Galena Park, Texas

Issac Batterson and his family settled in the area in 1833; it was a part of the Ezekiel Thomas Survey.[7] The area of Galena Park began as the settlement of Clinton in 1835.[8] The center of what would become Galena Park was a 1,000-acre (400 ha) tract that Batterson purchased from the estate of Ezekiel Thomas.[7] The settlement originally served as a farming and ranching community, but in the 1880s transformed into a railroad center along the new Port of Houston. With the coming of the petrochemical industry in the early 1900s, Clinton again transformed into a refinery center.[8]

Clinton attempted to establish a post office in 1935, but the request was denied as another Clinton, Texas, had established the name. The settlement's name was changed to Galena Park after the Galena Signal Oil Company of Texas, which built the first refinery there. Galena Park's original name survives today as the name of a major street in the city, Clinton Drive.[8] Because of the 1935 incorporation, Houston did not incorporate Galena Park's territory into its city limits, while Houston annexed surrounding areas that were unincorporated.[9] By the late 1930s Houston was growing as a port, so Galena Park expanded. Since the 1940s area residents considered the city to be a part of Greater Houston.[8]

The economy of Galena Park began to suffer in the early 1980s, when cranes used to haul ship cargo were reduced; prior to the early 1980s a team of workers, known on the docks as longshoremen, took up to one week to load cargo off of a ship. Many lived in the Galena Park area and contributed to its local economy. The use of cranes, however, led to ships unloading all cargo in less than one day.[10] The 1980s also hit Galena Park's economy with layoffs from the steel mills as the U.S. steel contracted due to overseas competition. The economy further decreased after the September 11, 2001 attacks, when seaport administrators tightened security rules that governed whether sailors could leave ships docked at port.[10]

Map of Galena Park

Galena Park is located at 29°44′20″N 95°14′14″W (29.738928, -95.237211).[11]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.0 square miles (13 km²), all of it land.

The city is east of the 610 Loop, north of the Houston Ship Channel,[12] and adjacent to the City of Jacinto City,[13] as well as the Clinton Park neighborhood of Houston.[14] Clinton Drive is the main arterial road for Galena Park and traffic to and from the ship channel and the Port of Houston uses this road. The area around Galena Park includes freeways, freight railway, and heavy industry.[15]

The border between Galena Park, previously an all-white city and Clinton Park, an African-American neighborhood, is barricaded as of 2008. Rafael Longoria and Susan Rogers of the Rice Design Alliance said in 2008 that the barricade "provides a stark example of how the prevailing segregationist sentiments of the era is still in evidence."[14]

As of the census[4] of 2010, there were 10,887 people and 3,021 households residing in the city. The population density was 2,183.3 people per square mile (843.0/km²). There were 3,273 housing units at an average density of 654.6/sq mi (253.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 11.4% White, Not Hispanic, 6.6% African American, Not Hispanic, 0.13% Native American or Native Alaskan, Not Hispanic, 0.09% Asian or Pacific Islander, Not Hispanic, 0.16% from other races, not Hispanic, and 0.25% from two or more races. People of Hispanic, Latino or Spanish Origin of any race were 81.4% of the population, a 21% increase in Hispanic, Latino or Spanish Origin population over the 2000 census.

Remaining demographics were not yet available from the 2010 census (expected release Summer-Fall of 2011). As of the 2000 census there were 3,054 households, out of which 46.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.9% were married couples living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.4% were non-families. 17.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.47 and the average family size was 3.92.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 33.8% under the age of 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 16.2% from 45 to 64, and 9.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $31,660, and the median income for a family was $34,702. Males had a median income of $29,814 versus $21,172 for females. The per capita income for the city was $12,207. About 21.5% of families and 25.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.2% of those under age 18 and 10.6% of those age 65 or over.

Galena Park City Hall

As of 2014, Esmeralda Moya is the Mayor of the City of Galena Park. Mayor Esmeralda Moya also serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the City. As the City's Chief Administrator and Official Representative. The City of Galena Park made history on June 21, 2014 by electing Mayor Esmeralda Moya as the first female Hispanic to hold this elected position.

The City of Galena Park operates with a Mayor-Council type of government. The City council has four positions, with each having a responsibility for a particular Municipal Department. Commissioner Zenaida Granados, position one (1), heads the Water and Sewer Services. Commissioner Rodney Chersky, position two (2), heads Police and Fire Services. Commissioner Veronica Garcia, position three (3), heads Parks and Recreation. Commissioner Beverly Mullen, position four (4), heads Streets and Bridge services.

The Galena Park Fire Department and the Galena Park Police Department serve the citizens of the city.

• Michael Glyn Brown, former hand surgeon[30]
• Howard Twilley, professional football player

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  Galena Park Fire Station #1
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  Galena Park Police Department

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Galena Park, Texas.

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