River Plantation, Texas

River Plantation is a community in unincorporated Montgomery County, Texas. It is located along the banks of the San Jacinto River,^[1] 6 miles (9.7 km) south of Conroe. The lower reaches of the community were developed in the late 1960s.^[2] As of 2007 it has 1,200 houses and about 3,000 residents.^[1] Mike Drago of the Austin American-Statesman said in 1994 that River Plantation was "upscale."^[3]

History

The lower reaches of the community were developed in the late 1960s. Russell Thompson, a man who filed a class action lawsuit against the developers in 1985, said that they developed the section even though they knew it could flood.^[2]

In 1994 a flood affected the community.^[1] A deluge of rain across Southeast Texas caused flooding in several communities. Water from the San Jacinto River flooded houses and vehicles. Throughout the state, six died from the flooding.^[3] At the time of the 1994 flood, 110 houses were located on the 100-year flood plain. The Federal Government of the United States bought and razed twenty of them; the Gwen Hruska Park is located where the former houses stood. 1,000 of the houses did not flood in 1994.^[1]

In 2007 Laura Isensee of the Houston Chronicle said "Since the flood, the 40-year-old community with about 3,000 residents has more than rebounded. It's flourished."^[1] An overpass to Interstate 45 had opened before April 18, 2007. Isensee said that the overpass made River Plantation a more attractive community.^[1]

Geography

River Plantation is located along the banks of the San Jacinto River,^[1] 6 miles (9.7 km) south of Conroe.^[2] Ron Craig, the treasurer and former president of the River Plantation Community Improvement Association, said, as paraphrased by Laura Isensee of the Houston Chronicle, that "River Plantation's central location between Conroe and The Woodlands and its unique character make it attractive to new residents moving in and longtime residents who don't want to leave."^[1]

The subdivision has curving roadways, as opposed to a grid road system. Craig said, as paraphrased by Isensee, that the community "never really had model homes."^[1]

Education

Residents are within the Conroe Independent School District. They are zoned to Bonnie Wilkinson Elementary School,^[4] Oree Bozman Intermediate School,^[5] Peet Junior High School,^[6] and Conroe High School.^[7] Wilkinson was named after a principal in Conroe ISD.^[8]

Wilkinson and Bozman opened on August 24, 2009. A $527 million bond approved in May 2008 financed Bozman. Wilkinson was financed from surplus funds from a previous bond.^[8] Previously residents were zoned to Armstrong Elementary School and Cryar Intermediate School.^[9][10]

Parks and recreation

Gwen Hruska Park, named after a former president of the homeowner's association, is located in River Plantation.^[1] It is located on 12 acres (4.9 ha) of land that consists of post-1994 flood buyouts from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and land donations. The River Plantation Community Improvement Association (RPCIA) operates and maintains the park and its trails. 5,022 feet (1,531 m) (linear feet) of concrete trails are located in the park. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Grant Assistant Program funded the trails.^[11]

References

External links

• Drago, Mike. "5 die as rain inundates Southeast Texas Thousands forced to evacuate; 16 counties declared disaster areas." Austin American-Statesman. October 18, 1994. B1.

v t e Municipalities and communities of Montgomery County, Texas, United States County seat: Conroe Cities Conroe Cut and Shoot Houston‡ Magnolia Montgomery Oak Ridge North Panorama Village Patton Village Shenandoah Splendora Willis Woodbranch Towns Roman Forest Stagecoach Woodloch CDPs Pinehurst Porter Heights The Woodlands‡ Unincorporated communities Decker Prairie Dobbin Egypt Grangerland Imperial Oaks New Caney Porter River Plantation Tamina Ghost town Esperanza Footnotes ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties