TexasEscapes.com Texas Escapes Online Magazine: Travel and History
Columns: History, Humor, Topical and Opinion
Over 1800 Texas Towns & Ghost Towns
NEW : : TEXAS TOWNS : : GHOST TOWNS : : TEXAS HOTELS : : FEATURES : : COLUMNS : : ARCHITECTURE : : IMAGES : : SITE MAP : : SEARCH SITE
HOME
SEARCH SITE
ARCHIVES
RESERVATIONS
Texas Hotels
Hotels
Cars
Air
Cruises
La Porte Hotels
Find Hotel Deals in
La Porte
Book Today and Save
 
  Texas : Towns A-Z / Gulf Coast :

LA PORTE, TEXAS

Harris County, Texas Gulf Coast
“On the northwest shore of Trinity Bay, the inland extension of Galveston Bay”
Hwy 146
22 Miles E of Houston

About 30 Miles NW of Galveston
Population: 31,880 (2000)

Book Your Hotel Here & Save
La Porte Hotels

La Porte Texas seaside

Photo courtesy Ken Rudine, October 2007

La Porte is French for “The Door.” The name was chosen by a real estate consortium in 1892 in hopes of luring investors and land buyers. The La Porte, Houston and Northern Railroad Company was chartered in late 1892 and La Porte became the railroad’s headquarters. The proximity to both Galveston and Houston was a draw, but the railroad only managed to lay 12 miles of track before being absorbed by a larger company. After several sales, it became Galveston, Houston and Northern Railway Company (1899). Under the direction of the Southern Pacific system.

In 1900 the town could boast over 500 residents.

That same year St. Mary's Seminary opened and remained there for over five decades. The downtown section of La Porte was totally destroyed by a fire around 1915 and shortly thereafter it was struck by a hurricane.

La Porte had its 15 minutes of fame bestowed upon it in the 20s and 30s when it held dances and bathing beauty contests at Sylvan Beach. Performers included singers Phil Harris and Rudy Vallee and bandleader / clarinetist Benny Goodman.

In fact La Porte’s entire economy was driven by the entertainers and the audiences they drew. Later, refineries and shipyards along the bay provided jobs for the year-round residents.

In 1954 the Washburn Tunnel was opened, connecting La Porte with nearby Baytown. (The tunnel was later replaced by the Fred Hartman Bridge). The population reached over 7,000 residents by 1949 and La Porte was now large enough to start absorbing its neighbors. In 1980 the neighbor was the tiny town of Lomax.

Residents of La Porte still regarded their town as a resort even as the population grew to nearly 28,000 people. Several hurricanes have stuck Sylvan Beach over the years. The population reached 31,880 for the 2000 census.

Book Your Hotel Here & Save:
La Porte Hotels
La Porte Texas bicyclists

Photo courtesy Ken Rudine, October 2007

La Porte Texas sailboats & ships

Photo courtesy Ken Rudine, October 2007

La Porte Texas cargo ship

Photo courtesy Ken Rudine, October 2007

La Porte Texas seaside park

Photo courtesy Ken Rudine, October 2007

Book Your Hotel Here & Save:
La Porte Hotels
More Hotels
La Porte Texas Hotels
Discount Hotel Rates in
La Porte
Book Here & Save
 
HOME | TEXAS ESCAPES ONLINE MAGAZINE | TEXAS HOTELS
TEXAS TOWN LIST | TEXAS GHOST TOWNS | TEXAS COUNTIES

Texas Hill Country | East Texas | Central Texas North | Central Texas South | West Texas | Texas Panhandle | South Texas | Texas Gulf Coast
TRIPS | STATES PARKS | RIVERS | LAKES | DRIVES | MAPS

TEXAS FEATURES
Ghosts | People | Historic Trees | Cemeteries | Small Town Sagas | WWII | History | Black History | Rooms with a Past | Music | Animals | Books
COLUMNS : History, Humor, Topical and Opinion

TEXAS ARCHITECTURE | IMAGES
Courthouses | Jails | Churches | Gas Stations | Schoolhouses | Bridges | Theaters | Monuments/Statues | Depots | Water Towers | Post Offices | Grain Elevators | Lodges | Museums | Stores | Banks | Gargoyles | Cornerstones | Pitted Dates | Drive-by Architecture | Old Neon | Murals | Signs | Ghost Signs | Then and Now
Vintage Photos

TRAVEL RESERVATIONS | HOTELS | USA | MEXICO

Privacy Statement | Disclaimer | Recommend Us | Contributors | Staff | Contact TE
Website Content Copyright ©1998-2008. Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC. All Rights Reserved
This page last modified: April 14, 2008