Lake Jackson, Texas

City of Lake Jackson
—  City  —
Location in Brazoria County in the state of Texas
Coordinates: 29°2′13″N 95°26′18″W
Country	United States
State	Texas
County	Brazoria
Government
• Type	Council-Manager
• City Council	Mayor Bob Sipple Charlie Golden Bob Geter Gerald Roznovsky Scott Schwertner Vinay Singhania
• City Manager	William P. Yenne
Area
• Total	19.8 sq mi (51.3 km2)
• Land	19.0 sq mi (49.3 km2)
• Water	0.8 sq mi (2.0 km2)
Elevation	13 ft (4 m)
Population (2000)
• Total	26,386
• Density	1,386.0/sq mi (535.1/km2)
Time zone	Central (CST) (UTC-6)
• Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code	77566
Area code(s)	979
FIPS code	48-40588
GNIS feature ID	1360850
Website	LakeJackson-TX.gov

Lake Jackson is a city in Brazoria County, Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. As of a 2006 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, the city population was 27,614.

Lake Jackson is named after an oxbow lake of the same name on the outskirts of town. The lake in turn was named after the family whose antebellum plantation house sat alongside the lake; only very minor ruins of the Lake Jackson Plantation can now be seen in a park at the site. The Plantation site is open to the public on the first Saturday of the month from 10 AM to dusk. Special tours may be arranged through the Lake Jackson Historical Association (979) 297-1570.

The city is the birthplace of famous Tejano superstar, Selena. The city has also long been the hometown of Ron Paul, the presidential candidate and U.S. representative from Texas's 14th Congressional District [1]. It was the home too of State Senator J. E. "Buster" Brown, who represented District 17 from 1981 to 2002.

Geography

Lake Jackson is located at 29°2′13″N 95°26′18″W (29.036837, -95.438339).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 19.8 square miles (51.3 km²), of which, 19.0 square miles (49.3 km²) of it is land and 0.8 square miles (2.0 km²) of it (3.84%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 26,386 people, 9,588 households, and 7,344 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,386.0 people per square mile (535.1/km²). There were 10,475 housing units at an average density of 550.2 per square mile (212.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 86.24% White, 3.88% African American, 0.39% Native American, 2.50% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 5.19% from other races, and 1.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14.70% of the population.

There were 9,588 households out of which 42.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.7% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.4% were non-families. Twenty percent of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.18.

In the city, the population was spread out with 30.6% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 9.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 95.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $60,901, and the median income for a family was $69,053. Males had a median income of $60,143 versus $30,398 for females. The per capita income for the city was $25,877. About 5.4% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.5% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.

History

The city was built in the early 1940s as a planned community in support of a new plant of the Dow Chemical Company. The City of Lake Jackson was incorporated March 14, 1944 and voted for home rule ten years later in 1954.

Lake Jackson, "City of Enchantment", originated in 1941 when the great push was on to build the Dow Plants. Dr. A. P. Beutel, first General Manager of Dow’s Texas Division, had an idea which was to prove fateful to the history of Brazoria County...

Facing a basic decision as to what could be done to provide living accommodations for the thousands of Dow employees already here and the thousands more to come, Dr. Beutel took a carload of his fellow Dow directors over bumpy country roads to the site of the old Lake Jackson Plantation. He stopped the car and said, "What we ought to do is build a complete new town here!" This was the beginning of the City of Lake Jackson. The Dow Board of Directors agreed with him that a new community offered a better solution to the problems than attempting to develop additional areas of the already existing Brazoria County towns.

Mr. Alden B. Dow was one of the people whom Dr. Beutel took with him that day, and Mr. Dow began planning Lake Jackson. The location for the City of Lake Jackson was chosen because of the protection offered from Gulf storms, an elevation which made possible good drainage, and because of its natural scenic beauty. This city of 1,300 acres (5.3 km²) was carefully planned on paper before the first ax was struck into a Live Oak, before the first spade full of gumbo saw the sun and before a single nail was driven. Actual construction of the City of Lake Jackson got underway on December 8, 1941, although machinery and equipment were being moved in on December 7, Pearl Harbor Day.

Three hundred American and Mexican woodsmen, six bulldozers, thirty mules and five draglines began cutting, clearing and digging through the forestland. Oak Drive was the first street to be carved out of the thickly grown forest of gigantic, arching Live Oak, and Elm Trees festooned with Spanish Moss, shadowing Yaupon, Pin Oak, Ash and Elder Hackberry, Bois D`Arc and occasionally a thick butted Cypress. Rain and trees posed a real problem for construction workers back in 1942. Rain fell in torrents during August causing excavation for utility mains to take on the appearance of small canals. Architect Alden B. Dow, in preparing plans for Lake Jackson, specified that as many of the trees as possible be spared when the streets and parkways were laid out. When the time came to put down gas mains and to pave thoroughfares, certain trees were marked and crews were given strict orders not to uproot or damage them. Keeping clear of the trees was not very difficult, but staying away from the far reaching root systems was quite a problem. Today, of course, these trees give Lake Jackson a personality all its own. The streets were finally cut and concrete poured. The streets, drives and ways are laid out so that they give easy access to the center of town with a minimum of traffic hazards. The curved streets lend individuality to every lot. The city, which appears to be a maze to the average stranger, was in reality a simple system to the designers. The 'drives' go around the outskirts and are through-traffic highways; the streets end at either the 'drives' or the 'ways'; and all 'ways' lead to the downtown area. Center Way is located in the center of town. Circle Way circles the business district. And there are those unusual streets (This Way and That Way) which have caused so much comment. Of course, the growth of recent years has extended these early boundaries, yet the principle of the design remains useful to many traveling residents.

Other streets are named for flowers, fruits, shrubs, and various types of trees. In January 1943, the 200 units of the Oak Wood Project, built by FPHA were being completed and readied for occupancy. On January 26, 1942, the first pioneer family moved into the project on Trumpet Vine Street. The "pioneers" fought mosquitoes, walked through seas of mud, bought their groceries from Clute and Freeport, and picked up their mail at the "Trailer Branch" near Dow Plant B. But in the same breath, they will tell you that they were truly happy pioneers. Here among the peaceful, moss-covered oaks, they saw the promise of a more challenging and happier way of life.

In March 1943, the first grocery store was opened. Also, about this time, the Humble Service Station opened, and on June 7, the Proctor Walgreen Drug Store (later named Lake Drug) opened. These formed the nucleus for the business district to come. By early summer of 1943, the duplexes were filled and people were moving into individual houses of Area B, bounded by Winding Way and Camellia Street. Late in 1943 and early 1944, the houses in Area C began to be occupied and the population increased from zero on January 1, 1943 to about 1800 by April, 1944. On March 14, 1944, the City of Lake Jackson was incorporated and the streets, parks, water and sewer system, fire equipment, etc., were later given to the City by the Dow Chemical Company. By then, the happy pioneers were beginning to accept as a certainty that which they believed from the first: Lake Jackson was a sparkling land of promise with new and better opportunities for all. By 1954, Lake Jackson was large enough to vote for a Home Rule Charter. The 2000 Census population figures were 26,386.

Government and politics

Representation for Lake Jackson, within the Texas's 14th congressional district, is represented in the United States House of Representatives by Ron Paul since 1997.

Economy

Buc-ee's has its headquarters in Lake Jackson.

The Dow Chemical Company and the Brazosport Independent School District are major employers of residents.

The sales tax income represents a population of over 70,000 indicating the draw of the retail shopping from the area.

Education

Colleges

Brazosport College is a public community college which was recently upgraded to offer a baccalaureate degree in certain technical fields. It is also distinguished for its professional music hall, The Clarion. Brazosport College's Music Department has been able to bring many successful music artists to Lake Jackson, including Rita Coolidge, Lyle Lovett, Don McLean, Phil Woods, and John Pizarelli.

Public schools

The public schools in the city are operated by Brazosport Independent School District. K-5 elementary schools within Lake Jackson include:

• O.M. Roberts Elementary School
• A.P. Beutel Elementary School (2007 National Blue Ribbon School)
• Bess Brannen Elementary School
• Elisabet Ney Elementary School

Residents are zoned to:

• Grady B. Rasco Middle School (5-6)
• Lake Jackson Intermediate School (7-8)
• Brazoswood High School (9-12, in Clute, Texas)

Private schools

The private schools within Lake Jackson include:

• Brazosport Christian School

Public libraries

The Lake Jackson Library is a part of the Brazoria County Library System.

Transportation

Airports

Brazoria County Airport serves Lake Jackson.

Mass transit

Southern Brazoria County Transit provides bus service options for Lake Jackson, Clute, Freeport and Angleton.

Highways

State Highway 288. Northbound SH 288 to Houston. Southbound, SH 288 routes to Freeport.

Streets

• The city's layout and the six designs for homes were completed by architect Alden B. Dow.
• All streets radiating from downtown end in the word "Way." Among the streets are Center Way, Winding Way, Circle Way, and Parking Way. There is an intersection of two streets named "This Way" and "That Way." In the same spirit, a local church near Bess Brannen Elementary placed a small sign in their driveway named "His Way." You will also find an "Any Way."
• Most other streets not ending in "Way" were named after some form of flora. As the city grew and common names such as Pine, Mulberry, and Oak were taken, developers had to become more creative; thus, among the plants used are Jalapeño, Tangerine, Mango, and Habanero. The highways running through Lake Jackson, (Texas Highways 288 & 332) and Oyster Creek Drive, are exceptions to the naming conventions. The naming convention of "Drive," meaning a route into or out of town, is less honored today than in the beginning.
• Dow intentionally laid out the streets so that they seldom follow straight paths. Part of the basis for the winding streets was Dow's insistence that as few trees as possible should be removed in construction of the original street layout (which is still in practice today with the building of new subdivisions). Lake Jackson is a part of the National Arbor Day Foundation's Tree City USA list. Also, many of the streets follow Oyster Creek, which twists and winds through town. As a result the streets, even main thoroughfares twist and wind throughout the city. In many areas of town one can travel in any of the four compass directions and have the same commute time and distance to a destination across town.

Churches and places of worship

The 1st Baptist Church has a male voice quartet, The Staff Quartet, with an international reputation. For example, their October 2009 tour of Bulgaria includes a free evening concert of Southern Gospel Music at the Baptist Church in Henley-in-Arden, Warwickshire, England on the way home.

St Mark's Lutheran Church is another of the city's churches, along with the "Lighthouse Baptist Church" which is at the intersection of "This Way" and "That Way."

Grace Bible Church

External links

• Lake Jackson's Official Web Site
• Brazosport College's Official Web Site
• Brazosport Center for the Arts & Sciences Web Site
• Rep. Ron Paul, House of Representatives Web Site