Bellaire, Texas
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| City of Bellaire | |
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Harris |
| Incorporated | June 24, 1918 |
| Government | |
| - Mayor | Cindy Siegel |
| Area | |
| - Total | 3.6 sq mi (9.4 km²) |
| - Land | 3.6 sq mi (9.4 km²) |
| - Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km²) |
| Elevation | 43 ft (13.1 m) |
| Population (2000)[1] | |
| - Total | 15,642 |
| - Density | 4,319/sq mi (1,668.3/km²) |
| Time zone | CST (UTC-6) |
| - Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP codes | 77401-77402 |
| Area code(s) | 713 |
| FIPS code | 48-07300[2] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1330381[3] |
| Website: http://www.ci.bellaire.tx.us/ | |
Bellaire is a city in Harris County, Texas, United States within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city population was 15,642 and is completely surrounded by the cities of Houston and West University Place.
Bellaire is famed for its Little League baseball team, which entered the World Series on one occasion. In addition, the city's sole public high school, Bellaire High School, is well-known for its academic and athletic programs. The Bellaire High School baseball team, Bellaire Cardinals, won the Texas High School Baseball championship seven times with several former or current Major League Baseball players.
Bellaire is known as the "City of Homes" as the city is mostly residential; the city mainly functions as a bedroom community for upper-middle class families. There are offices along the 610 Loop within the city limits.[4] As of 2000, Bellaire is the 27th wealthiest location in Texas by per capita income. The median house price in central Bellaire for 2006 was $519,494.
John Nova Lomax, a journalist, stated in a 2008 Houston Press article that, due to the growth and dominance of Houston, municipal enclaves with their own services, including West University Place, "are little more than glorified neighborhoods."[5]
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[edit] History
Bellaire was founded in 1908 by William Wright Baldwin, who was the president of the South End Land Company. Baldwin, a native of Iowa, was well known as the vice president of the Burlington Railroad. Bellaire was founded on what was part of William Marsh Rice's 9,449 acre (38 km²) ranch. Baldwin surveyed the eastern 1,000 acres (4 km²) of the ranch into small truck farms. He named those farms "Westmoreland Farms". Baldwin started Bellaire in the middle of "Westmoreland Farms" to serve as a residential neighborhood and an agricultural trading center. South End Land Company advertised to farmers in the Midwestern United States. Baldwin stated that the town as named "Bellaire", or "Good Air" for its breezes". Bellaire may have been named after Bellaire, Ohio, a town served by one of Baldwin's rail lines.
Six miles of prairie was a buffer zone between Houston and Bellaire. Originally the town was bounded by Palmetto, First, Jessamine, and Sixth (now Ferris) Streets.
Bellaire Boulevard and a street car line connected Bellaire to Houston. The street car line, which ran a four mile stretch from central Bellaire to Houston's Main Street, started construction in 1909. The streetcar line consisted of one railway track and an overhead electric wire. A waiting pavilion and a turnaround loop were located at the terminus in Bellaire. The Houston Electric Company had simultaneously constructed a south end line from Eagle Avenue to what is now Fannin Street to connect to the Bellaire Boulevard line. Service, with one required transfer at Eagle Avenue, began on December 28, 1910. The streetcar was nicknamed the "Toonerville Trolley". Bellaire was incorporated as a city with a general charter in 1918, ten years after its founding. Bellaire had a population of 200 at the time.
On September 26, 1927 the trolley line was abandoned and replaced by a bus line. This was due to frequent derailments caused by a worn-out track and the advent of the automobile.
Bellaire's population had reached 1,124 in 1940. After 1940, Bellaire had a rapid population explosion in the post-World War II building boom. On December 31, 1948, the city of Houston had annexed the land around the city of Bellaire, stopping the city of Bellaire's land growth.
Bellaire remained independent of Houston; Bellaire adopted a home rule charter with a council-manager government in April 1949. By 1950 the city's residents had numbered 10,150. In 1953, the Swedish general consulate moved to Bellaire. Bellaire High School was established in 1955.
During the Hurricane Rita evacuation, a bus filled with residents from Brighton Gardens, a nursing home in Bellaire, caught on fire and exploded in the city of Wilmer. The September 23, 2005 explosion killed 24 people out of the 38 residents and employees in the bus. [6][7]
On March 23, 2008, a tour bus carrying Tejano singer Emilio crashed in Bellaire.[8][9][10][11]
[edit] Geography
Bellaire is located at .
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.6 square miles (9.4 km²), all of it land.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 15,642 people, 6,019 households, and 4,321 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,319.0 people per square mile (1,668.3/km²). There were 6,315 housing units at an average density of 1,743.7/sq mi (673.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 89.11% White, 0.84% African American, 0.27% Native American, 6.35% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 1.85% from other races, and 1.52% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.81% of the population.
There were 6,019 households out of which 38.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.3% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.2% were non-families. 23.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.09.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.6% under the age of 18, 3.9% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 26.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 92.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $89,775, and the median income for a family was $104,200. Males had a median income of $72,295 versus $49,766 for females. The per capita income for the city was $46,674. About 1.9% of families and 2.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.5% of those under age 18 and 5.1% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Government
Bellaire currently has a city manager style of government.
The city council is made up of the mayor and six city council members. All are elected at large. The mayor is elected for two-year terms, while each city council member is elected for four-year terms. The mayor may not serve for more than four terms in that position. A council members may have no more than two terms as a city council member.
As of 2007, the mayor is Cindy Siegel. The six council members are, in order of position, Will Hickman (1), John Monday (2), Peggy Faulk (3), Debra Marz Davison (4), Pat McLaughlan (5), and John Jeffery (6). [1]
Bellaire is in Texas's 7th congressional district.[12]
[edit] Subdivisions
Bellaire is made up of enclaves. They include Bellaire Place, Bellaire Courts, Bellaire Oaks, Sylvania Courts, Southdale, Teas Gardens, Westmoreland Farms, Braeburn Hollow, Blume Acres, Tenbrook Plaza, Elmhurst, Hollywview, Post Oak Terrace, Carroll, Evergreen Plaza, Mulberry Manor, Turrentine, Pin Oak Estates, Cranford Place, Braeburn Gardens, Oak Terrace, West Post Oak, Cedar Oaks, Twin Oaks, Bellview, Peaceful Valley, Oakdale, Teasdale, Richmond Plaza, Aband Alley, Evergreen Court, Vaughn Estates, Loveland Terrace, Georgian Terrace, Spruce Lane Place, Beechmont, Heart of Bellaire, Normanor, Willow Lane Place, La Mont, Frank L. Holton, Braeburn Gardens, and Braeburn Country Club Estates.
[edit] Transportation
Bellaire is a member city of the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas (METRO). The city is served by bus lines 2 (Bellaire), 17, 33 (Post Oak Crosstown), 49 (Chimney Rock Crosstown), and 65 (Bissonnet). Bellaire is the site of the Bellaire Transit Center, which has four lines (2, 33, 49, 65).
Interstate 610, the inner loop of the Houston area, runs through the city of Bellaire. Commuters get onto I-610 and then U.S. Highway 59 to get to work in Downtown Houston.
[edit] Fire service
The Bellaire Fire Department is housed at 5101 Jessamine.
[edit] Police service
The Bellaire Police Department is housed at 5110 Jessamine.
[edit] Parks
Bellaire has several parks within the city limits [13]:
- Bellaire Zindler Park (5113 Laurel) (formerly Bellaire Park [14])
- Vic Driscoll Park (4500 Locust Street)
- Evergreen Park (4500 Evergreen)
- Feld Park (6406 Avenue B)
- Joe Gaither Park (4901 Anderson)
- Horn Field (Avenue B at Holly) - Adjacent to Horn Academy
- Jacquet Park (Jaquet at Elm Street)
- Lafayette Park (4337 Lafayette)
- Locust Park (4600 Locust)
- Loftin Park (5100 Laurel)
- Mulberry Park (700 Mulberry)
- Paseo Park (along Bellaire Boulevard)
- Pin Oak Field (5801 West Loop South (610 Loop))
- Russ Pitman Park (7112 Newcastle)
[edit] Education
[edit] Primary and secondary education
[edit] Public schools
The city is served by Houston Independent School District and the Houston Community College System.
Pupils who live in Bellaire inside of the 610 Loop are zoned to Horn Academy [15] for elementary school, while students in Bellaire outside of the 610 Loop are zoned to either Condit Elementary School [16] or Lovett Elementary School [17], the latter of which is in Houston. In addition, all Bellaire pupils are zoned to Pershing Middle School [18] in the Braeswood Place neighborhood of Houston and Bellaire High School in Bellaire. In addition, a middle school called Pin Oak Middle School, which was built in 2002, is located in Bellaire. Students zoned to Johnston, Long, and Pershing Middle Schools may choose to attend Pin Oak instead; therefore Bellaire students may attend Pin Oak.
Maud W. Gordon Elementary School in Bellaire does not have a zoning boundary, it draws excess students from apartments west of Bellaire, in Houston, to relieve other schools in Houston west of Bellaire such as Benavidez, Cunningham, Elrod, and Milne [19].
Gabriela Mistral Early Childhood Center is the closest public early childhood center to the city of Bellaire and Kolter Elementary School is the closest school with a tuition-based early childhood program.[20][21] Only economically-disadvantaged students, homeless students, students who are not proficient in English, or children of active-duty members of the U.S. military or whose parent has been killed, injured, or missing in action while on active duty may be enrolled in tuition-free HISD preschools. Students who are eligible for HISD's preschools may attend any Early Childhood Center in Houston ISD for free. Students not eligible may enroll in tuition-based HISD preschool programs.[21]
[edit] Gallery of public schools
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[edit] Private schools
Three independent (private) schools, including Episcopal High School (9-12), the Post Oak Montessori School (K-8), and the Veritas Christian Academy (K-8), are located in Bellaire.
Nearby independent schools include St. Marks Episcopal School in the city of West University Place, St. Thomas Episcopal School (K-12), Holy Ghost Catholic School, and St. Vincent De Paul Catholic School in Houston.
Faith Lutheran Day School (Pre-Kindergarten - Kindergarten) is a private preschool.
[edit] Colleges and universities
Bellaire is served by the Houston Community College System.
[edit] Public libraries
The city of Bellaire also operates its own library, the Bellaire City Library.
[edit] Media
The Houston Chronicle is the area regional newspaper. On Thursdays, residents receive the Bellaire/West U/River Oaks/Meyerland [2] local section.
The Bellaire Examiner is a local newspaper distributed in the community.[22]
The Bellaire Buzz is a monthly magazine mailed free of charge to all residents.
[edit] Postal services
The closest United States Postal Service office is the Bellaire Post Office at 5350 Bellaire Boulevard, Bellaire, Texas, 77401-9998.
[edit] Community information
The closest YMCA is the Weekley Family YMCA in the Braeswood Place neighborhood in Houston.
The closest mainstream movie theater to Bellaire is the Edwards Grand Palace theater in Houston.
Bellaire has a little league team called the Bellaire Little League. The little league is famous winning the National Tournament of the 2000 Little League World Series, before losing in the Championship to Maracaibo, Venezuela.
[edit] Gallery
 A "Welcome to Bellaire" sign along Bellaire Boulevard on the edge of Bellaire's city limits |
 A post topped with Spanish tile that shows the date of incorporation for Bellaire |
 Red street signs in Bellaire |
[edit] External links
- City of Bellaire
- Bellaire Police Department
- Bellaire Fire Department
- Bellaire House Statistics
- Bellaire, Texas from the Handbook of Texas Online
- Bellaire Little League
- Bellaire, Texas is at coordinates Coordinates:
[edit] References
- ^ US Census Bureau Population Finder: Bellaire city, TX. factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved on 2007-07-01.
- ^ a b American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ US Board on Geographic Names. United States Geological Survey (2007-10-25). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ "Bellaire GIS Mapping." City of Bellaire.
- ^ "The Seoul of Houston: The Weather Was Not the Strong Point on Long Point." Houston Press.
- ^ "Bus Explosion Kills 24 in Dallas," Fox News
- ^ "24 nursing home evacuees die in bus fire," Houston Chronicle
- ^ Tejano star Emilio Navaira hospitalized after bus crash
- ^ Tejano singer injured in accident
- ^ Grammy winner Emilio Navaira critically injured in bus crash
- ^ Tejano star still critical
- ^ "Congressional District 7." National Atlas of the United States.
- ^ "Parks." City of Bellaire.
- ^ "Bellaire park gets Marvin Zindler's name," KTRK-TV
- ^ "Horn Elementary Attendance Boundary," Houston Independent School District
- ^ "Condit Elementary Attendance Boundary," Houston Independent School District
- ^ "Lovett Elementary Attendance Boundary," Houston Independent School District
- ^ "Pershing Attendance Boundary," Houston Independent School District
- ^ "School Histories," Houston Independent School District
- ^ "Early Childhood Center Map." Houston Independent School District.
- ^ a b "Early Childhood and Prekindergarten Programs." Houston Independent School District.
- ^ "About Us." Examiner News.
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Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown METROPOLITAN AREA |
|---|---|
| Counties | Austin | Brazoria | Chambers | Fort Bend | Galveston | Harris | Liberty | Montgomery | San Jacinto | Waller |
| "Principal" cities |
Houston | Sugar Land | Baytown | Galveston |
| Cities and towns |
Alvin | Angleton | Bellaire | Cleveland | Clute | Conroe | Dayton | Deer Park | Dickinson | Freeport | Friendswood | Galena Park | Hitchcock | Hempstead | Humble | Jacinto City | Jersey Village | Katy | Lake Jackson | La Marque | La Porte | League City | Liberty | Meadows Place | Missouri City | Pasadena | Pearland | Richmond | Rosenberg | Santa Fe | Seabrook | Sealy | South Houston | Stafford | Texas City | Tomball | Webster | West University Place |
| Unincorporated areas | Atascocita | Channelview | Cloverleaf | Cypress | Klein | Spring | The Woodlands |
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