League City, Texas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids League City, Texas
City
City of League City
South Shore Harbor
Location in Galveston County and in the state of Texas
Country	United States
State	Texas
Counties	Galveston, Harris
Incorporated	1961
Government
• Type	Council-Manager
Area
• Total	53.06 sq mi (137.43 km2)
• Land	51.26 sq mi (132.77 km2)
• Water	1.80 sq mi (4.66 km2)
Elevation	20 ft (6 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	83,560
• Estimate  (2019)	107,536
• Density	2,097.73/sq mi (809.94/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP codes	77573-77574
Area code(s)	281/346/713/832
FIPS code	48-41980
GNIS feature ID	1339753
Website	http://www.leaguecitytx.gov

South Shore Harbour Resort & Conference Center

League City is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, in Galveston County, within the Greater Houston metropolitan area. At the 2010 U.S. census, League City's population was 83,560, up from 45,444 at the 2000 census. In 2019, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated its population increased to 106,730.

The city of League City has a small portion north of Clear Creek within Harris County zoned for residential and commercial uses. It is home to several waterside resorts, such as South Shore Harbor Resort and Conference Center and Waterford Harbor and Yacht Club Marina, popular with residents of nearby Houston. Between 2000 and 2005, League City surpassed Galveston as Galveston County's largest city.

History

League City was settled at the former site of a Karankawa Indian village. Three families, the Butlers, Cowarts, and Perkinses, are considered to be founding families of the city. The Cowart family settled on a creek now called Cowart's Creek after them (now often called "Coward's Creek"). The Perkins family built on a creek notably lined with magnolia trees, and named it Magnolia Bayou. The Butler family settled inland.

The first resident of the town proper, George W. Butler, arrived from Louisiana in 1873 and settled at the junction of Clear Creek and Chigger Bayou. The area was known as Butler's Ranch or Clear Creek until J. C. League acquired the land from a man named Muldoon on his entering the priesthood. League laid out his town site along the Galveston, Houston, and Henderson Railroad, already established in the area. This began a small feud over the name, as Butler was the postmaster. The name was changed several times, alternating between Clear Creek and the new League City. In the end, League City was chosen.

In 1907, League had two railroad flatcars of live oak trees left by the railroad tracks. These were for the residents to plant on their property. Butler and his son Milby supervised the planting of these trees, now known as the Butler Oaks. Many of them line Main Street to this day.

In the 2000s, rising real estate costs in Galveston forced many families to move to other areas, including League City. This meant an influx of children out of Galveston ISD and into other school districts like Clear Creek ISD and Dickinson ISD.

In July 2013 the financial website NerdWallet named League City the best city in Texas for people looking for jobs.

Geography

Map of League City

League City is located at 29°29′59″N 95°05′23″W / 29.499797°N 95.089784°W / 29.499797; -95.089784 (29.499797, −95.089784). This is 23 miles (37 km) southeast of Houston, and the same distance northwest of Galveston.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 53.0 square miles (137.3 km²), of which 51.3 square miles (132.8 km²) is land and 1.7 square miles (4.4 km²), or 3.22%, is water.

Climate

Demographics

As of the census of 2010, there were 83,560 people, 30,192 households, and 22,544 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,596 people per square mile (616.2/km²). There were 32,119 housing units at an average density of 627.3 per square mile (241.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 79.5% White, 7.1% Black or African American, 0.4% Native American, 5.4% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 4.7% some other race, and 2.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 17.3% of the population.

There were 30,192 households, out of which 40.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.3% were headed by married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.3% were non-families. 20.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.20.

In the city, the population was distributed with 28.5% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 31.6% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 7.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.4 males.

According to the 2019 American Community Survey estimate, the median income for a household in the city was $115,650, and the median income for a family was $130,293. The per capita income for the city was $46,539. About 1.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.0% of those under age 18 and 5.8% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

Houston Gulf Airport was located in eastern League City. The airport's land was sold and the land became a string of houses along Texas State Highway 96. The airport was once partially owned by the Bin Laden family with Salem Bin Laden holding interest in the airport at least until his death in 1988.

Commercial airline service for the area is operated from George Bush Intercontinental Airport and William P. Hobby Airport, which are located in Houston. League City in conjunction with Island Transit, Connect Transit, and UTMB, there is now a Park and Ride in the Victory Lakes subdivision.

Parks and recreation

The 38,000-square-foot (3,500 m²) Perry Family YMCA is located at 1701 League City Parkway. The branch, which cost $10.7 million U.S. dollars to build was named after Bob Perry, a homebuilder who donated $1 million. The North Galveston County YMCA began in 1993 and later moved into the Perry YMCA. John P. McGovern and his wife, Katherine, donated the 17-acre (69,000 m²) site used for the Perry YMCA.

Education

Primary and secondary schools

Public schools

Clear Creek Independent School District headquarters

Clear Creek Independent School District is based in League City, and serves pupils in the Harris County portion and most of the Galveston County portion. Most pupils in League City attend schools in Clear Creek ISD. Some in Galveston County attend school in Dickinson ISD and Santa Fe ISD.

The CCISD portion of the city is divided between board of trustees districts 1, 4, and 5. They are represented by Robert Allan Davee, Stuart J. Stromeyer, and Dee Scott, respectively, as of 2008.

CCISD has been very active in securing additional funding for the school district over and above what it receives from state of Texas (distributed from its collection of property taxes across the state). On May 11, 2013 CCISD introduced a bond referendum for 367 million USD with the intent to 'rebuild or improve schools; address student safety, security systems, repairs and enrollment growth; construct or expand co-curricular and extracurricular facilities for growth in programs; and improve wireless infrastructure and access to technology for 21st century learning.' Just 4 years later on May 6, 2017 another school bond was passed, this one for 487 million USD. It was stated, as in 2013, that "Nearly 30% of the schools in Clear Creek ISD are more than 40 years old. Under this bond proposal, two schools that are over 50 years old will be rebuilt to meet today's learning standards and 6 will receive major renovations." Combined the school bonds secured $854 million USD of extraordinary funding above that provided by the state for refurbishing schools and purchasing 75 school buses. While the district has received a 'meets expectations' on financial accountability and is A rated in academic performance, the bonds passed with some controversy. It was widely discussed that the significant supplementary funding of a school district with just 40,812 students (2014–2015 enrollment) was an indication of mismanagement. The total funding exceeds that of many state universities yet the teacher pay is a fraction of what university professors are paid. In perspective the supplementary funding total from the bonds is over half the cost of the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai yet CCISD isn't even among the top 10 largest school districts in Texas.

Although the CCISD district does still have a policy which allows the employment of corporal punishment if the Board elects to allow this, it is currently forbidden. Its policy states in part, "Corporal punishment" means the deliberate infliction of physical pain by hitting, paddling, spanking, slapping, or any other physical force used as a means of discipline."

League City Elementary School, Ferguson Elementary School, and Hyde Elementary School are primary schools located in League City. League City Intermediate, Clear Creek Intermediate, and Creekside Intermediate are middle schools located in the city.

Clear Creek High School, of Clear Creek ISD, is located in League City. In fall 2007 Clear Springs High School opened in western League City. In the fall of 2010 Clear Falls High School opened in the CCISD Education Village in southeastern League City.

Private schools

Bay Area Christian School started in 1973 and currently has an enrollment of over 800 students from grades K to 12.

St. Mary School, a Roman Catholic K–8 school operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, is in League City.

Colleges and universities

The Galveston County portion of Clear Creek ISD and Dickinson ISD (and therefore all parts of League City in Galveston County) are served by the College of the Mainland. The Harris County portion of Clear Creek ISD (and therefore the Harris County portion of League City) is served by San Jacinto College.

It is also located within a few miles of the University of Houston Clear Lake.

Public library

Helen Hall Library in League City, TX

The Helen Hall Library, a member of the Galveston County Library System, is operated by the city and located at 100 West Walker Street. The League City Public Library was renamed after Hall in 1985. During that year a $2.5 million bond to expand the 7,000-square-foot (650 m²) library passed. The library received a two-story adult services wing and a renovation of the original structure, which housed the children's and audio-visual services sections; the projects were completed by 1988. As of 2008 Hall, with 29,000 square feet (2,700 m²) of space, is the largest and busiest unit of the Galveston County Library System.

Notable people

• Maddie Baillio, actress and singer
• Jarred Cosart, baseball player
• Busby Family, family of the first-ever all-female quintuplets born in the United States
• Doug Hurley, NASA astronaut
• Karen Nyberg, NASA astronaut
• Marcus Johnson, American football player

See also

In Spanish: League City para niños