Willowbend, Houston

A street sign on a median

Willowbend is a neighborhood in Houston, Texas.

Willowbend is outside the 610 Loop and inside Beltway 8. The neighborhood is south of Willow Meadows and southeast of Meyerland. The neighborhood crosses south of Willowbend Boulevard and extends to Briarbend. Willowbend is in Texas's 7th congressional district .

History

Willowbend is a cozy, well kept neighborhood of middle class Americana. In recent years, it has seen a resurgence as its locale to downtown Houston, the Texas Medical Center, and Loop 610 has increased its attraction to people wanting location over modern home style. The neighborhood had a number of youth sports programs in earlier days: Willow Creek Little League, FUN Football Raiders or Red Raiders. Many good athletes got their start in these youth leagues.

It was the site of attacks committed by Houston's "original" mass murderer, who gunned down three schoolgirls, a toddler, and an elderly woman and injured two others in April 1973. Several of the victims were walking home from Red Elementary School when shot. Larry Delon Casey remains in prison for the attacks, which occurred on Green Willow, Willowilde, Benning, Creekbend and near the intersection of Cliffwood and Stillbrooke drives.[1]

The neighborhood has a bayou called Willow Creek which runs throughout the neighborhood. Willow Creek empties into Braes Bayou. Willowbend Boulevard runs through the middle of the neighborhood. The eastern and southern sides of the neighborhood have railroad tracks in the far off distance. There is a big field which is used as a buffer from the tracks to homes. The field is a unique feature of the neighborhood as it features horses, cows, jack rabbits, turtles, crawfish, natural ponds, snakes, and other wildlife. Many kids have enjoyed the unique opportunity and use of this land to explore animals and nature in the inner city.

Government and infrastructure

Willowbend is in Houston City Council District K.[2]

Education

Primary and secondary schools

Public schools

Red Elementary School

Willowbend residents are zoned to the following Houston ISD schools:[3] Red Elementary School, Meyerland Performing and Visual Arts Middle School (formerly Johnston Middle School), and Westbury High School.[4][5][6][7] Meyerland Middle-zoned residents may attend Pin Oak Middle School.[8]

Red Elementary School is located in Willowbend Section 4.[9][10]

Private schools

The Robert M. Beren Academy, a K-12 Judaic school, is located in the area .

Trafton Academy (Pre-K through 8) is also in the area. Ms. Wagner's School became the lower grades of Trafton Academy.

Trafton Academy is located in Willowbend Section 2.[11][12]

The Emery/Weiner School is east of the subdivision bordering the Westwood subdivision.

Colleges and universities

Houston Community College System serves the neighborhood.

Police service

The neighborhood is within the Houston Police Department's Southwest Patrol Division . Neighborhood residents also make yearly contributions for additional security patrols by off-duty police officers.

Parks and recreation

Willow Park, a park operated by the City of Houston, is located at 10400 Cliffwood, adjacent to Red Elementary School . The large park features a playground, picnic facilities, a softball/soccer field, tennis courts and a small parking lot. It is the central spot of the neighborhood. A new sand volleyball court was added to the park in 2008.

Willow Park is in Willow Meadows Section 3.[13]

Media

The Bellaire Texan, which served the Willowbend community in the mid-20th Century,[14] was headquartered in Bellaire and published by the Texan Publishing Corporation.[15] By 1975 it became known as the Bellaire & Southwestern Texan and was published by the Preston Publishing Company. It was then headquartered in Houston.[16]

References

  1. ↑ Sablatura, Bob. "Decades later, victims face assailant / Women recount 1970s shooting; Casey gets life for murder plot." Houston Chronicle. Saturday October 9, 2004. B1 MetFront. Retrieved on November 5, 2011.
  2. ↑ City of Houston, Council District Maps, District K." City of Houston. Retrieved on November 5, 2011.
  3. ↑ "Section Map" (Archive). Willowbend Civic Club. Retrieved on April 13, 2014.
  4. ↑ "Red Elementary Attendance Boundary," Houston Independent School District
  5. ↑ "Johnston Middle Attendance Boundary," Houston Independent School District
  6. ↑ "Pin Oak Middle School." The Southwest District. Houston Independent School District.
  7. ↑ "Westbury High School Attendance Boundary," Houston Independent School District
  8. ↑ "Pin Oak Middle School." The Southwest District. Houston Independent School District.
  9. ↑ "Willow Bend, Section 4." JPG, PDF. Harris County Assessor's Block Book Map. Volume 83, Page 7. Retrieved on July 25, 2017.
  10. ↑ Home. Red Elementary School. Retrieved on July 25, 2017. "4520 Tonawanda Houston, TX 77035-3716"
  11. ↑ "Willow Bend, Section 2." PDF, JPG. Harris County Assessor's Block Book Map. Volume 83, Page 7. Retrieved on July 25, 2017.
  12. ↑ Home. Trafton Academy. Retrieved on July 25, 2017. "Trafton Academy•4711 McDermed•Houston, Texas 77035"
  13. ↑ "Willow Meadows Sec. 3" (JPG, PDF). Harris County Assessor's Block Book Map. Volume 85, Page 81. Retrieved on July 25, 2017.
  14. ↑ The Bellaire Texan (Bellaire, Tex.), Vol. 2, No. 31, Ed. 1 Wednesday, September 14, 1955. p. 1 of 16 (see page). At the Portal to Texas History, University of North Texas. Retrieved on March 2, 2017. "215 N. 6th St., Bellaire, Texas"
  15. ↑ The Bellaire Texan (Bellaire, Tex.), Vol. 2, No. 31, Ed. 1 Wednesday, September 14, 1955. p. 4 of 16 (see page). At the Portal to Texas History, University of North Texas. Retrieved on March 2, 2017. "215 N. 6th St., Bellaire, Texas"
  16. ↑ The Bellaire & Southwestern Texan (Bellaire, Tex.), Vol. 24, No. 8, Ed. 1 Wednesday, June 25, 1975 Page: 2 of 47 (see page). At the Portal to Texas History, University of North Texas. Retrieved on March 2, 2017. "6622 Ferris St. Houston, Texas 77036"

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