League City, Texas

League City is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, in Galveston County, within the Template:Nowrap metropolitan area. The population was 114,392 at the 2020 census.<ref name="2020 Census (City)">Template:Cite web</ref>

The city of League City has a small portion north of Clear Creek within Harris County zoned for residential and commercial uses.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It is home to several waterside resorts, such as South Shore Harbor Resort and Conference Center and Waterford Harbor and Yacht Club Marina, popular with residents of nearby Houston. Between 2000 and 2005, League City surpassed Galveston as Galveston County's largest city.<ref>Schladen, Marty. "Forces drive people off island Template:Webarchive." Galveston County Daily News. Retrieved on December 6, 2008.</ref>

History

League City was settled at the former site of a Karankawa Indian village.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref> Three families, the Butlers, the Cowarts, and the Perkinses, are considered to be the founding families of the city. The Winfield Family has also recently been acknowledged as a founding family by the City Government.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Cowart family settled on a creek now called Cowart's Creek after them (now often called "Coward's Creek"). The Perkins family built on a creek notably lined with magnolia trees and named it Magnolia Bayou. The Butler family settled inland. The Winfield Family purchased land in League City from the great nephew of Stephen F. Austin and moved there, to a place near what is now Hobbs Road.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The first resident of the town proper, George W. Butler, arrived from Louisiana in 1854 and settled at the junction of Clear Creek and Chigger Bayou. The area was known as Butler's Ranch or Clear Creek until J. C. League acquired the land from a man named Muldoon on his entering the priesthood.<ref name=":0" /> League laid out his townsite along the Galveston, Houston, and Henderson Railroad, already established in the area. This began a small feud over the name, as Butler was the postmaster. The name was changed several times, alternating between Clear Creek and the new League City. In the end, League City was chosen.

In 1907, League had two railroad flatcars of live oak trees left by the railroad tracks. These were for the residents to plant on their property. Butler and his son Milby supervised the planting of these trees, now known as the Butler Oaks. Many of them line Main Street to this day.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Starting in the early 1970s, the bodies of 30 murdered women were discovered in Galveston County, with 4 being discovered in League City, and more have gone missing from the same area.<ref>FBI Website"[1]"</ref> This location has become known as the Texas Killing Fields.

In the 2000s, rising real estate costs in Galveston forced many families to move to other areas, including League City. This meant an influx of children out of Galveston ISD and into other school districts like Clear Creek ISD and Dickinson ISD.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Geography

League City is located Template:Convert southeast of Houston, and the same distance northwest of Galveston.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert, or 3.22%, is water.<ref name="CenPopGazetteer2023"/>

Climate

As with the rest of the Houston area, League City features a humid subtropical climate characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild winters (corresponding to Cfa in Köppen Climate Classification).

Demographics

League City, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition
Template:Nobold

Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>Template:Cite web</ref>	Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>Template:Cite web</ref>	Template:Partial<ref name=2020CensusP2>Template:Cite web</ref>	% 2000	% 2010	Template:Partial
White alone (NH)	34,807	56,977	69,425	76.59%	68.19%	60.69%
Black or African American alone (NH)	2,297	5,791	8,317	5.05%	6.93%	7.27%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	128	246	286	0.28%	0.29%	0.25%
Asian alone (NH)	1,419	4,453	7,122	3.12%	5.33%	6.23%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	21	42	65	0.05%	0.05%	0.06%
Some Other Race alone (NH)	63	146	602	0.14%	0.17%	0.53%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	579	1,459	4,691	1.27%	1.75%	4.10%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	6,130	14,446	23,884	13.49%	17.29%	20.88%
Total	45,444	83,560	114,392	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

As of the 2020 census, there were 114,392 people, 41,352 households, and 30,430 families residing in the city.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> There were 43,493 housing units.

Arts and culture

Public library

File:2008 hhl building front 02.jpg

Helen Hall Library in League City

The Helen Hall Library, a member of the Galveston County Library System, is operated by the city and located at 100 West Walker Street.<ref>"Galveston County Library SystemTemplate:Dead link"</ref><ref>"Map & Directions." Helen Hall Library. Retrieved on December 6, 2008.</ref> The League City Public Library was renamed after Hall in 1985. During that year a $2.5 million bond to expand the Template:Convert library passed. The library received a two-story adult services wing and a renovation of the original structure, which housed the children's and audio-visual services sections; the projects were completed by 1988. As of 2008 Hall, with Template:Convert of space, is the largest and busiest unit of the Galveston County Library System.<ref>"History." Helen Hall Library. Retrieved on December 6, 2008.</ref>

Circa 2019 the library's history club began operations. It meets once per month. As of 2021, according to the librarian specializing in history, Caris Brown, the history club had a number of people going to meetings despite the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic in Texas.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2022 two League City city council members created a resolution which would have a board of 15 people decide whether content is obscene, and if so, prevent the library from having tax dollars to house said material ruled obscene.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Parks and recreation

The Template:Convert Perry Family YMCA is located at 1701 League City Parkway. The branch, which cost US$10.7 million to build was named after Bob Perry, a homebuilder who donated $1 million. The North Galveston County YMCA began in 1993 and later moved into the Perry YMCA. John P. McGovern and his wife, Katherine, donated the Template:Convert site used for the Perry YMCA.<ref>Evans, Thayer. "CONSTRUCTION UPDATE / YMCA begins taking shape / Facility slated to open later this year in League City." Houston Chronicle. Thursday May 31, 2007. ThisWeek 1.</ref>

Hometown Heroes Park is a public community park covering 28.71 acres that includes a recreation center, basketball/volleyball courts, competition size swimming pool, and sports fields.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Government

File:League City, Texas Police Department.jpg

League City, Texas Police Department

League City became an incorporated city in 1962. League City's government consists of seven council members and the mayor. The mayor is a full voting member of the council.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The city's charter is purported to be a strong mayor form of government, but this issue has been debated for years. By ordinance, a city administrator position was created under Mayor Leonard Cruse. The ordinance was amended in May 2010 to create a council-manager government. According to the ordinance, "...shall consist of a mayor and council members, elected by the people and responsible to the people, and a city manager, appointed by and responsible to the council for proper administration of the affairs of the city."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2011 an officer accused the police chief, Michael Jez, of giving officers ticket quotas, which are illegal in the state of Texas. In November city council voted to place Chief Jez on administrative leave. The council did not give a reason and Jez cited philosophical differences for the separation. Much speculation was made that the decision was a reaction to the allegation made, but neither side ever admitted to any wrongdoing.<ref>"Golden Parachute." The Bay Area Citizen. Wednesday December 7, 2011.</ref><ref>"Police Chief Accused Of Issuing Ticket Quota Template:Webarchive." KRPC. Monday October 31, 2011. Retrieved on November 2, 2011.</ref>

In 2014, the police department moved to a new joint Public Safety Building that is shared with Police and Fire administration as well as housing the police department, dispatch, and the city jail. The building is across the street from the old police department that now houses other city offices that were previously in leased space. The city held an open house in January 2015 to serve as a grand opening to the public, allowing citizens to come see the inner workings of the police department.

File:League City Texas City Hall.jpg

League City's City Hall

Education

Primary and secondary schools

Public schools

File:ClearCreekISDHQ.jpg

Clear Creek Independent School District headquarters

Clear Creek Independent School District is based in League City, and serves pupils in the Harris County portion and most of the Galveston County portion.<ref name=GalvCountySchools>Template:Cite web - Text list</ref><ref>Template:Cite web - Text list</ref><ref name=Leaguecityschoolmap>Template:Cite web</ref> Most pupils in League City attend schools in the Clear Creek Independent School District.Template:Citation needed

CCISD was established in 1948, partly from the former League City school district.<ref>Template:Cite news - New URL on the Houston Chronicle site</ref> League City Elementary School, Ferguson Elementary School, and Hyde Elementary School are primary schools located in League City. League City Intermediate, Clear Creek Intermediate, and Creekside Intermediate are middle schools located in the city.

Clear Creek High School is located in League City. In 2007, Clear Springs High School opened in western League City.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2010, Clear Falls High School opened in southeastern League City.

School districts serving other portions of League City in Galveston County include Dickinson Independent School District and Santa Fe Independent School District.<ref name=GalvCountySchools/> Within League City Dickinson ISD operates Bay Colony Elementary School, Calder Road Elementary School, Louis G. Lobit Elementary School, and Eva C. Lobit Middle School.<ref name=Leaguecityschoolmap/> The respective comprehensive high schools of the two school districts are Dickinson High School and Santa Fe High School.

Private schools

Bay Area Christian School started in 1973 and currently has an enrollment of over 800 students from grades K to 12.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

St. Mary School, a Roman Catholic K–8 school operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, is in League City.

Colleges and universities

The Galveston County portion of Clear Creek ISD and Dickinson ISD (and therefore all parts of League City in Galveston County) are served by the College of the Mainland. The Harris County portion of Clear Creek ISD (and therefore the Harris County portion of League City) is served by San Jacinto College.<ref>Texas Education Code Sec. 130.174. COLLEGE OF THE MAINLAND DISTRICT SERVICE AREA. Sec. 130.197. SAN JACINTO COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.</ref>

It is also located within a few miles of the University of Houston Clear Lake.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Infrastructure

Transportation

Houston Gulf Airport was located in eastern League City. The airport's land was sold and the land became a string of houses along Texas State Highway 96.<ref>Rendon, Ruth. "Fees could slow growth / Developers expected to balk at League City plan." Houston Chronicle. Sunday November 2, 2003. A29 MetFront.</ref> The airport was once partially owned by the Bin Laden family with Salem Bin Laden holding interest<ref>KHOU 11 Television station "[2]"</ref> in the airport at least until his death in 1988.

Commercial airline service for the area is operated from George Bush Intercontinental Airport and William P. Hobby Airport, which are located in Houston. League City in conjunction with Island Transit, Connect Transit, and UTMB, there is now a Park and Ride in the Victory Lakes subdivision.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Health care

In 2008 the University of Texas Medical Branch board of regents approved the creation of the Template:Convert Specialty Care Center facility, located on Template:Convert of land near Interstate 45, Farm to Market Road 646, and the Victory Lakes community.<ref>Elder, Laura. "UTMB gets OK for Victory Lakes project Template:Webarchive." The Galveston Daily News. May 16, 2008. Retrieved on February 12, 2009.</ref>

Weather

The National Weather Service Houston/Galveston Office and the Galveston Office of Emergency Management offices share a facility in League City; the facility has a Dickinson postal address.<ref>Template:Cite web - The postal address states "1353 FM 646 Suite 202 Dickinson, TX 77539" but the facility is actually in the League City city limits. Note that the city of Houston stated in 1996 that: "The U.S. Postal Service establishes ZIP codes and mailing addresses in order to maximize the efficiency of their system, not to recognize jurisdictional boundaries."</ref>

Notable people

• Chris Sabat, voice actor
• Maddie Baillio, actress and singer
• Busby Family, family of the first-ever all-female quintuplets born in the United States
• Jarred Cosart, baseball player
• Doug Hurley, NASA astronaut
• Karen Nyberg, NASA astronaut
• Marcus Johnson, American football player
• Michael Barratt, NASA astronaut

See also

• Galveston Bay Area

External links

• City of League City – Official Website
• Template:Handbook of Texas