Port Houston

This article is about a neighborhood in Houston. For the port, see Port of Houston.

Port Houston is a neighborhood located on the East Side of Houston, Texas, United States.

Port Houston is an industrial, mostly Hispanic community[1] located near the Houston Ship Channel and the Port of Houston. In a 2007 article John Nova Lomax of the Houston Press described Port Houston as "a blue-collar Mexican neighborhood of wrought-iron fences and wood-framed houses."[2] Port Houston has many small houses. Petrochemical businesses and trucking companies have operations in the community. Laura Isensee of KUHF wrote that Port Houston "not a typical neighborhood".[3]

Government and infrastructure

Residents are in Houston City Council District H.[4]

Education

Residents are within the Houston Independent School District. Zoned schools include Port Houston Elementary School,[5] Holland Middle School,[6] and Furr High School.[7] Port Houston has an afterschool program and offers English as a second language classes for parents.[3]

Port Houston was constructed in 1909, Furr was built in 1961, and Holland was built in 1979.[8] At one time Port Houston Elementary School had an international shipping magnet program.[2]

In 2014 HISD proposed closing Port Houston Elementary. In response, several members of the community argued against closing the school. The plans call for Port Houston to be combined with Pleasantville Elementary. Opposition argued that the walk to Pleasantville would be unsafe, that closing the school would harm the community, and that the school in 2013 had distinguished scores in mathematics and reading in state tests.[3] Later in 2014, HISD announced that Port Houston will stay open.[9]

References

  1. "The Port Houston Collaborative." St. Luke's Episcopal Health Charities.
  2. 1 2 Lomax, John Nova. "The East End Trek." Houston Press. September 13, 2007. Retrieved on April 20, 2009.
  3. 1 2 3 Isensee, Laura. "Port Houston Community Defends School From Closure." KUHF. February 27, 2014. Retrieved on February 27, 2014.
  4. City of Houston, Council District Maps, District H." City of Houston. Retrieved on November 5, 2011.
  5. "Port Houston Elementary Attendance Zone," Houston Independent School District. Retrieved on April 20, 2009.
  6. "Holland Middle Attendance Zone," Houston Independent School District. Retrieved on April 20, 2009.
  7. "Furr High School Attendance Zone," Houston Independent School District. Retrieved on April 20, 2009.
  8. "School Histories: the Stories Behind the Names." Houston Independent School District. Retrieved on September 24, 2008.
  9. "Three schools eliminated from HISD closure, consolidation proposal." Houston Independent School District. Retrieved on March 11, 2014.

See also

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