WELCOME TO PASADENA, TEXAS !
Pasadenans believe that Pasadena is the best place to come home to. For those who want to live in and be a part of a city that is a "hometown," Pasadena is the best place to be. Pasadena offers excellent schools in the Pasadena Independent School District. It offers a lifestyle that isn't easy to come by these days.
Your journey will take you to a Strawberry Festival, Pasadena Rodeo, a fascinating tour of the San Jacinto Monument, and the wonder and beauty of the Armand Bayou Nature Center. Whatever delights your fancy, you'll find it in the Pasadena area. You can also get a glimpse into the future through our excellent institutions of learning at San Jacinto College, University of Houston at Clear Lake or the Texas Chiropractic College.
If it's culture you want, the Pasadena Little Theatre or the Pasadena Philharmonic and Chorale will be music to your ears. There is always a special event or activity going on at the Pasadena Convention Center. No tour would be complete without a look at the very foundation of the city, the jewels of the crown, the oil and petrochemical rich Gulf Coast. And whether you're a business professional, long time resident, visitor or simply getting reacquainted with the area, you will see that Pasadena can be viewed with a vision of the future--a future in the "Best Hometown."
Today Pasadena is recognized as a thriving and growing city with a strong industrial base. It is a good place to settle, raise a family, and enjoy life. Many people are unaware of the historic events which formed Pasadena and Texas into the great city and state they are today.
THE EVENTS THAT FORMED PASADENA
The first inhabitants of the area are believed to have been the cannibalistic Karankawa Indians, who lived throughout the Gulf Coast region. Much later, when the Spanish explorers arrived they encountered another Indian tribe. One historic source believes those were the Caddo Indians. As the story goes, the Caddos greeted the Spanish by saying 'Tejas," which meant "friend". The Spanish promptly named them the Tejas Indians. Settlers began moving to the area in the early 1800s. It was these settlers who revolted against the Spanish government in 1821 and formed an area known as Mexico from which the present state of Texas was taken.
Stephen F. Austin is responsible for most of the colonization which took place throughout Texas during the 1820s. The settlers he brought with him were very independent. It was this independence which lead them to take up arms against Mexico to defend those rights given to them by the Constitution of 1824. This resistance of Mexico's threat to their freedom led to war with Mexico on November 7, 1835.
It was their toughness and resolve to be independent which carried them to victory six months later. The battle of San Jacinto took place on April 21, 1836, near the mouths of Buffalo Bayou and the San Jacinto River and is marked by the San Jacinto Monument located just northeast of what is now Pasadena. After the battle, Santa Anna was captured at the junction of Buffalo Bayou and Vince's Bayou. It is now identified by a marker located on the Houston Ship Channel adjacent to the Washburn Tunnel.
The burning of the Vince's Bayou Bridge by Deaf Smith was an event which ensured Santa Anna's army could not escape during the battle. This site is marked where Richey Street now crosses that bayou.
The city of Houston was founded in 1836. Local residents worked toward developing Buffalo Bayou as a major seaport. In the mid-1800s, the area that would become Pasadena was open prairie being grazed by cattle from the nearby ranches. Also, plans for the La Porte and Northern Railroad spurred the platting of new towns.
In 1892, Simeon West platted his town of Deer Park. That same year, the city of Deepwater, which is now part of Pasadena, was also platted. Colonel J. H. Burnett founded the city of Genoa one year later. Although the May 25, 1896 deed referred to it as a plat, the first legal use of the name Pasadena appeared in January 1893 when John Richey purchased the land. The area established a solid foundation with religion and education as very high priorities. In 1898, Pasadena ISD was founded and was the first independent school district in Harris County.
The 1900 Hurricane, the period's worst recorded disaster, changed the course of history for the area. Most of the farmers' crops were destroyed. Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross, was in the area to help. She knew these people needed a quick cash crop. She had strawberry plants shipped to the area and Pasadena quickly became known as a supplier of big, sweet strawberries.
In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson officially opened the World Port of Houston and Buffalo Bayou. This was renamed the Houston Ship Channel. J. S. Cullinan, president of the company now known as Texaco, opened his headquarters and declared Houston the "Energy Capital." Other large refineries, also known as plants, chose to locate along the channel. The people began to recognize the benefit of a regular pay check to that of seasonal work. By the late 1930s, industry had replaced the strawberry fields. Their impact on Pasadena history is still remembered each year with the Strawberry Festival.
Pasadena annexed part of the Deepwater area in the 1940s and the remainder in the 1950s when the post-World War II baby boom created a massive population increase. This expansion led to annexation battles with the city of Houston. Again, the independence which caused our ancestors to rebel against Mexico surfaced. Pasadena stood up to the bigger city and established borders stretching from Galveston Bay to the city limits of Houston, which is where we remain today.
Presently, Pasadena is still a very prosperous area which has focused its attention on the elements that tell the story of its rich history.
EXPERIENCE PASADENA QUALITY OF LIFE
Residents of Pasadena take tremendous pride in their community. Beautiful parks, an excellent public school system, two colleges, a University, ample cultural attractions, recreational facilities, and pleasant suburban residential areas provide for a comfortable quality of life.
Whether you are a newcomer or native, you will certainly want to experience that special kind of Pasadena hospitality making you feel right at home.