Add YOUR Family To This Page

flag  History of Houston, Texas, USA

Journey back in time to Houston, Texas, USA

Explore Houston, Texas, USA! Uncover its rich history and discover the stories of the people who once called it home. Dive into old newspaper articles, vintage pictures, postcards, and genealogy to learn more about this fascinating town.

Do You Have Houston Ancestry? Share YOUR Family Story!

Houston, Texas, USA - Houston, Texas, USA - Houston, Texas. High School.

Houston, Harris, Texas, USA

Texas has the first domed stadium in the country. The structure was built in Houston and opened in April 1965.

50states.com

Explore even more about Houston, Texas, USA. Keep reading!

Houston Nostalgia: Vintage Photos, Ads, and Postcards

Houston, Texas, USA - Houston, Texas. High School.
Houston, Texas, USA

Postcard
Pinterest    
Houston, Texas. High School.
Houston, Texas, USA - Huston Station and Car. Galveston-Houston Interurban.
Houston, Texas, USA

Postcard
Pinterest    
Huston Station and Car. Galveston-Houston Interurban.
Houston, Texas, USA - Main Street, Looking North, showing Theatrical District, Houston, Texas.
Houston, Texas, USA

Postcard
Pinterest    
Main Street, Looking North, showing Theatrical District, Houston, Texas. "The Fastest Growing City in the United States"

Discover Unique Gift Ideas from or related to Houston

Buy it NOW!

Texas Roots Ceramic Genealogy Mug

Unleash your inner Texan with our "My Ancestors Came From Texas!" ceramic mug. This Texas-inspired mug is perfect for your morning coffee, evening tea, or any beverage in between. Featuring a witty caption that proudly declares your love for BBQ brisket and your uncanny ability to spot a Texan in a 10-gallon hat anywhere in the world, this mug is a must-have for anyone with Texas roots.

Patriotic Memories: Memorial Day Vintage Postcard Coffee Mug

Remembering the Brave, Honoring the Fallen Celebrate the spirit of Memorial Day with this stunning ceramic coffee mug featuring vintage postcards commemorating the holiday. Perfect for honoring the brave men and women who served, this mug is both a functional keepsake and a nostalgic work of art. Whether you're sipping your morning coffee or enjoying an afternoon tea, this dishwasher-safe and microwave-friendly mug is a timeless way to show your patriotism. Ideal as a gift for veterans, history buffs, or anyone who cherishes American traditions, this mug makes Memorial Day even more meaningful.

Discover Houston: History, News, Travel, and Stories

Add informationAdd History/News/Story
1836 - August 30 - The city of Houston is founded by Augustus Chapman Allen and John Kirby Allen

historyorb.com
1854 - Houston
Houston a city capital of Harris county, Texas, situated on Buffalo bayou, 45 miles by water from its entrance into Galveston bay, 82 miles N. W. from Galveston city, and 200 miles E. S. E. from Austin city. Lat. 29° 45' N., Lon. 95° 30' W. This flourishing town, the second of the state in commercial importance, is advantageously situated for trade, at the head of steamboat navigation. Several steamboats ply regularly between this place and Galveston. Houston is the principal shipping port for several adjacent counties, in which cotton, sugar, and maize arc produced, and towards which a copious tide of emigration is flowing. A large portion of the county is occupied by savannas or treeless plains, which produce excellent pasturage, and large numbers of cattle and horses are kept here with little labor. A railroad has been commenced which is to be extended westward to the Brazos river, and probably to Austin. Five or six newspapers arc published here. It contains 1 iron foundry, with a ... Read MORE...

1895 - Houston
Houston, a city of Texas, capital of Harris co., is on Buffalo Bayou, 49 miles by rail N.W. of Galveston, 164 miles E.S.E. of Austin, and 152 miles S. of Palestine. It is the S. terminus of the Houston and Texas Central Railroad and of the International & Great Northern Rail road, which connect here with the Galveston, Houston & Henderson Railroad, and is also the W. terminus of the Texas & New Orleans Railroad. Is is also on the Texas Western, Texas Transportation, and Houston, East & West Texas Railroads. It was in 1870 the third city of the state in population. Steamboats ply between this place and Galveston. Two daily and 3 weekly newspapers are published here, also a Baptist religious paper. Houston contains 11 churches (2 Baptist, 2 Catholic, 1 Episcopal, 1 Jewish, 4 Methodist, and 1 Presbyterian), the Houston Academy, a convent, a city hall, 2 national banks, 4 other banks, 4 foundries, manufactures of engines, machinery, carriages, &c., 1 or 2 cotton-factories, several... Read MORE...

February 15, 1895 - Houston TX received 22 inches of snow.

WeatherForYou.com
February 15, 1895
1896 - BOILER EXPLODES Disaster in a Texas Newspaper Office - Three Lives Lost
Houston, Tex., June 30 - Shortly after three o'clock Monday afternoon the boiler in the office of the Daily Age exploded, killing Engineer Henry Lyons, Miss Mattie Loeb, a stenographer in the office of W. G. Van Vleck, vice-president and general manager of the A. & T. system of the Southern Pacific railway; Edward R. Emory, telegraph operator in the same office, and seriously injuring Mr. Van Velck himself. The force of the explosion carried the entire boiler, which was of 18 horse power, fully 800 feet.

Mr. Van Velck was dictating to Miss. Loeb when the boiler crashed through the brick wall back into the rear of the building, taking everything in its way. Miss Loeb was carried nearly 20 feet from her chair and was found afterward buried under a mass of debris. She lived only about 20 minutes. Mr. Van Vleck was carried some distance also, but escaped with serious cuts on the head. In the next office, divided by a thin partition, were two telegraph operators, Edward R. Emory and... Read MORE...

1912 - HOUSTON, TEX., SWEPT BY DISASTROUS FIRE. DESTROYS MANUFACTURING AND RESIDENCE SECTION. STRONG GALE SWEEPS FIRE OVER CITY WIPING OUT FIFTEEN FACTORIES AND NEARLY THREE HUNDRED HOMES.
(By Associated Press.)
Houston, Tex., Feb. 21. - A fire which broke out here at an early hour today, swept by a 35 mile an hour wind, burned a mile across the city and and an area seven blocks wide. By 7 o'clock the fire is believed to be under control, although still burning. The loss is estimated at five to ten million dollars.

Among the mills, factories and plants totally destroyed or badly damaged are McFADDEN'S warehouse, Southern Compress and Warehouse Co., DEW Bros. Syrup Co., Houston Packing Co., HOUSTON & LIGGETT Lumber Co., REGERS Paint Co., HUDSON Pencil Factory,

E. D. HARRELL Lumber Co., Standard Compress Co., Co-operative Mfg. Co., Acme Mill, St. Patrick's Catholic Church and school, Industrial rice mill and Southern rice mill.

The burned area in the residence district covers at least twenty-five blocks. More than a score of persons were injured, none of whom are thought to be fatally hurt. The fire was gotten under control at Buffalo Bayou. Although the fire... Read MORE...

1912 - April 1 - A tornado with incredible velocity ripped into downtown Houston, TX, breaking the water table and giving the city its first natural waterspout.

WeatherForYou.com
April 1, 1912
1916
Houston, a city of Texas, the second city (in 1900) in population of the state, an important railroad centre, and capital of Harris co., is on Buffalo Bayou, 49 miles NW. of Galveston, on the Southern Pacific, the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe and other railroads. It has the Houston Lyceum, a polytechnic institute, a cotton exchange, masonic exchange, government building, and manufactures of car- wheels, engines, machinery, carriages, agricultural implements, etc. ; it has also cotton-mills and. compresses, cotton seed oil works, foundries, and several machine-shops of the railroads. Large quantities of cotton, corn, sugar, and other products are shipped here. Pop. in 1890, 27,557 ; in 1900, 44,633.
Lippincotts New Gazetteer: A Complete Pronouncing Gazetteer Or Geographical Dictionary of the World, Containing the Most Recent and Authentic Information Respecting the Countries, Cities, Towns, Resorts, Islands, Rivers, Mountains, Seas, Lakes, Etc., in Every Portion of the Globe, Part 1 Angelo Heilprin Louis Heilprin - January 1, 1916 J.B. Lippincott - Publisher
1917 - August 23 - Race riot in Houston Texas (2 blacks & 11 whites killed)

historyorb.com
1935 - December 7 - Severe flooding hit parts of the Houston, TX, area. Eight persons were killed as one hundred city blocks were inundated.

The Weather Channel
December 7, 1935
1943 - September 7 – Gulf Hotel fire: A fire at the Gulf Hotel in Houston, Texas, kills 55.

wikipedia.org
September 7, 1943
1953 - May 25 - 1st non-commercial educational television station-Houston, Texas

historyorb.com
1965 - Texas has the first domed stadium in the country. The structure was built in Houston and opened in April 1965.

www.ereferencedesk.com/ resources/ state-facts/ texas.html
1983 - Hurricane Alicia
August 18, 1983
Hurricane Alicia makes landfall at Galveston Island, Texas, unleashing 23 small tornadoes. The storm kills 21 people, leaves Houston littered with tree limbs and broken glass, and causes $2 billion in damage.

Timeline: U.S. Storm Disasters
American Experience

www.pbs.org
Here's a mix of places to go and things to do in Houston:
Space Center Houston: Explore the wonders of space and science. It's an interactive and educational experience, great for all ages.

Museum District: Houston's Museum District is home to a variety of museums, including the Museum of Natural Science, the Museum of Fine Arts, and the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston.

Buffalo Bayou Park: A beautiful park offering walking and biking trails along the bayou, with stunning views of the city skyline.

Hermann Park: This park is not only a great spot for a picnic but also houses the Houston Zoo and the Miller Outdoor Theatre, which hosts free performances.

The Menil Collection: A unique art museum with a diverse collection, including pieces from ancient civilizations to modern contemporary art.

Discovery Green: A vibrant urban park in the heart of downtown Houston, often hosting events, concerts, and outdoor activities.

Houston Zoo: Home to over 6,000 animals, the Houston Zoo is a fantastic place for families and animal... Read MORE...

Discover YOUR Roots: Houston Ancestry

Ancestors Who Were Born or Died in Houston, Texas, USA

We currently have information about 35 ancestors who were born or died in Houston.

View Them Now (sorted by year of birth)



Ancestors Who Were Married in Houston, Texas, USA

We currently have information about ancestors who were married in Houston.

View Them Now

Genealogy Resources for Houston

Not the place you are looking for? Try again!

Search for YOUR Family by Place

To search for a place, specify place name below. Choose name from the list. Then SEARCH.
*Place Name:


Our Genealogy Gift Ideas

Visit Our Store

Ancestry Family Tree Search

Search for YOUR Family by Name

NOTE: If you don't know your ancestor's whole name or are unsure of the spelling, specify part of the name.

First Name:
*Last Name:
Gender:
Born (+/- 2 years):
Died (+/- 2 years):
Match all terms exactly:

Updated: 10/10/2023 6:49:52 PM