Fourth Ward, Houston, Texas

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Fourth Ward is one of the historic six wards of Houston, Texas, United States.

The Fourth Ward is located inside the 610 Loop.

1 History
2 Government
3 Education
4 Police service
5 References
6 See also

[edit] History

The Fourth Ward was established as one of four wards by the City of Houston in 1839.^[1] By 1906 it included much of what is, as of 2008, Downtown Houston and Montrose; at that point the city stopped using the ward system.^[2]

The area was the site of Freedman's Town, composed of recently freed slaves.^[2] The neighborhood became the center of Houston's African-American community in the late 19th Century and early 20th Century.^[1]

In the 1920s the Third Ward surpassed the Fourth Ward as the center of Houston's African-American community; the Fourth Ward lost prominence due to its inability to expand geographically, as other developments hemmed in the area.^[1]

In the 1980s the Fourth Ward had the poorest African-American community in the city of Houston; the sole residential area had less than 4,400 residents. 50% of the residents were below the poverty level.^[1]

Construction of the Pierce Elevated through the middle of the area divided the area and led to deterioration of the area. A portion of the Fourth Ward to the southwest of Interstate 45 is now known as Midtown and redevelopment of the area is underway. The area of the historic Fourth Ward inside Downtown is now filled with many skyscrapers, including Enron Tower, 1500 Louisiana, and the Continental Tower.

In the late 1990s and 2000s, the area has been undergoing gentrification, with many new mid-rise apartment complexes and upscale townhomes being built. Many long-time residents, mostly renters, have moved out, unable to afford the increasing rent due to rising property values. While the area around Freedman's town is traditionally black, Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites have moved to the area in recent years. There were 1,421 blacks living in the Fourth Ward census tract in 1990; 635 remained in 2000.^[2]