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La Porte was founded in 1892 and is located on the shores of Trinity Bay, near Galveston. La Porte is a large community, covering over 15 square miles in the southeastern portion of Harris County. A group of men began the town as a real estate venture, including A.M. and J.H. York, I.R. Holmes and T.W. Lee.
The town's name is taken from the French word for door and was selected by Lee. Initially, the town boasted a population of 537 and St. Mary's Seminary was founded in 1900. This seminary stayed until it was moved to Houston in 1954.
In the town's history, two disasters are prominent. In 1915, a fire completely demolished the downtown business district. Shortly after this, a hurricane whipped through the area, destroying much in its path. Since then La Porte has come back to life and has become quite famous in the United States.
Part of this fame is owed to the Sylvan Beach Amusement Park that hosted some of the best big bands during the 1920's and 1930's. People had a chance to hear Rudy Vallee, Phil Harris and Benny Goodman, who frequently performed at the park for beauty contests and dances.
Even though it achieved great popularity from the amusement park, the town remained somewhat small until World War II. The town subsisted on earnings from the tourism trade and the park until shipyards and petrochemical plants were set up during the war. This infusion of money into the community sparked a rise in population as workers came into the area.
In 1954, the La Porte-Baytown tunnel was unveiled, making transportation much easier. The addition of the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center and the Bayport Channel helped the community tremendously, bringing in much needed work and additional funds for the townspeople. The population expanded to over 7,000 people in the 1970's, and grew even further when the nearby town of Lomax was consolidated with La Porte. Fairmont Park's growth also assisted the community in growing.
By 1990, La Porte had grown to over 27,000 residents, but it has retained its small town charm. Its convenient location to Galveston and Houston makes it popular with commuters who prefer a relaxed atmosphere in which to live and raise a family.
Recently, plans are being hatched to bring back the Sylvan Beach Amusement Park that had fallen into disarray after several hurricanes battered the region. These plans include the creation of a luxury beachfront hotel and promise to bring even more growth and prosperity to the community.
Whether you enjoy a historical community or you're just looking for an apartment in a nice quiet town, La Porte certainly has all of the ingredients to make your new home enjoyable.
If you are interested in an apartment in Houston, feel free to contact us.
