Huntsville, Texas

Downtown Huntsville in the 1870s.

Downtown Huntsville in the 1870s.

The city had its beginning about 1836, when Pleasant and Ephraim Gray opened a trading post on the site. Ephraim Gray became first postmaster in 1837, naming it after his hometown, Huntsville, Alabama.[6]

Huntsville became the home of Sam Houston, who served as President of the Republic of Texas, Governor of the State of Texas, Governor of Tennessee, U.S. Senator, and Tennessee congressman. Houston led the Texas Army in the Battle of San Jacinto, the decisive victory of the Texas Revolution. He has been noted for his life among the Cherokees of Tennessee, and – near the end of his life – for his opposition to the American Civil War, a very unpopular position in his day. Huntsville has two of Houston's homes, his grave, and the Sam Houston Memorial Museum. Houston's life in Huntsville is also commemorated by his namesake Sam Houston State University, and by a 70 ft (21 m)[7] statue. (The towering statue, "A Tribute to Courage" by artist David Adickes, has been described as the world's largest statue of an American hero,[8] and is easily viewed by travelers on Interstate 45.)

Huntsville was also the home of Samuel Walker Houston (1864–1945),[9] a prominent African-American pioneer in the field of education. He was born into slavery on February 12, 1864 to Joshua Houston, a slave owned by Sam Houston. Samuel W. Houston founded the Galilee Community School in 1907, which later became known as the Houstonian Normal and Industrial Institute, in Walker County, Texas.

In 1995, on the grounds of the old Samuel W. Houston Elementary School, the Huntsville Independent School District, along with the Huntsville Arts Commission[10] and the high school's Ex-Students Association, commissioned the creation of The Dreamers, a monument to underscore the black community's contributions to the growth and development of Huntsville and Walker County.

As of the census of 2010, there were 35,078 people, 10,266 households, and 7,471 families residing in the city. The population density was 1438.3/km sq (10,135.1/mi sq). There were 11,508 housing units at an average density of 1143.8/km sq (1372.4/mi sq). The racial makeup of the city was 65.78% White, 26.14% African American, 0.33% Native American, 1.11% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 4.91% from Race (United States Census) other races, and 1.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 16.22% of the population.

There were 10,266 households, out of which 25.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.0% were married couples living together, 12.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.7% were non-families. 30.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.97.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 15.1% under the age of 18, 29.3% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 16.3% from 45 to 64, and 8.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females, there were 152.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 163.8 males. The prison population is included in the city's population, which results in a significantly skewed sex ratio.

The median income for a household in the city was $27,075, and the median income for a family was $40,562. Males had a median income of $27,386 versus $22,908 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,576. About 13.1% of families and 23.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.9% of those under age 18 and 14.7% of those age 65 or over.

Huntsville is located at 30°42′41″N 95°32′54″W (30.711254, −95.548373).[12]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a land area of 35.86 square miles[13] in 2010.

At the area code level,[14] land area covers 559.661 sq. mi. and water area 7.786 sq. mi.

Huntsville is about 70 miles (110 km) north of Houston.[15] It is part of the Texas Triangle megaregion.[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, Huntsville has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[17]

The BOT Complex, the administrative headquarters of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Huntsville's largest employer as of 2005

As of 2005 the largest employer in Huntsville is the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, with 6,744 employees.[20] In 1996 the TDCJ had 5,219 employees in Huntsville. Robert Draper of the Texas Monthly described Huntsville as the "company town" of the TDCJ; he stated that the industry was "recession-proof" and that "It's hard to find a person in Huntsville who doesn't have at least an indirect affiliation with the prison system" since many businesses indirectly rely on its presence.[21] As of 1996 the TDCJ employed over twice the number of people employed by Sam Houston State University, the city's second-largest employer.[21]

As of 2005 Sam Houston State remained the second-largest employer in Huntsville, with 2,458 employees.[20] The university has a strong role in the study of criminology.[21] The third-largest employer is the Huntsville Independent School District, with 974 employees. The fourth-largest employer, Huntsville Memorial Hospital, has 540 employees. 517 employees work for the fifth-largest employer, Wal-Mart.[20]

As of 2007 Huntsville's average income was lower than Texas's average income.[22]

Greyhound Lines operates the Huntsville Station in Huntsville.[36] As of 2001 many former prisoners released from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice system use the station to travel to their final destinations.[23] The station is three blocks uphill from the Huntsville Unit, a point of release for prisoners exiting the TDCJ.[37]

Bruce Brothers Huntsville Regional Airport is in Huntsville.

Captain Joe Byrd Cemetery, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice cemetery for deceased prisoners who are not reclaimed by their families

In September 2009, the Huntsville Cultural District was designated by the Texas Commission on the Arts as one of the first seven state cultural districts.

The Huntsville Cultural District encompasses a variety of facilities and attractions including: Museums and Art Galleries Artist Studios and Workshops Historic Homes and Sites Theaters and Performances Cultural Events and Festivals

The Cultural District is home to some of the finest historical architecture in Texas. Enhancing the downtown buildings are murals by world-renowned artist Haas. You can also tour artistically unique homes built from recycled materials that were created by Dan Phillips of Phoenix Commotion. You can enjoy self-guided walking and driving tours, art activities, music-theater-dance performances, shopping, antiquing, and unique eateries.

Other cultural offerings include SHSU's of Fine Arts and Mass Communication, The Wynne Home Arts Center, Town Theatre, Sam Houston Memorial Museum, Sam Houston Folk Festival, and Community Theatre.

Ruth Massingill and Ardyth Broadrick Sohn, authors of Prison City: Life with the Death Penalty in Huntsville, Texas, said that Huntsville shares several traits with other small towns. For instance many insiders include members of Huntsville's founding families, who still reside in Huntsville. They also said "Disagreement is a well-established Huntsville tradition."[38] The authors say that debate is a significant part of the leadership agenda, and that the residents of Huntsville disagree about capital punishment.[39]

Huntsville has several tourist attractions. They include an art tour, a downtown walking tour, Sam Houston's grave, the Sam Houston Memorial Museum, the Sam Houston Woodland Home, A Tribute to Courage (a 67 foot tall statue of Sam Houston), and a folk and cowboy music festival held every April.[22]

• Dana Andrews, actor
• Judge James A. Baker, attorney and banker[44]
• Captain James A. Baker, attorney of William Marsh Rice[45]
• Lois Blount, historian and teacher
• Chuck Clements, American football player
• Erin Cummings, actress
• James Davidson, American football player
• David Catchings Dickson, politician
• Royal Dixon, author
• James A. Elkins, attorney
• Craig Flournoy, journalist and professor
• Justin Gilbert, American football player
• Sam Houston, politician
• Samuel Walker Houston, pioneer
• Cody Johnson, Musician
• Charles G. Keenan, politician and physician
• Richard Linklater, movie director
• Austin McGary, sheriff
• Marcus Luttrell, former Navy-SEAL.
• Dan Rather, journalist
• Jacy Reese Anthis, writer
• Thaksin Shinawatra, Thai politician[46]
• Rex Tillerson, former ExxonMobil CEO and 69th United States Secretary of State
• Mark Hanna Watkins, African-American linguist and anthropologist
• Charlie Wilson, U.S. politician
• Dave Ward, journalist

• Texas Prison Rodeo
• Captain Joe Byrd Cemetery
• Steve Forrest
• John N. Raney
• Marilyn McAdams Sibley

• Allan Turner (1995-02-05). "A Wall of Hope: Sculpture puts human faces on legacy of black school". The Houston Chronicle, State section. p. 1.
• Massingill, Ruth and Ardyth Broadrick Sohn. Prison City: Life with the Death Penalty in Huntsville, Texas. Peter Lang, 2007. ISBN 0-8204-8890-9, ISBN 978-0-8204-8890-5.
• "One man's trash ... by Kate Murphy, The New York Times, September 2, 2009. Retrieved 2009-09-08. Regarding Dan Phillips building low-income housing largely out of recycled materials since 1997.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Huntsville, Texas.

• City of Huntsville
• Discover Huntsville
• Texas Prison Museum
• Sam Houston Memorial Museum
• Historical photographs of Huntsville can be found at the University of Houston Digital Library