Katy, Texas
City
Kingsland Boulevard
Kingsland Boulevard
Official seal of Katy, Texas
Seal
Motto: 
"Small Town Charm with Big City Convenience"
Location in Harris County and the state of Texas
Location in Harris County and the state of Texas
Katy is located in Texas
Katy
Katy
Katy is located in the United States
Katy
Katy
Coordinates: 29°47′33″N 95°49′21″W / 29.79250°N 95.82250°W / 29.79250; -95.82250
CountryUnited States
StateTexas
CountiesHarris, Fort Bend, Waller
Incorporated1945
Government
 • MayorDusty Thiele
 • City AdministratorByron Hebert
Area
[1]
 • Total14.57 sq mi (37.75 km2)
 • Land14.54 sq mi (37.67 km2)
 • Water0.03 sq mi (0.08 km2)
Elevation
141 ft (43 m)
Population
 (2020)[2]
 • Total21,894
 • Density1,494.02/sq mi (576.84/km2)
DemonymKatyite[3]
Time zoneUTC−6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP Codes
77449-77450,77492-77494
Area code281
FIPS code48-38476[4]
GNIS feature ID1338960[5]
Websitecityofkaty.com

Katy is a city in the U.S. state of Texas. It is the Greater Katy area, itself forming the western part of the Greater Houston metropolitan area. Homes and businesses may have Katy postal addresses without being in the City of Katy. The city of Katy is approximately centered at the tripoint of Harris, Fort Bend, and Waller counties. Katy had a population of 21,894 at the 2020 U.S. census,[2] up from 14,102 in 2010.

First formally settled in the mid-1890s,[6] Katy was a railroad town along the Missouri–Kansas–Texas (MKT) Railroad which ran parallel to U.S. Route 90 (today Interstate 10) into downtown Houston. Katy obtained its name when the MKT Railroad dropped its Missouri waypoint and the junction became known as the KT stop. The fertile floodplain of Buffalo Bayou, which has its source near Katy, and its tributaries made Katy and other communities in the surrounding prairie an attractive location for rice farming. Beginning in the 1960s, the rapid growth of Houston moved westward along the new Interstate 10 corridor, bringing Katy into its environs. Today, Katy lies at the center of a broader area known as Greater Katy, which has become heavily urbanized.[7]

While largely subsumed into Greater Houston, the town of Katy is still notable for Katy Mills Mall, Katy High School's football dominance (8 state-championships), and its historic town square along the former right-of-way of the MKT railroad.

History

First bridge over Cane Island Creek, circa 1895

In the early 1800s Katy was known as "Cane Island",[6] named for the creek that runs through the area, a branch of Buffalo Bayou. The creek was filled with tall cane, not native to the area. It was presumed to have been planted by either the Karankawa Indians or Spanish explorers to aid in fur trapping until the 1820s.

In 1845 James J. Crawford received a land grant that included this area. The hot summers and thick clay soil made it difficult to attract settlers to the area.[8] Freed slaves and their families including Thomas (Mary) Robinson and Milto McGinnis, along with Mr. Crawford, Peter Black, and John Sills were the only recorded residents of Cane Island in 1875.

In 1895, James Oliver Thomas laid out a town, and in January 1896 the town of Katy was named through Thomas's post office application. The name "Katy" was derived from the MKT Railroad Company, which was commonly referred to as "the K-T" (also its stock exchange symbol). This common designation soon evolved into "the Katy", and since the railroad company and its trains held a key depot station located today's city, the general location came to be known as Katy.

Katy Residents gather for a photo at Cane Island Creek Bridge in 1911.

The anticipations of prosperity would bring growth to the new town which was developed around the original train stop and railroad tracks. By the early 1900s many families had come by train and wagon to establish Katy. Cotton and peanuts and corn were the first successful crops, but rice soon became the primary commodity crop.[9] Katy later became known for rice farming; the first concrete rice driers in the state of Texas were built here in 1944 and still stand as landmarks. The farming community well supported local businesses as several hotels, stores, livery stables and saloons were prospering.

On September 8, 1900, the town's early efforts were swept clean by the Great Galveston Hurricane of 1900,[10] the deadliest hurricane in U.S. history. All but three of the original Katy homes were lost in the storm--The Wright House, The Featherson House, and The Morrison-Freeman House. Despite this, three major homes were built in the immediate aftermath of the hurricane and another six more over the following decade. Cane Island was rebuilt quickly and continued to grow.

Humble Oil opens the Katy Gas Field in 1943, which goes on to become one of the principal suppliers of allied forces and eventually becomes one of the most productive gas fields in the State of Texas. Today, what was Humble Oil is now Exxon which continues to operate and oversee the expansive underground pipeline network in the region.

In 1945 the City of Katy was incorporated as a municipality.[10] C. L. Baird was the first mayor. The city's limits were determined by finding the area that contained the most residents and was reasonably sized so that it could be managed by city services.

The construction and opening of Interstate 10 in 1966 allowed for rapid development of the area, as Houston expanded westward. This section was widened in 2008 to 14 lanes.

Geography

The City of Katy is located at the three-border junction of Harris, Fort Bend, and Waller counties, along Interstate 10, 29 miles (47 km) west of downtown Houston and 22 miles (35 km) east of Sealy. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city of Katy has a total area of 11.3 square miles (29.3 km2), of which 11.2 square miles (29.1 km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km2), or 0.38%, is water.[2]

Katy is often further defined as either "Old Towne Katy" or "Greater Katy". Old Towne Katy refers to the portion of Katy that was incorporated in 1945. Its boundaries, as defined by the Katy Independent School Divisions zoning, run just south of Kingsland Blvd, stretching across Interstate 10 to Morton Road. Katy Fort Bend Road and Cane Island Creek act as the east and west boundaries, The Greater Katy area includes the city of Katy plus large sections of unincorporated land surrounding the city corresponding to the boundaries of the 181 sq mi (470 km2) Katy Independent School District.

Greater Katy includes communities such as Cinco Ranch, Green Trails, Grayson Lakes, Seven Meadows, Pine Mill Ranch, Silver Ranch, Firethorne, Grand Lakes, and Young Ranch. It also encompasses suburban developments from the 1970s and 1980s, such as Memorial Parkway, Kelliwood and Nottingham Country.

Old Towne Katy's new residential communities include Pin Oak Village, The Falls at Green Meadows, Cane Island and The Enclave. Large developments underway have included new residential communities boarding the east border of Mary Joe Peckham Park and the Katy Boardwalk.[11] The City of Katy's government has also placed a large focus on the downtown redevelopment plan which included the new city hall building and an upcoming downtown green space.[12][13] Further projects included Typhoon Texas Water Park,[14] Katy Independent School District's Legacy Football Stadium, Katy Independent School District's Rhodes Stadium, Momentum Indoor Climbing Center, REI Climb Store and the YMCA at Katy Main Street.

The City of Houston's extraterritorial jurisdiction stretches well west of Katy. This means that a few unincorporated lands in the Katy area could be annexed by the City of Houston at some time in the future, though it is unlikely since Houston is unable to provide basic services to these isolated areas. The city of Katy's extraterritorial jurisdiction, meanwhile, is limited to parcels of land west and north of the city itself.[15]

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen climate classification system, Katy has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[16] The area is located in the Western Gulf Coastal Grasslands, or the coastal prairie.

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1950849—
19601,56984.8%
19702,92386.3%
19805,66093.6%
19908,00541.4%
200011,77547.1%
201014,10219.8%
202021,89455.3%
2021 (est.)24,0059.6%
U.S. Decennial Census
Katy racial composition as of 2020[17]
(NH = Non-Hispanic)[lower-alpha 1]
Race Number Percentage
White (NH) 11,652 53.22%
Black or African American (NH) 1,455 6.65%
Native American or Alaska Natives (NH) 51 0.23%
Asian (NH) 1,687 7.71%
Pacific Islander (NH) 12 0.05%
Some Other Race (NH) 99 0.45%
Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) 797 3.64%
Hispanic or Latino 6,141 28.05%
Total 21,894

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 21,894 people, 6,495 households, and 5,283 families residing in the city. At the 2019 American Community Survey (ACS), Katy had an estimated population of 21,729, up from 14,102 at the 2010 United States census.[20] The racial and ethnic makeup of the city was 58.6% non-Hispanic white, 6.6% Black and African American, 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 4.3% Asian, 1.4% two or more races, and 29.4% Hispanic and Latin American of any race.

There are 7,095 households accounted for in the 2021 ACS, with an average of 3.07 persons per household. The city's a median gross rent is $1,147 in the 2020 ACS. The 2021 ACS reports a median household income of $133,123, with 82.2% of households are owner occupied. 3.1% of the city's population lives at or below the poverty line (down from previous ACS surveys). The city boasts a 65% employment rate, with 2.9% of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 23.8% holding a high school diploma.

Religion

Places of worship in modern-day Katy represent non-denominations as well as the denominations of Catholicism, Islam, Latter-Day Saints, Judaism, Hinduism, and Protestantism.[21]

The original city of Katy was once known as the "City of Churches" due to the role of religion in daily life.[22] Not only were churches highly concentrated in the city, but according to area historian Carol Adams, the residents had a fervent religious belief. Circa 1960s the city erected a "City of Churches" sign which has since been removed.

Donald G. Burgs Jr., pastor of Alief Baptist Church, estimated that the downtown area of Katy had six to seven church buildings.[23] The first church established in the city was First Baptist Church; in 1898 reverend T.L. Scruggs held the church's first meeting. In 2007 it moved to a facility on Pin Oak Road due to growth, and in 2016 it had about 4,000 worshippers. Alief Baptist Church bought the former First Baptist building.[23] The city's Catholic population began with a group from the modern Czech Republic and has been served by the St. Bartholomew the Apostle Catholic Church; the church offers Mass in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese.[24]

Economy

Several corporations are headquartered in areas surrounding Katy.

Igloo Corporation is headquartered west of Katy in unincorporated Waller County.[25] Academy Sports and Outdoors has its corporate offices and product distribution center in unincorporated western Harris County.[26]

BP America is headquartered in the Houston Energy Corridor and is the area's largest employer, with 5,500 employees on its Westlake campus as of 2009. BP's Katy operations include engineering and business support for much of BP's onshore operations in the contiguous United States, as well as its operations in the Gulf of Mexico.

In 2017, Amazon constructed a 1 million-square-foot distribution center near the intersection of Highway 90 and Woods Road.[27] In 2021, it was estimated that new development projects were near completion to stimulate the local economy.[28]

With the economy improving after 2009, retail centers were developed throughout Katy to accommodate the rapid residential growth. The major retail growth is taking place along Katy Fort Bend Road near the east entrance to the Katy Mills shopping mall. In August 2010, H-E-B Food & Drug opened a new UP format store at I-10 and Pin Oak.[29] In July 2013, Costco announced that it would open a store at the southwest corner of Grand Parkway and I-10 in 2014. Construction began in August 2013. The new store was planned for completion by early spring 2014 and would be Costco's fourth Houston-area location.[30][31]

In September 2018, Katy Asian Town was established. This multicultural dining, shopping and residential area is anchored by Asian grocer, HMart and Japanese book retailer Kinokuniya. Cultural activities held in Katy Asian Town include Chinese New Year with lion dancing performances, as well as open market art and comics events outside Kinokuniya.[32] Katy Asian Town is also home to the Andretti Indoor Karting and Games facility, featuring kart racing, video gaming, virtual reality attractions and dining. [33]

The Katy Area Economic Development Council serves as the economic development organization for the area. Founded in 2003, the Katy Area Economic Development Council's (Katy Area EDC) mission is to establish the Katy area as the premier location for families and businesses through planned economic growth and economic development. Since its inception, the Katy Area EDC has grown to over 210 members, has a budget of $900,000 and has assisted in the creation of over 16,200 jobs and more than $2.5 billion in capital investment. Katy Area EDC is a full-service private, non-profit, 501 (c) 6 economic development corporation.

Government and infrastructure

Katy is a home-rule city, chartered in 1945. Residents within the city limits are governed by a nonpartisan city council made up of five councilmembers and the mayor. The city is split into two wards; two council members are elected from each ward, and one council member and the mayor are elected at-large. The mayor appoints a councilmember to serve as mayor pro tempore with a council vote of approval.

Office Office Holder
Mayor Dusty Thiele
Ward A Janet Corte
Ward A Dan Smith
Ward B Rory Robertson
Ward B Gina Hicks
At-Large & Mayor pro tempore Chris Harris

Residents within the city limits pay city taxes and receive municipal police, fire, EMS, and public works service. The city has territory in three counties, each of which has its own representative governments. The counties have a greater influence on area outside the incorporated city limits.

The Katy area lies in three counties. Residents in unincorporated Harris, Fort Bend and Waller counties are governed by those counties. The county residents elect representative county commissioners who represent them on the county courts of each county, presided over by the county judge of each county.

Harris County Precinct Three, headed by Tom Ramsey as of 2021, serves the Harris County portion of Katy.[34] The Fort Bend County portion of Katy is under Fort Bend County Precinct Three headed by Andy Meyers.[35]

Harris Health System (Harris County's hospital district) operates the Danny Jackson Health Center in the Bear Hunter Plaza in a nearby area of Harris County.[36] Fort Bend County does not have a hospital district. OakBend Medical Center serves as the county's charity hospital which the county contracts with.[37]

Education

Primary and secondary schools

People who live in Katy are zoned to schools in the Katy Independent School District.[38][39] While multiple Katy ISD schools have "Katy, Texas" postal addresses, only a portion are located in and/or serve the Katy city limits.

Elementary schools

  • Zelma Hutsell Elementary School[40]
  • Katy Elementary School[41]
  • WoodCreek Elementary School[42]
  • Bryant Elementary School[43]
  • Robertson Elementary School [44]

Middle schools

  • Katy Junior High School[45]
  • WoodCreek Junior High School[46]

High schools

  • Katy High School, the oldest high school, is located nearest to the center city. It was established in 1898, and relocated to its present location in 1947. Katy ISD's three alternative education schools (Martha Raines High School, Miller Career and Technology Center, and the Opportunity Awareness Center) are all located within the city.

Charter and private schools

The following schools operate outside of Katy ISD's jurisdiction:

Colleges

Katy ISD (and therefore the City of Katy) is served by the Houston Community College System.[47] HCC Northwest College operates the Katy Campus in an unincorporated section of Harris County.[48]

The Bible Seminary offers non-denominational college-level Bible study and ministry training, including a variety of graduate-level master's programs.

The University of Houston purchased the Verde Park Development site, with plans to break ground on a Katy Campus at I10 and 99. Its construction was completed in 2019.[49]

Public libraries

Katy is served by the Katy Branch of Harris County Public Library (HCPL) at 5414 Franz Road. The branch is a partnership between HCPL and the City of Katy. The city joined the county library system in 1921. The Katy Garden Club started the first library, which was housed in several private houses. At a later point it shared space with the Katy Fire Department. The first Katy branch opened in 1940. The Friends of the Katy Library began in 1972. The construction of the current 15,000-square-foot (1,400 m2) branch began in 2002. The current branch building opened for regular business in Monday April 28, 2003, with its grand opening ceremony on the previous day.[50]

Parks and recreation

  • Harris County operates the Mary Jo Peckham Community Center at 5597 Gardenia Lane, Katy, Texas 77493.[51]
  • The City of Katy Dog Park is located at 5414 Franz Road.[52]
  • The annual Katy Rice Harvest Festival is two days of continuous live entertainment, craft and food booths, carnival and more.[53]

Transportation

Mass transit

Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO) operates the Kingsland Park and Ride (Route 221) east of Katy at 21669 Kingsland Boulevard. In February 2008 METRO opened a new park and ride location at the Cinemark parking lots near the intersection of Grand Parkway and I-10. The new Route is #222. Currently, only these express routes operate to and from downtown Houston during morning and evening commute hours.

METRO opened a six-story garage Park And Ride Bus Depot at the intersection of I-10 west and the Grand Parkway to service commuters.

Intercity buses

Greyhound Bus Lines operates the Katy Station at Millers Exxon.[54] Megabus.com stops at Katy Mills en route between Austin, San Antonio, and Houston. This serves as a park-and-ride location for riders from the Katy and Greater Houston area.

Airports

Privately owned airports for fixed-wing aircraft for public use located near Katy include:

Privately owned airports for private use include:

Area airports with commercial airline service include George Bush Intercontinental Airport and William P. Hobby Airport, both of which are in Houston.

Notable people

Josh Nebo
Renée Zellweger

See also

The MKT Depot

References

  1. ↑ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Katy city, Texas". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
  3. ↑ "The Big Apple: Katyite (inhabitant of Katy)". Barrypopik.com. Retrieved January 6, 2012.
  4. ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  5. ↑ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  6. 1 2 "TSHA | Katy, TX". www.tshaonline.org. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  7. ↑ "Katy area bigger than Pittsburgh". HoustonChronicle.com. September 19, 2015. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  8. ↑ "History of Katy, TX". www.katy.com. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  9. ↑ "Katy Texas History". Katy Texas. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  10. 1 2 "A brief history of Katy, Texas". FOX 26 Houston. May 24, 2019. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  11. ↑ "Katy Boardwalk could become one of Texas' biggest shopping destinations". khou.com. June 13, 2019. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  12. ↑ "New city hall building opens in Katy". FOX 26 Houston. June 10, 2016. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  13. ↑ Goodman, Claire (October 9, 2020). "Katy city council Ward A candidates discuss city culture, flooding mitigation". Chron. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  14. ↑ "First look: Inside Typhoon Texas, Houston's first waterpark in decades (Video)". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  15. ↑ Adams, Carol. Historic Katy, (2012), HPN, ISBN 978-1935377924.
  16. ↑ "Katy, Texas Köppen Climate Classification". Weatherbase.com. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
  17. ↑ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
  18. ↑ https://www.census.gov/
  19. ↑ "About the Hispanic Population and its Origin". www.census.gov. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
  20. ↑ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Katy city, Texas". www.census.gov. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  21. ↑ "Katy Economic Development Council". Katy EDC. February 24, 2016. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
  22. ↑ "Is Katy still the 'City of Churches'?". Chron. February 24, 2016. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  23. 1 2 Herrera, Sebastian (March 4, 2016). "Is Katy still the 'City of Churches'?". Houston Chronicle. The Katy Rancher. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
  24. ↑ Glenn, Mike (July 9, 2018). "Czech language service planned at Katy church". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
  25. ↑ "Igloo Worldwide Headquarters Archived April 21, 2010, at the Wayback Machine," Igloo Corporation. Accessed September 5, 2008.
  26. ↑ "Contact Academy Sports & Outdoors Archived January 5, 2010, at the Wayback Machine." Academy Sports and Outdoors. Accessed September 5, 2008.
  27. ↑ "Deal of the Year: Amazon's new fulfillment center". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  28. ↑ "New business expected to surge in Katy, Fort Bend County in 2021". HoustonChronicle.com. January 4, 2021. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  29. ↑ "H-E-B will open market in Katy on Wednesday". Chron. July 29, 2010. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  30. ↑ "Costco to open store at Grand Parkway and I-10 in Katy Archived August 19, 2013, at the Wayback Machine." Community Impact Newspaper. July 10, 2013. Retrieved September 3, 2013.
  31. ↑ "Costco plans spring opening in Katy area. Houston Chronicle. August 14, 2013. Retrieved September 3, 2013.
  32. ↑ "Residents line up for opening of long awaited H Mart store anchoring Houston's next Asian Town". Chron. September 21, 2018.
  33. ↑ "Huge entertainment venue to open first Houston-area location". January 9, 2020.
  34. ↑ "Precinct Maps : Precinct 3." Harris County. Accessed October 13, 2008.
  35. ↑ "Commissioner Andy Meyers".
  36. ↑ "Danny Jackson Health Center". Harris Health System. Retrieved April 8, 2021. Danny Jackson Health Center 5503 N. Fry Road Katy, TX 77449
  37. ↑ Knipp, Bethany (November 2, 2016). "Fort Bend County lacks hospital district". Community Impact Newspaper. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
  38. ↑ "School Assignment By Residential Address" (SARA). Katy Independent School District. Retrieved on July 8, 2017.
  39. ↑ "City of Katy Map 2020". City of Katy. Retrieved May 30, 2020. - This map shows which public schools are in the Katy city limits.
  40. ↑ "Lookup Hutsell Elementary School Attendance Zone Archived April 6, 2016, at the Wayback Machine." Katy Independent School District. Accessed April 11, 2016.
  41. ↑ "Lookup Katy Elementary School Attendance Zone Archived April 6, 2016, at the Wayback Machine." Katy Independent School District. Accessed April 11, 2016.
  42. ↑ "Lookup WoodCreek Elementary School Attendance Zone Archived April 6, 2016, at the Wayback Machine." Katy Independent School District. Accessed April 11, 2016.
  43. ↑ "Lookup Bryant Elementary School Attendance Zone." Katy Independent School District. Accessed January 29, 2020
  44. ↑ "Robertson Elementary / Homepage".
  45. ↑ "Katy Junior High School Attendance Zone." Katy Independent School District. Accessed September 5, 2008.
  46. ↑ "WoodCreek Junior High School Attendance Zone." Katy Independent School District. Accessed September 5, 2008.
  47. ↑ Sec. 130.182. HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM DISTRICT SERVICE AREA..
  48. ↑ "Northwest College Archived December 25, 2011, at the Wayback Machine." Houston Community College District. Accessed September 5, 2008.
  49. ↑ "The Powerhouse is in Katy - University of Houston". www.uh.edu. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  50. ↑ "Katy Branch Library Archived May 17, 2008, at the Wayback Machine." Harris County Public Library. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  51. ↑ "Community Centers : Mary Jo Peckham." Harris County. Accessed April 11, 2016.
  52. ↑ "City of Katy Parks and Recreation" Accessed April 11, 2016.
  53. ↑ "Katy Rice Harvest Festival - live entertainment, craft and food booths, carnival and more!". Riceharvestfestival.org. Archived from the original on February 3, 2009. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
  54. ↑ "
  55. ↑ "Bill Callegari's Biography". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved March 27, 2014.
  56. ↑ I Would Only Rob Banks for My Family; article; Skip Hollandsworth; June 2014 issue; Texas Monthly; accessed May 2014
  57. ↑ Eagle, Bob; LeBlanc, Eric S. (2013). Blues - A Regional Experience. Santa Barbara: Praeger Publishers. p. 393. ISBN 978-0313344237.
  58. ↑ "Drone soldier missed killing notorious ISIS chief by mere minutes". New York Post. June 29, 2017. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  1. ↑ Note: the United States census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.[18][19]
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