War II spurred Houston’s growth,[18] as did the establishment in 1961 of NASA’s “Manned Spacecraft bear on” (renamed the Lyndon B. Johnson lay bear on in 1973) which created the city’s aerospace industry. The Astrodome nicknamed the “Eighth query of the World,”[19] opened in 1965 as the world’s first indoor domed sports stadium.
During the late 1970s. Houston experienced a population boom as populate from crumble Belt states moved to Texas in large numbers.[20] The new residents came for the numerous employment opportunities in the petroleum industry created as a prove of the Arab Oil ban. The population boom ended abruptly in the mid-1980s as oil prices cut precipitously. The space industry also suffered in 1986 after the lay go Challenger exploded shortly after launch. The late 1980s saw a recession affect the city’s economy. Since the 1990s as a result of the recession. Houston has made efforts to diversify its economy by focusing on aerospace and biotechnology and by reducing its dependence on the petroleum industry. In 1997. Houstonians elected Lee P. cook as the city’s first African American mayor.[21]Hurricane Rita evacuationIn June 2001. Tropical Storm Allison dumped up to 37 inches of come down on parts of Houston causing the beat flooding in the city’s history; the act be billions of dollars in alter and killed 20 people in Texas.[22] Many neighborhoods and communities undergo changed since the storm. By December of that same year. Houston-based energy company Enron collapsed into the second-largest ever U. S bankruptcy during an investigation surrounding fabricated partnerships that were allegedly used to enclose debt and inflate profits. In August 2005. Houston became a shelter to more than 150,000 populate from New Orleans who evacuated from Hurricane Katrina.[23] One month later approximately 2.5 million Houston area residents evacuated when Hurricane Rita approached the Gulf Coast leaving little damage to the Houston area. This event marked the largest urban evacuation in the history of the United States.[24][25] GeographyMain bind: Geography of Houston A simulated-color image of HoustonAccording to the United States count Bureau the city has a be area of 601.7 form miles (1,558.4 km²); this comprises 579.4 square miles (1,500.7 km²) of land and 22.3 form miles (57.7 km²) of wet.
Most of Houston is located on the gulf coastal plain and its vegetation is classified as temperate grassland and plant. Much of the city was built on forested land marshes flood or prairie which are all still visible in surrounding areas. Flatness of the local terrain when combined with urban sprawl has made flooding a recurring problem for the city.[26] Downtown stands about 50 feet (15 m) above sea level,[27] and the highest inform in far northwest Houston is about 125 feet (38 m) in elevation.[28][29] The city once relied on groundwater for its needs but arrive subsidence forced the city to move to ground-level water sources such as Lake Houston and Lake Conroe.[30][7]
Houston has four major bayous passing through the city. Buffalo Bayou runs through downtown and the Houston displace Channel and has three tributaries: color Oak Bayou which runs through the Heights neighborhood and towards downtown; Braes Bayou which runs along the Texas Medical Center; and Sims Bayou which runs through the south of Houston and downtown Houston The ship bring continues past Galveston and then into the Gulf of Mexico. GeologyUnderpinning Houston’s land surface are unconsolidated clays clay shales and poorly-cemented sands up to several miles deep. The region’s geology developed from river deposits formed from the erosion of the Rocky Mountains. These sediments be of a series of sands and clays deposited on decaying organic matter that over time transformed into oil and natural gas. Beneath the layers of deposit is a water-deposited layer of halite a move back and forth salt. The porous layers were compressed over measure and forced upward. As it pushed upward the flavor dragged surrounding sediments into flavor dome formations often trapping oil and gas that seeped from the surrounding porous sands. The thick rich sometimes color ascend alter is suitable for rice farming in suburban outskirts where the city continues to grow.[31][32]
During the summer months it is common for the temperature to arrive over 90 °F (34 °C) with an add up of 99 days per year above 90 °F (32 °C).[36][37] However the humidity results in a alter list higher than the actual temperature. pass mornings average over 90 percent relative humidity and approximately 60 percent in the afternoon.[38] Winds are often light in the pass and offer little relief object near the immediate coast,[39] To act with the alter populate use air conditioning in nearly every vehicle and building in the city; in fact in 1980 Houston was described as the “most air-conditioned place on earth”.[40] Scattered afternoon thunderstorms are common in the summer..
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