City of League City | |
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— City — | |
Location in Galveston and Harris Counties in the state of Texas | |
Coordinates: | |
Country | United States |
State | Texas |
Counties | Galveston, Harris |
Government | |
• Type | Council-Manager |
• Mayor | Tim Paulissen |
• City Council | Dan Becker Dennis O'Keeffe Mick Phalen Mike Lee Phyllis Sanborn Andy Mann Joanna Sharp Dawson |
• City Manager | Marcus Jahns |
Area | |
• Total | 52.4 sq mi (135.6 km2) |
• Land | 51.2 sq mi (132.7 km2) |
• Water | 1.1 sq mi (2.9 km2) |
Elevation | 20 ft (6 m) |
Population (2010) | |
• Total | 83,560 |
• Density | 886.9/sq mi (342.4/km2) |
Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
• Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
ZIP codes | 77573-77574 |
Area code(s) | 281, 713, & 832 |
FIPS code | 48-41980[1] |
GNIS feature ID | 1339753[2] |
Website | LeagueCity.com |
League City is a city in Galveston County and Harris County in the U.S. state of Texas, within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city population was 45,444; in the 2006 census estimate, the population was listed as 67,200. The 2010 Census places the population of League City at 83,560. The City has experienced an 83% percent population growth since 2000. The city has a small portion north of Clear Creek within Harris County, Texas zoned for residential and commercial uses.[3]
League City is home to several water-side resorts used by people from nearby Houston.
League City surpassed Galveston as Galveston County's largest city between 2000 and 2005.[4]
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League City was settled at the former site of a Karankawa Indian village. Three families, the Butlers, Cowarts, and Perkinses, are considered to be founding families of the city. 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 first resident of the town proper, George W. Butler, arrived from Louisiana in 1873 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. League laid out his town site on 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.
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.[5]
League City is located at (29.499797, -95.089784).[6] This is 23 miles (37 km) southeast of Houston, and the same distance northwest of Galveston.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 52.3 square miles (135.6 km2), of which, 51.2 square miles (132.7 km2) of it is land and 1.1 square miles (2.9 km2) of it (2.12%) is water.
As of the census[1] of 2007, there were 68,178 people, 16,189 households, and 12,465 families residing in the city. The population density was 886.9 people per square mile (342.4/km2). There were 17,280 housing units at an average density of 337.2 per square mile (130.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 83.99% White, 5.09% African American, 0.37% Native American, 3.17% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 5.29% from other races, and 2.04% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.49% of the population.
There were 16,189 households out of which 42.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.4% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.0% were non-families. 18.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.19.
In the city the population was spread out with 29.4% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 35.9% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 5.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 99.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.5 males.
According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in the city was $78,250, and the median income for a family was $88,338.[1] Males had a median income of $52,366 versus $34,301 for females. The per capita income for the city was $27,170. About 3.6% of families and 4.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.9% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over.
The United States Postal Service League City Post Office is located at 240 West Galveston Street.[7]
League City became an incorporated city in 1962. League City’s government consists of seven council members and the mayor. The mayor only votes in the event of a tie vote of city council. 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 administrator’s position does not carry the authority of a city manager under a council manager form of government. This administrator position does not have authority to conduct the city’s business without the constant approval of council and mayor. This ordinance has created a form of government recently referred to "Hybrid" of strong mayor and council manager forms of government.
In 2011 an officer accused the police chief of League City of giving officers ticket quotas, which are illegal in the state of Texas.[8]
In 2008 the University of Texas Medical Branch board of regents approved the creation of the 110,000-square-foot (10,000 m2) Specialty Care Center facility, located on 35 acres (140,000 m2) of land near Interstate 45, Farm to Market Road 646, and the Victory Lakes community.[9]
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. Most pupils in League City attend schools in Clear Creek ISD. Some in Galveston County attend school in Dickinson ISD and Santa Fe ISD.
The CCISD portion of the city is divided between board of trustee districts 1, 4, and 5.[10][11][12] They are represented by Robert Allan Davee, Stuart J. Stromeyer, and Dee Scott, respectively, as of 2008.[13]
Clear Creek High School, of Clear Creek ISD, is located in League City. In fall 2007 Clear Springs High School opened in western League City.[14] In the fall of 2010 Clear Falls High School opened in the CCISD Education Village in southeastern League City.
Ed White Memorial High School is a state charter school in League City.[15]
Bay Area Christian School started in 1973 and currently has an enrollment of 674 students from grades K–12.[16]
St. Mary School, a Roman Catholic K-8 school operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, is in League City.[17]
The Harris County portion of League City is served by the San Jacinto College.[18] The Galveston County portion is served by the College of the Mainland.[19]
The Helen Hall Library, a member of the Galveston County Library System, is operated by the city and located at 100 West Walker Street.[20][21] The League City Public Library was renamed after Hall in 1985. During that year a $2.5 million bond to expand the 7,000-square-foot (650 m2) 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 29,000 square feet (2,700 m2) of space, is the largest and busiest unit of the Galveston County Library System.[22]
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.[23]
Commercial airline service for the area is operated from George Bush Intercontinental Airport and William P. Hobby Airport, which are located in Houston.
The 38,000-square-foot (3,500 m2) Perry Family YMCA is located at 1701 League City Parkway. The branch, which cost $10.7 million U.S. dollars 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 17-acre (69,000 m2) site used for the Perry YMCA.[24]
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