Deer Park, Texas

Deer Park was founded in 1892 by Simeon H. West, a farmer, retired legislator, and much-traveled adventurer from Illinois. He named the town for the large number of deer that roamed the Gulf plains. A railroad station opened later that year and a post office followed in 1893.[4]

The subdivision was established in 1893 and was the site of a Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway station by about 1894. A Deer Park post office was established in 1893, discontinued in 1919, and reestablished in 1930. In 1896, the community, with a population of forty, had a hotel, a general store, and three resident carpenters. By 1922 Deer Park had dwindled down to almost nothing with four houses, one little schoolhouse, and an old hotel with a few scattered shacks along the railroad right-of-way. 1928 brought in Shell Oil Company breaking ground on a new refinery. In the 1930s, an independent school district was established. By 1940, the population had grown to 100. By 1946, however, the area began to flourish as Deer Park became the site of refineries and toluene plants for the production of TNT.[5]

The citizens of Deer Park voted to incorporate on December 12, 1948, and a few weeks later Earl E. Dunn became the first mayor.[6] Because of the 1948 incorporation, Houston did not incorporate Deer Park's territory into its city limits.[7] The first city council meeting was held on February 7, 1949. The population had grown to 700 by 1948, to 5,000 by 1960 with a fire station, city hall, playground parks and an independent city water supply. A public library was begun in 1962. Population was 12,773 in 1970, and 28,520 in 2000. This growth has been fueled by the growth of the petrochemical industry as well as the growth of business along the Houston Ship Channel. Deer Park has a school district with 14 campuses, a city library, community theater, municipal court building, three fire stations, numerous city parks and recreational facilities, state-of-the-art water and sewer processing facilities, a post office, several hotels, 14 major industries as well as several light industrial companies. Today, Deer Park has approximately 9,000 homes and more than 30,000 residents.

It is near the site of the Battle of San Jacinto, where, on April 21, 1836, Texas won its independence from Mexico. Because the initial surrender treaty after the battle was signed in Dr. George Moffitt Patrick's cabin, Deer Park bills itself as the "Birthplace of Texas". The original cabin was located on Buffalo Bayou where Rohm and Haas now has a chemical plant in Deer Park. A replica of Dr. Patrick's cabin is in front of the Theatre/Courts Building on Center Street.

Map of Deer Park

Deer Park is located in southeastern Harris County at 29°41′31″N 95°7′5″W (29.692003, -95.118108).[9] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 10.52 square miles (27.25 km²), of which 10.46 square miles (27.08 km²) are land and 0.07 square miles (0.17 km²), or 0.62%, are water.[3]

Deer Park is bounded by the city of Pasadena to the south and west, by the city of La Porte to the south and east, and by the Houston Ship Channel—the dredged-out Buffalo Bayou—to the north.

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 28,520 people, 9,615 households, and 7,941 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,752.7 people per square mile (1,062.9/km²). There were 9,921 housing units at an average density of 957.6 per square mile (369.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 90.01% White, 1.31% African American, 0.41% Native American, 1.13% Asian, 0.13% Pacific Islander, 5.25% from other races, and 1.76% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.22% of the population.

There were 9,615 households, out of which 43.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.8% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.4% were non-families. 14.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.93 and the average family size was 3.23.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 29.0% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 7.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $61,334, and the median income for a family was $66,516. Males had a median income of $50,867 versus $30,926 for females. The per capita income for the city was $24,440. About 4.0% of families and 5.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.4% of those under age 18 and 4.9% of those age 65 or over.

The Deer Park Post Office is located at 200 East San Augustine Street.[12]

• Briscoe Cain, member of the Texas House of Representatives
• Zane Gonzalez, NFL kicker
• Charles Holcomb, judge of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
• Andy Pettitte, MLB pitcher for Houston Astros
• Chelsi Smith, Miss Texas USA 1995, Miss USA 1995 and Miss Universe 1995

[16]

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Deer Park has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[17]

• City of Deer Park official website
• Deer Park, Texas from the Handbook of Texas Online