From its humble beginnings as a cotton-shipping port to its designation as the “Energy Capital of the World,” Houston has enjoyed more than 160 years of existence.
The Early Years
The first settlement in this area was actually started by John Harris in 1826 and was called Harrisburg. At that time, the area was still under Mexican rule, but Texans were growing increasingly discontent. Ten years later in 1836, war between Texas and Mexico was in full swing, and Harrisburg was destroyed by Mexican General Antonio López de Santa Anna as he chased the Texas army across the area. A short week later, General Sam Houston led the Texas troops to victory and independence at the Battle of San Jacinto.
Later that same year, two brothers and land speculators from New York, Augustus and John Allen, purchased land near the burned-out remains of Harrisburg and started a new settlement.
They decided to name the new city after Sam Houston, in honor of his amazing victory at San Jacinto and his new status as the first president of the Republic of Texas. They also managed to convince the first Congress of the Republic of Texas to move to Houston. However, the move didn’t quite take, and the government relocated to Austin after two years.
Industrial & Scientific Growth
With its economy based primarily on the shipping of cotton, the town grew slowly during the early years. After the widening and deepening of Buffalo Bayou—now part of the Houston Ship Channel—in 1869 and the periodic addition of railway systems, the town began to grow into a transportation center for southeast Texas. The ciyy’s full-blown surge into expansion and prosperity was brought about by the discovery of oil in the area in 1901. The construction of refineries and other petroleum-related industries began during World War I; these were expanded during World War II. The completion of the Houston Ship Channel in 1914 established Houston’s importance in the shipping world, and the city hasn’t stopped growing since.
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