Editing Bacliff, Texas (section)

==History==
{{Further| History of the Galveston Bay Area}}

Bacliff was established in 1910 by local landowners G.C. Perkins and W.Y. Fuqua as Clifton-by-the Sea.<ref name=GalvCounty>{{cite web|url=http://www.co.galveston.tx.us/Museum/bacliff_history.asp|title=Bacliff History|date=2013-04-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102153653/http://www.co.galveston.tx.us/Museum/bacliff_history.asp|archive-date=2012-11-02}}></ref> The area was developed as a seaside [[Workweek|weekend]] resort,<ref name=GalvCounty/><ref name="Lomax2">Lomax, John Nova. "Gangsters in Bacliff." ''[[Houston Press]]''. September 11, 2008. [http://www.houstonpress.com/2008-09-11/news/gangsters-in-bacliff/2 2] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080913180106/http://www.houstonpress.com/2008-09-11/news/gangsters-in-bacliff/2 |date=2008-09-13 }}.</ref>  and included parks, hotels, summer homes, and a bathhouse and open air pavilion built on a pier over the water. Telephone service came to Clifton-by-the-Sea in 1913, and Grand Avenue (FM 646) became the main street.<ref name=GalvCounty/> Hurricanes, [[Galveston, Texas|Galveston]]'s recovery after the [[Galveston hurricane of 1900|Hurricane of 1900]], and rapid transportation diminished Clifton-by-the-Sea's popularity.<ref name="Handbook"/><ref name="Lomax2"/>

The hurricane of 1915 destroyed many of the improvements to the area, but by 1924 the bathhouse and pavilion had been restored and summer residents returned to the community. A fire destroyed the pavilion in 1929 and it was rebuilt and hosted numerous summer concerts by both the Galveston and Houston
orchestras. The hurricane of 1943 caused major damage to the area and the bathhouse and pavilion were not rebuilt.{{citation needed|date=May 2013}}

In 1933, Clifton-by-the-Sea was home to 50 residents and two businesses, and from 1940 to 1949 it was home to 100 residents and four businesses.<ref name="Handbook"/>  After World War II the area expanded as it became home for workers of the nearby petrochemical plants. The expansion of the area required the establishment of a post office in 1948. The [[U.S. Postal Service]] refused to allow the name Clifton-by-the-Sea to be used due to its length, and the name Clifton was already in use by another Texas town, so the residents chose the same name as the subdivision at the center of business, Bay Cliff, as a replacement. However, the name was misspelled on the postal paperwork as Bacliff.<ref name="GalvCounty"/> The new name had only seven letters, so it was admissible.<ref>Bradfield, p. [https://books.google.com/books?id=XXKETgKhE38C&pg=PA12 12].</ref>

"Gator" Miller, former publisher of the ''Seabreeze'', said that in the 1950s the ''[[The Daily News (Texas)|Galveston Daily News]]'' bought a large parcel of land and awarded free lots to subscribers; people who canceled subscriptions lost their homesites, which were given to other subscribers.<ref name="Lomax2"/> Miller said that this resulted in confused [[Title (property)|title]]s and a lack of large business; Miller said that a retailer would not wish to buy land in Bacliff and then discover that an individual claimed title to the land.<ref name="Lomax2"/>

In 1964, [[Houston Lighting and Power]] began construction on two 450 MW electric generating units in Bacliff as part of the company's Project Enterprise expansion. The units were of [[supercritical boiler]] design, which was then a new technology. The power plant, originally known as the Bacliff Plant, was renamed the P. H. Robinson plant, in honor of company president Perk H. Robinson.<ref>Beck, Bill. At Your Service: An Illustrated History of Houston Lighting & Power Company. Houston, TX: Gulf Print., 1990. Print.</ref>{{page needed|date=February 2017}}

In the 1970s and 1980s, there was a dispute over the valuation of the power plant between HL&P and the [[Dickinson Independent School District]] (DISD). In 1979 HL&P said the plant was worth $238 million but DISD's board of equalization said it was worth over $242 million. A legal dispute ensued between the two agencies.<ref>Loe, Victoria. "Power Play." ''[[Texas Monthly]]''. [[Emmis Communications]]. August 1981. Volume 9, Issue 8. p. [https://books.google.com/books?id=byoEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA98 98].</ref>

During the 1980s, three measures to incorporate the Bacliff area failed by wide margins.<ref name="Baycliffkills">"[http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1986_258957 Baycliff kills incorporation, Jersey Village votes home rule] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110522051216/http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1986_258957 |date=2011-05-22 }}."{{sic}} ''[[Houston Chronicle]]''. Monday, August 11, 1986. Section 1, Page 9. Available at [[NewsBank]], Record Number HSC0811258957.</ref><ref name="Twoarea">"[http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1986_257483 2 area communities to vote on incorporation] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110522051235/http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1986_257483 |date=2011-05-22 }}." ''[[Houston Chronicle]]''. Tuesday, August 5, 1986. Section 3, Page 10. Available at [[NewsBank]] Record Number HSC0805257483.</ref> In April 1985, residents of Bacliff, [[Bayview, Galveston County, Texas|Bayview]], and [[San Leon, Texas|San Leon]] considered an incorporation proposal to become the City of Bayshore. Judge Ray Holbrook signed an order for the election to take place on April 6, 1985, freeing the area, which had a population of 11,000, from the [[extraterritorial jurisdiction]] of [[League City, Texas|League City]] and [[Texas City, Texas|Texas City]].<ref>"[http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1985_4722 Residents of 3 Galveston County areas will vote on incorporation] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110522051359/http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1985_4722 |date=2011-05-22 }}." ''[[Houston Chronicle]]''. Tuesday March 19, 1985. Section 1, Page 13.</ref> Residents rejected the incorporation proposal.<ref name="Elecforincor">"[http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1986_250285 Election for incorporation called in Bacliff, Bayview] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110522051300/http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1986_250285 |date=2011-05-22 }}." ''[[Houston Chronicle]]''. Sunday July 6, 1986. Section 3, Page 5.</ref><ref name="SETexElec">"[http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1985_266507 Results of municipal elections in Southeast Texas] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110522051325/http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1985_266507 |date=2011-05-22 }}." ''[[Houston Chronicle]]''. Monday April 8, 1985. Section 1, Page 10.</ref> The vote was tallied with 1,268 against and 399 in favor. Proponents wanted a local police force and the ability to pass ordinances. Opponents said that the tax base was too small to support municipal services including police and road and drainage improvements.<ref name="SETexElec"/>

By 1986, the community became a [[bedroom community]] for workers commuting to jobs in the area; during that year, the Bacliff community had 4,851 residents and 19 businesses.<ref name="Handbook"/>

In 1986, residents in Bacliff and Bayview considered incorporating into a general law city. Supporters said that incorporation would establish more local control over affairs, an area police department, and the ability to pass ordinances. Opponents said that the area's tax base could not sufficiently support municipal service, including police protection and road and drainage improvements. At the time the area of {{convert|3.6|sqmi|km2|sigfig=2}} considering incorporation had 7,000 people.<ref name="Baycliffkills"/><ref name="Twoarea"/> Galveston County Judge Ray Holbrook signed an order setting the date of the election as Saturday, August 9, 1986, and releasing the area from the [[extraterritorial jurisdiction]] of [[Kemah, Texas|Kemah]], League City, and Texas City. In 1986, the Bacliff and Bayview area received water and sewer services from two municipal utility districts; if the incorporation measure had passed the districts would have likely remained. Donna Maples, vice president of the Bacliff-Bayview Community Association, supported the incorporation measure.<ref name="Elecforincor"/> The officials overseeing the election described turnout as "heavy." Officials announced that the incorporation proposal failed on a 770 to 163 count.<ref name="Baycliffkills"/><ref name="Twoarea"/>

In 2000, in Bacliff there were 6,692 people organized into 2,523 households.<ref name=FergusonBacliffSanLeoninc>{{cite web|author=Ferguson, John Wayne|url=https://www.galvnews.com/profiles/communities/article_831eb886-149d-503f-ac23-5729ba3dc2a0.html|title=Bacliff, San Leon are growing and changing|work=[[Galveston Daily News]]|date=2019-04-13|access-date=2019-12-04|archive-date=2019-12-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191204142445/https://www.galvnews.com/profiles/communities/article_831eb886-149d-503f-ac23-5729ba3dc2a0.html|url-status=live}}</ref> That year Bacliff and San Leon formed a nine member board to prepare the communities for incorporation. At that time Bacliff and San Leon had a combined population of 10,000.<ref>Christian, Carol. "Towns elect board, eye incorporation - San Leon, Bacliff may become one." ''[[Houston Chronicle]]''. Sunday, May 21, 2000. Section A p. 37. Available at [[NewsBank]] Record Number 3216149.</ref> The board was to have three members from the Bacliff area, three members from the San Leon area, and three at large members. It was prompted after the [[Texas City, Texas|City of Texas City]] suddenly annexed several commercial parcels along [[Texas State Highway 146]] between [[Kemah, Texas|Kemah]] and Dickinson Bayou in the year 2000. The board hoped to convince Texas City to reverse the annexation.<ref>Moran, Kevin. "Bay-area residents seek new village status." ''[[Houston Chronicle]]''. Tuesday May 16, 2000. Section A A p. 17 MetFront. Available on [[WorldBank]] Record Number: 3214981.</ref>

In 2003,<ref name=Auldsfiredied>Aulds, T. J. "[http://www.galvnews.com/news/article_d43d5605-8559-5944-b9df-b5fb7453d305.html Fire at Old Power Plant Finally Dies]."{{subscription required}} {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180810235518/https://www.galvnews.com/news/article_d43d5605-8559-5944-b9df-b5fb7453d305.html |date=2018-08-10 }}<!--old URL: http://www.galvestondailynews.com/news/article_d43d5605-8559-5944-b9df-b5fb7453d305.html--> The [[Galveston County Daily News]]. The Galveston County Daily News, 17 Apr. 2011. Web. 24 Apr. 2013.</ref> the P. H. Robinson power plant was mothballed by [[Texas Genco]].<ref name="Gencotomothball">"Texas Genco to mothball 3,400 MW in ERCOT." ''[[Megawatt Daily]]''<!--As "Megawatt daily-->. October 7, 2002. Vol. 7, No. 192; Pg. 1. ISSN 1088-4319. Available at [[LexisNexis]].</ref> The plant was mothballed due to the proliferation of newer gas-fired merchant plants in Texas.<ref>"CENTERPOINT PLANS TO MOTHBALL 3,396 MW OF UNITS AT FIVE OLDER PLANTS IN TEXAS." ''[[Global Power Report]]''. October 10, 2012. Market Conditions, p. 14. Available at [[LexisNexis]].</ref> Robinson Units 1-4 had 2,213 MW.<ref name=Gencotomothball/> The plant was decommissioned in 2009 and demolished in 2012.<ref name=Auldsfiredied/> In 2013, NRG began construction on a 6 unit electrical generation "peaking plant". This plant was placed in service on June 1, 2017<ref>"[http://www.epa.gov/region6/6pd/air/pd-r/ghg/nrg-robinson-app.pdf Application to EPA for Bacliff Peaking Plant.] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202151331/http://www.epa.gov/region6/6pd/air/pd-r/ghg/nrg-robinson-app.pdf |date=February 2, 2014 }}</ref>

After [[Hurricane Ike]] hit Texas in September 2008, Galveston County officials offered a debris removal program to residents in unincorporated areas, including Bacliff.<ref>Aulds, T. J. "[http://galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=0b366fe31e8dfeedc8545f57966c90b3 Plan offers help with residential Ike debris] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120213231551/http://galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=0b366fe31e8dfeedc8545f57966c90b3 |date=February 13, 2012 }}." ''Galveston County Daily News''. November 20, 2008.</ref><ref>Aulds, T. J. "[http://galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=2c34ef0baf58e297 State begins to pick up debris] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120213231608/http://galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=2c34ef0baf58e297 |date=February 13, 2012 }}." ''Galveston County Daily News''. December 8, 2008.</ref> Flooding from hurricane Ike was minimized due in part to Bacliff's relatively high elevation of 16 feet.{{citation needed|date=May 2013}}

In 2017, in Bacliff there were 10,925 people organized into 3,004 households.<ref name=FergusonBacliffSanLeoninc/>