Lake Jackson, Texas

Infobox Settlement
official_name = City of Lake Jackson
settlement_type = City
nickname =
motto =

imagesize =
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mapsize = 250x200px
map_caption = Location of Lake Jackson, Texas

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mapsize1 = 250px
map_caption1 =

subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Texas
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Brazoria

government_footnotes =
government_type =
leader_title =
leader_name =
leader_title1 =
leader_name1 =
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established_date =

unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 51.3
area_land_km2 = 49.3
area_water_km2 = 2.0
area_total_sq_mi = 19.8
area_land_sq_mi = 19.0
area_water_sq_mi = 0.8

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 26386
population_density_km2 = 535.1
population_density_sq_mi = 1386.0

timezone = Central (CST)
utc_offset = -6
timezone_DST = CDT
utc_offset_DST = -5
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 4
elevation_ft = 13
latd = 29 |latm = 2 |lats = 13 |latNS = N
longd = 95 |longm = 26 |longs = 18 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 77566
area_code = 979
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 48-40588GR|2
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 1360850GR|3
website = [http://www.lakejackson-tx.gov/ www.lakejackson-tx.gov]
footnotes =

Lake Jackson is a city in Brazoria County, Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown Metropolitan Area. As of a 2004 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, the city population was 27,022.

Lake Jackson is named after an oxbow lake of the same name on the outskirts of town. The lake in turn was named after the family whose antebellum plantation house sat alongside the lake; only very minor ruins of the Lake Jackson Plantation, can now be seen in a park at the site. The city is the birthplace of famous Tejano superstar, Selena and also hometown of Country Music Singers Cole Deggs and Shade Deggs from Cole Deggs & The Lonesome who were signed by Columbia/Sony Records in 2007. The city has also long been the hometown of Ron Paul, the congressman who represents Texas' district 14 in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Geography

Lake Jackson is located at coor dms|29|2|13|N|95|26|18|W|city (29.036837, -95.438339)GR|1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 19.8 square miles (51.3 km²), of which, 19.0 square miles (49.3 km²) of it is land and 0.8 square miles (2.0 km²) of it (3.84%) is water.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 26,386 people, 9,588 households, and 7,344 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,386.0 people per square mile (535.1/km²). There were 10,475 housing units at an average density of 550.2/sq mi (212.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 86.24% White, 3.88% African American, 0.39% Native American, 2.50% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 5.19% from other races, and 1.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14.70% of the population.

There were 9,588 households out of which 42.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.7% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.4% were non-families. 20.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.18.

In the city the population was spread out with 30.6% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 9.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 95.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $60,901, and the median income for a family was $69,053. Males had a median income of $60,143 versus $30,398 for females. The per capita income for the city was $25,877. About 5.4% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.5% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.

History

The city was built in the early 1940s as a planned community in support of a new plant of the Dow Chemical Company. The City of Lake Jackson was incorporated March 14, 1944, and voted for home rule ten years later in 1954.

treets

The official story is that the layout of the streets in Lake Jackson was the whimsical vision of Alden B. Dow, the city’s original planner. In order to keep Lake Jackson from simply being another boring company town, Dow designed an unusual plan for the streets:
*All streets radiating from downtown end in the word “Way”. Among the streets are Center Way, Winding Way, Circle Way, and Parking Way. There is an intersection of two streets named “This Way” and “That Way”. In the same spirit, a local church near Bess Brannen Elementary placed a small sign in their driveway named "His Way". You will also find an "Any Way".
*Most other streets not ending in “Way” were named after some form of flora. As the city grew and common names such as Pine, Mulberry, and Oak were taken, developers had to become more creative; thus, among the plants used are Jalapeño, Tangerine, Mango, and Habanero. The highways running through Lake Jackson (Texas Highways 288 & 332) and Oyster Creek Drive are exceptions to the naming conventions. The naming convention of "Drive" meaning a route into or out of town is less honored today than in the beginning.
*Dow intentionally laid out the streets so that they seldom follow straight paths. Part of the basis for the winding streets was Dow's insistence that as few trees as possible should be removed in construction of the original street layout (which is still in practice today with the building of new subdivisions). Lake Jackson is a part of the National Arbor Day Foundation's Tree City USA list. Also, many of the streets follow Oyster Creek, which twists and winds through town. As a result the streets, even main thoroughfares, twist and wind throughout the city. In many areas of town one can travel in any of the four compass directions and have the same commute time and distance to a destination across town.

However, this was not Dow's effort to keep the town interesting, but something he'd done in order to win a bet. (One of his friends bet him that he wouldn't make the streets as strange as possible). Due to the odd names of the streets, there are intersections like "That Way" & "Any Way" and "That Way" & "This Way."

On Sept. 13, 2008, Hurricane Ike swept its way through the city, and the Gulf Coast of Texas. The resulting damage was primarily due to Lake Jackson's love of trees. The majority of the city(95%) lost power because of power lines that were downed because of fallen trees. Roughly 800 homes were damaged anywhere from fence damage to 80 homes being majorly damaged. As of Sept. 23, the major part of the city is still without power.

Government

Federal, state, and county representation

Lake Jackson, within the Texas's 14th congressional district, is represented in the United States House of Representatives by Ron Paul as of 2008.

Education

The public schools in the city are operated by Brazosport Independent School District.

K-5 elementary schools within Lake Jackson include:
* O.M. Roberts Elementary School
* A.P. Beutel Elementary School
* Bess Brannen Elementary School
* Elisabet Ney Elementary School

Residents are zoned to:
* Grady B. Rasco Middle School (5-6)
* Lake Jackson Intermediate School (7-8)
* Brazoswood High School (9-12, in Clute)

Brazosport College is a public community college which was recently upgraded to offer a baccalaureate degree in certain technical fields. It is also distinguished for its professional music hall, "The Clarion". Brazosport College's Music Department has been able to bring many successful music artists to Lake Jackson, including Rita Coolidge and John Pizarelli.

The Lake Jackson Library is a part of the Brazoria County Library System.

Transportation

Brazoria County Airport serves Lake Jackson.

References

External links

* [http://www.ci.lake-jackson.tx.us/ Lake Jackson's Official Web Site]
* [http://www.brazosport.edu/ Brazosport College's Official Web Site]
* [http://www.bcfas.org/ Brazosport Center for the Arts & Sciences Web Site]