Signage in median at entrance into Willowbend neighborhood.

Willowbend is a neighborhood in near Southwest Houston, Texas.

Willowbend is just outside the 610 Loop and inside Beltway 8. The neighborhood is bound by the following streets: S. Post Oak Road to the West, Greenwillow Drive to the East, Briarbend Drive to the South, and Hazelton Street to North. The subdivision's main thoroughfare is Willowbend Boulevard with its center point at Willowbend and Cliffwood. Surrounding neighborhoods, include: Willow Meadows to the North, Meyerland to the Northwest, Westbury to the West. Willowbend is surrounded by numerous points of interest, including: Willow Waterhole Park, Meyerland Plaza, The Texas Medical Center, and NRG Stadium.

History

Willowbend is a comfortable upper middle-class residential neighborhood in southwest Houston, Texas. It has become a highly desirable neighborhood due to its low crime rate, friendly residents, and proximity downtown Houston, the Texas Medical Center, and the Interstate 610 loop. The neighborhood has hosted a number of youth sports programs such as the Willow Creek Little League, FUN Football Raiders, or Red Raiders. Many athletes got their start in these youth leagues.

The eastern and southern sides of the neighborhood are bounded a large field which forms a buffer between the railroad tracks and Willowbend homes. This large field is a unique and attractive feature of the neighborhood as it features horses, cows, jack rabbits, turtles, crawfish, natural ponds, snakes, and other wildlife. Many children have enjoyed the opportunity to explore the land and learn about animals and nature while surrounded by Houston's vibrant metropolitan region.

Willow Water Hole is also located adjacent to the neighborhood to the south along South Post Oak Boulevard. Willow Water Hole hosts regular nature-oriented events as well as an award-winning annual music festival.[1]

Willow Creek is a bayou that runs through the neighborhood. Willow Creek empties into the larger Braes Bayou. During Hurricane Harvey, some houses near the creek sustained substantial flooding, necessitating remediation and repairs. Some damaged homes were razed and replaced with new and larger residences.

In 1973, Willowbend was the site of attacks committed by Larry Delon Casey. Casey, upset about his father's death, gunned down three schoolgirls, a toddler, and an elderly woman and injured two others. Several of the victims were walking home from Red Elementary School when shot.[2] Casey remains in prison for the murders, which occurred on Greenwillow, Willowilde, Benning, Creekbend streets and near the intersection of Cliffwood and Stillbrooke drives.[3]

Government and infrastructure

Willowbend is in Texas’ 9th congressional district as of the 2021 87th legislative session redistricting [4]

Willowbend is in Houston City Council District K.[5]

Harris Health System (formerly Harris County Hospital District) designated Valbona Health Center (formerly People's Health Center) in Greater Sharpstown for ZIP code 77035. The nearest public hospital is Ben Taub General Hospital in the Texas Medical Center.[6]

Education

Primary and secondary schools

Public schools

Red Elementary School

Willowbend residents are zoned to the following Houston ISD schools:[7] Red Elementary School, Meyerland Performing and Visual Arts Middle School (formerly Johnston Middle School), and Westbury High School.[8][9][10][11] Meyerland Middle-zoned residents may attend Pin Oak Middle School.[10]

Red Elementary School is located in Willowbend Section 4.[12][13] Named after doctor Samuel Clark Red,[14] it opened in 1957. It received a magnet program in mathematics, science, and technology, converted into a full STEM magnet in 2012. Circa 2019 it had about 600 students.[15]

Private schools

The Robert M. Beren Academy, a K-12 Judaic school, is located in the area .

Trafton Academy (Pre-K through 8) is also in the area. Ms. Wagner's School became the lower grades of Trafton Academy.

Trafton Academy is located in Willowbend Section 2.[16][17]

The Emery/Weiner School is east of the subdivision bordering the Westwood subdivision.

Colleges and universities

Houston Community College System serves the neighborhood.

Police service

The neighborhood is within the Houston Police Department's Southwest Patrol Division . Neighborhood residents also make yearly contributions for additional security patrols by off-duty police officers.

Parks and recreation

Willow Park, a park operated by the City of Houston, is located at 10400 Cliffwood, adjacent to Red Elementary School . The large park features a playground, picnic facilities, a softball/soccer field, tennis courts and a small parking lot. It is the central spot of the neighborhood. A new sand volleyball court was added to the park in 2008. Across the street, there is a lovely neighborhood pool with verdant green lawns, plenty of shade trees and a world-class swim team (Willow Wahoos).

Willow Park is in Willow Meadows Section 3.[18]

Media

The Bellaire Texan, which served the Willowbend community in the mid-20th Century,[19] was headquartered in Bellaire and published by the Texan Publishing Corporation.[20] By 1975 it became known as the Bellaire & Southwestern Texan and was published by the Preston Publishing Company. It was then headquartered in Houston.[21]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "MusicFEST 2019 Wins Prestigious Houston Arts Alliance Grant".
  2. ↑ "Texas Gunman Kills Woman and 2 Girls". The New York Times. 19 April 1973.
  3. ↑ Sablatura, Bob. "Decades later, victims face assailant / Women recount 1970s shooting; Casey gets life for murder plot." Houston Chronicle. Saturday October 9, 2004. B1 MetFront. Retrieved on November 5, 2011.
  4. ↑ "Texas Redistricting". Texas.gov. 22 October 2021. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  5. ↑ City of Houston, Council District Maps, District K." City of Houston. Retrieved on November 5, 2011.
  6. ↑ "Clinic/Emergency/Registration Center Directory By ZIP Code". Harris County Hospital District. 2001-11-19. Archived from the original on 2001-11-19. Retrieved 2021-04-08. - See ZIP code 77035. See this map for relevant ZIP code.
  7. ↑ "Section Map" (Archive). Willowbend Civic Club. Retrieved on April 13, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Red Elementary Attendance Boundary," Houston Independent School District
  9. ↑ "Johnston Middle Attendance Boundary," Houston Independent School District
  10. 1 2 "Pin Oak Middle School." The Southwest District. Houston Independent School District.
  11. ↑ "Westbury High School Attendance Boundary," Houston Independent School District
  12. ↑ "Willow Bend, Section 4." JPG, PDF. Harris County Assessor's Block Book Map. Volume 83, Page 7. Retrieved on July 25, 2017.
  13. ↑ Home. Red Elementary School. Retrieved on July 25, 2017. "4520 Tonawanda Houston, TX 77035-3716"
  14. ↑ "School Histories Elementary Schools (K-Z)". Houston Independent School District. Retrieved 2019-08-12.
  15. ↑ "Our History". Red Elementary School. Retrieved 2019-08-12.
  16. ↑ "Willow Bend, Section 2." PDF, JPG. Harris County Assessor's Block Book Map. Volume 83, Page 7. Retrieved on July 25, 2017.
  17. ↑ Home. Trafton Academy. Retrieved on July 25, 2017. "Trafton Academy•4711 McDermed•Houston, Texas 77035"
  18. ↑ "Willow Meadows Sec. 3" (JPG, PDF). Harris County Assessor's Block Book Map. Volume 85, Page 81. Retrieved on July 25, 2017.
  19. ↑ The Bellaire Texan (Bellaire, Tex.), Vol. 2, No. 31, Ed. 1 Wednesday, September 14, 1955. p. 1 of 16 (see page). At the Portal to Texas History, University of North Texas. Retrieved on March 2, 2017. "215 N. 6th St., Bellaire, Texas"
  20. ↑ The Bellaire Texan (Bellaire, Tex.), Vol. 2, No. 31, Ed. 1 Wednesday, September 14, 1955. p. 4 of 16 (see page). At the Portal to Texas History, University of North Texas. Retrieved on March 2, 2017. "215 N. 6th St., Bellaire, Texas"
  21. ↑ The Bellaire & Southwestern Texan (Bellaire, Tex.), Vol. 24, No. 8, Ed. 1 Wednesday, June 25, 1975 Page: 2 of 47 (see page). At the Portal to Texas History, University of North Texas. Retrieved on March 2, 2017. "6622 Ferris St. Houston, Texas 77036"
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