Houston Bcycle (also known as B-Cycle), a local non-profit, runs the subscription program, supplying bicycles and docking stations, while partnering with other companies to maintain the system. [19][233] Houston is also home to folk artists, art groups and various small progressive arts organizations.[234]. The Astrodome, nicknamed the "Eighth Wonder of the World",[43] opened in 1965 as the world's first indoor domed sports stadium. [324], Amtrak's thrice-weekly Los Angeles–New Orleans Sunset Limited serves Houston at a station northwest of Downtown. In 2019, it was announced that HP Enterprises would relocate its global headquarters from California to the Greater Houston area. As many as 40% of residents refused to leave Galveston Island because they feared the type of traffic problems that had happened after Hurricane Rita. [337], Houston's bicycle sharing system started service with nineteen stations in May 2012. The Williams Tower is the tallest building in the US outside a central business district. [211] Also in 2013, Houston again appeared on Forbes' list of "Best Places for Business and Careers". Houston (/ˈhjuːstən/ (listen) HEW-stən) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas, fourth-most populous city in the United States, most populous city in the Southern United States, as well as the sixth-most populous in North America, with an estimated 2019 population of 2,320,268. [216] Another large celebration is the annual night-time Houston Gay Pride Parade, held at the end of June. Houston is a majority-minority city. [250] The Houston SaberCats are a rugby team that plays in Major League Rugby. [117] The industries located along the ship channel are a major cause of the city's air pollution. Image Courtesy of the City of Rockwall, Texas Manmade or a natural feature, the miles of seemingly neatly stacked, often-buried stone that sometimes reach 40 feet in height and transverse above and below the ground of Rockwall County, Texas are intriguing. [116] Ground-level ozone, or smog, is Houston's predominant air pollution problem, with the American Lung Association rating the metropolitan area's ozone level twelfth on the "Most Polluted Cities by Ozone" in 2017, after major cities such as Los Angeles, Phoenix, New York City, and Denver. [54] Even worse flooding happened in late August 2017, when Hurricane Harvey stalled over southeastern Texas, much like Tropical Storm Allison did sixteen years earlier, causing severe flooding in the Houston area, with some areas receiving over 50 inches (1,300 mm) of rain. According to the 2005 Houston Area Survey, 68 percent of non-Hispanic whites in Harris County are declared or favor Republicans while 89 percent of non-Hispanic blacks in the area are declared or favor Democrats. [351][352], See: List of colleges and universities in Houston, For a complete listing, see list of cities and towns in Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land MSA, This article is about the city in the U.S. state of Texas. A historic photo of the “wall” found in Rockwall, Texas. [13][39] In 1950, the availability of air conditioning provided impetus for many companies to relocate to Houston, where wages were lower than those in the North; this resulted in an economic boom and produced a key shift in the city's economy toward the energy sector.[40][41]. [214] The city is home to the nation's third-largest concentration of consular offices, representing 92 countries. Prairie View A&M University's nursing school is located in the Texas Medical Center. Houston averaged 1.59 cars per household in 2016, compared to a national average of 1.8. [13][70] The city owns surface water rights for 1.20 billion US gallons (4.5 Gl) of water a day in addition to 150 million US gallons (570 Ml) a day of groundwater. Many parts of the city have a high risk of localized flooding due to flat topography,[110] ubiquitous low-permeability clay-silt prairie soils,[111] and inadequate infrastructure. Houston also hosts a number of graduate schools in law and healthcare. Officials predicted there would be 323 homicides in 2016. [64] The city has a total area of 637.4 square miles (1,651 km2);[10] this comprises over 599.59 square miles (1,552.9 km2) of land and 22.3 square miles (58 km2) covered by water. [23] However, the land remained largely uninhabited until settlement in the 1830s. [308] With hospital locations nationwide and headquarters in Houston, the Triumph Healthcare hospital system was the third largest long term acute care provider nationally in 2005. [13], The great majority of enslaved people in Texas came with their owners from the older slave states. [67] Downtown stands about 50 feet (15 m) above sea level,[68] and the highest point in far northwest Houston is about 150 feet (46 m) in elevation. Simon H. asks: What civilization made the rock walls in Rockwall Texas? Houston (/ ˈ h juː s t ən / HEW-stən) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas, fourth-most populous city in the United States, most populous city in the Southern United States, as well as the sixth-most populous in North America, with an estimated 2019 population of 2,320,268. Toyota Center also has the largest screen for an indoor arena in the United States built to coincide with the arena's hosting of the 2013 NBA All-Star Game. [158], Before the 1970s, the city's gay bars were spread around Downtown Houston and what is now midtown Houston. Your email address will not be published. [215], Many annual events celebrate the diverse cultures of Houston. In 2009, Hobby Airport was recognized with two awards for being one of the top five performing airports globally and for customer service by Airports Council International. In January, the normal mean temperature at George Bush Intercontinental Airport is 53 °F (12 °C), with an average of 13 days per year with a low at or below 32 °F (0 °C), occurring on average between December 3 and February 20, allowing for a growing season of 286 days. SkyVector is a free online flight planner. They paid $5,000 total, but only $1,000 of this in cash; notes made up the remainder. These degree-holders tend to stay in Houston. [339] In 2017, Bcycle logged over 142,000 check outs while expanding to 56 docking stations. [163] Houston elected the first openly lesbian mayor of a major city in 2009, and she served until 2016. [349], Houston's third municipal airport is Ellington Airport, used by the military, government (including NASA) and general aviation sectors. [150], In 2017, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, non-Hispanic whites made up 24.9% of the population of Houston proper, Hispanics or Latinos 44.5%, Blacks or African Americans 29.9%, and Asian Americans 6.7%. About 62 percent of Hispanics (of any race) in the area are declared or favor Democrats. Leading in healthcare sectors and building oilfield equipment, Houston has the second-most Fortune 500 headquarters of any U.S. municipality within its city limits (after New York City). Located near the Museum District are The Menil Collection, Rothko Chapel, the Moody Center for the Arts and the Byzantine Fresco Chapel Museum. SLD.TLD 00a.london 00b.london 00c.london 00d.london 00e.london 00f.london 00g.london 00h.london 00i.london 00j.london 00k.london 00l.london 00m.london 00n.london If you liked this article, you might also enjoy our new popular podcast, The BrainFood Show (iTunes, Spotify, Google Play Music, Feed), as well as: I wondered if there are other ‘natural’ occurances in the world, that look similar to this one? [128] In 2017, the census-estimated population rose to 2,312,717, and in 2018 to 2,325,502. After Hurricane Harvey this sudden change of heart seems likely to have been motivated by the prospect of additional tax revenues. Sachin D. Shah and Jennifer Lanning-Rush. [350], The Mayor's Office of Trade and International Affairs (MOTIA) is the city's liaison to Houston's sister cities and to the national governing organization, Sister Cities International. Houston is the birthplace of the chopped and screwed remixing-technique in Hip-hop which was pioneered by DJ Screw from the city. [89], Houston had the fifth-tallest skyline in North America (after New York City, Chicago, Toronto and Miami) and 36th-tallest in the world in 2015. In: Allen, Carol M. (editor). Several private institutions of higher learning are located within the city. A 2011 study by Walk Score ranked Houston the 23rd most walkable of the 50 largest cities in the United States. [145][146] Houston has long been known as a popular destination for African Americans due to the city's well-established and influential Black or African American community. [310] A commuting study estimated that the median length of commute in the region was 12.2 miles (19.6 km) in 2012. Much of the city's wealthier areas vote Republican while the city's working class and minority areas vote Democratic. Earthbound Houstonians consider something uplifting", "Hammered by heavy rain and huge hail Thursday night, Houston braces for more downpours, flooding", National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, "Houston Journal; Broiling on the Outside, But, Really, It's No Sweat", Texas hit with snow as winter weather system aims for Northeast, "Snow in Houston: It Happens More Than You Think", "3 Reasons Houston Was A 'Sitting Duck' For Harvey Flooding", "Remembering Houston's Memorial Day Flood, one of America's costliest floods", "Revisiting Houston's Tax Day Floods one year later", "Hurricane Harvey makes landfall in Texas", "Houston fears climate change will cause catastrophic flooding: 'It's not if, it's when, State of the Air 2005, National and Regional Analysis, "The paradox of peak-based ozone air pollution standards", "WMO Climate Normals for HOUSTON/INTERCONTINENTAL, TX 1961–1990", "Houston council approves changes to floodplain regulations in effort to reduce flood damage", "What's in Houston's worst flood zones? From the beginning, scientists have claimed that the feature is natural, such as when geologist Richard Burleson, in 1874, opined that the exposed sections he examined were “igneous occurrences.” Similarly, after he viewed the formations in 1901, geologist Dr. Robert T. Hill classified them as clastic sand dykes, while in 1909, Sidney Paige agreed with Hill, and described the feature as “a number of disconnected sandstone dykes.”. [27], In 1839, the Republic of Texas relocated its capital to Austin. Anderson Foundation formed the Texas Medical Center. In 2010, whites (including Hispanic whites) made up 57.6% of the city of Houston's population; 24.6% of the total population was non-Hispanic whites. Locations in Houston are generally classified as either being inside or outside the Interstate 610 loop. evidence of a prehistoric structure built by man is mounting. [173], A variety of Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches can be found in Houston. [118] The rankings are in terms of peak-based standards, focusing strictly on the worst days of the year; the average ozone levels in Houston are lower than what is seen in most other areas of the country, as dominant winds ensure clean, marine air from the Gulf. [36], Houston is a flat, marshy area where an extensive drainage system has been built. [272][discuss], Houston's murder rate ranked 46th of U.S. cities with a population over 250,000 in 2005 (per capita rate of 16.3 murders per 100,000 population). [103][104] The record highest temperature recorded in Houston is 109 °F (43 °C) at Bush Intercontinental Airport, during September 4, 2000, and again on August 27, 2011. The Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land metropolitan area is served by one public television station and one public radio station. [320] Arterial roads handle an additional 40% of daily VMT, while toll roads, of which Greater Houston has 180 miles (290 km), handle nearly 10%.[320]. There are also many charter schools that are run separately from school districts. The city controller is elected independently of the mayor and council. BVCM-37771) NOVA (Jazz Rock/Fusion • Italy) Vimana,1976(4-pages+Japan booklet+OBI)(Jap.Ed. [171] Since 2005, it has occupied the former Compaq Center sports stadium. [268] The city has often been known to be the most politically diverse city in Texas, a state known for being generally conservative. [169], According to a 2014 study by the Pew Research Center, 73% of the population of the Houston area identified themselves as Christians, about 50% of whom claimed Protestant affiliations and about 19% claimed Roman Catholic affiliations. The largest and longest-running is the annual Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, held over 20 days from early to late March, and is the largest annual livestock show and rodeo in the world. [217] Other notable annual events include the Houston Greek Festival,[218] Art Car Parade, the Houston Auto Show, the Houston International Festival,[219] and the Bayou City Art Festival, which is considered to be one of the top five art festivals in the United States. In the early 2010s, two additional lines—the Green Line, servicing the East End, and the Purple Line, servicing the Third Ward—opened, and the Red Line was extended northward to Northline, bringing the total length of the system to 22.7 miles (36.5 km). The Sam Houston Tollway, which encompasses the mainlanes of Beltway 8 (as opposed to the frontage roads, which are untolled), is the longest tollway in the system, covering the entirety of the Beltway with the exception of a free section between Interstate 45 and Interstate 69 near George Bush Intercontinental Airport. Greater Houston possesses a hub-and-spoke limited-access highway system, in which a number of freeways radiate outward from Downtown, with ring roads providing connections between these radial highways at intermediate distances from the city center. George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), located 23 miles (37 km) north of Downtown Houston between Interstates 45 and 69, is the eighth busiest commercial airport in the United States (by total passengers and aircraft movements) and forty-third busiest globally. The region is serviced by four spoke tollways: a set of managed lanes on the Katy Freeway; the Hardy Toll Road, which parallels Interstate 45 north of Downtown up to Spring; the Westpark Tollway, which services Houston's western suburbs out to Fulshear; and Fort Bend Parkway, which connects to Sienna Plantation. Cheap paper writing service provides high-quality essays for affordable prices. Some refer to it as the Antediluvian wall of Texas, and some have gone as far as to suggest that the strange rock wall buried under the surface is the ultimate evidence of a Lost Civilization beneath Texas. The tallest building in Uptown is the 64-floor, 901-foot (275 m)-tall, Philip Johnson and John Burgee designed landmark Williams Tower (known as the Transco Tower until 1999). An Unsolicited Plea for Assistance in Reevaluation of the Rockwall Co., Texas – Rockwall Anomaly. (Public Domain) In 1852, in what is now known as Rockwall Co., Texas, farmers digging a well discovered what appeared to be an ancient rock wall. Suburban northern and western parts of the metropolitan area are served by various campuses of the Lone Star College System, while the southeastern portion of Houston is served by San Jacinto College, and a northeastern portion is served by Lee College. There is only a very gradual slope, perhaps 1-2 degrees. [293] Founded in 1912, Rice's historic, heavily wooded 300-acre (120-hectare) campus, located adjacent to Hermann Park and the Texas Medical Center, hosts approximately 4,000 undergraduate and 3,000 post-graduate students. While Houston has never been widely known for its music scene,[242] Houston hip-hop has become a significant, independent music scene that is influential nationwide. [101] Houston's characteristic subtropical humidity often results in a higher apparent temperature, and summer mornings average over 90% relative humidity. In 2019, OSHA found that Texas was the leading state in the nation for crane accidents. It is the only MLB team to have won pennants in both modern leagues. According to a study in 2016 by Berman Jewish DataBank, 51,000 Jews lived in the area, an increase of 4,000 since 2001. On February 14 and 15, 1895, Houston received 20 inches (51 cm) of snow, its largest snowfall from one storm on record. In addition, some public school districts also have their own charter schools. [254] Other sports facilities include Hofheinz Pavilion (Houston Cougars basketball), Rice Stadium (Rice Owls football), and NRG Arena. Houston has an active visual and performing arts scene in the Theater District, and offers year-round resident companies in all major performing arts. Bayou Bend is the former home of Houston philanthropist Ima Hogg.[241]. [265] The city of Houston's official 2010 census count was 600 shy of the required number; however, as the city was expected to grow beyond 2.1 million shortly thereafter, the two additional districts were added for, and the positions filled during, the August 2011 elections.