| |
MYKAWA,
TEXASHarris
County, Texas
Gulf Coast
Mykawa Road and Almeda-Genoa Road
West of Houston's
Hobby airport
Population Unk |
| | Mr.
Mykawa's Grave in Houston's Hollywood Cemetery
TE Photo, September 2003
|
| | Japanese
inscription on Mr. Mykawa's grave.
TE Photo, September 2003 |
History
in a Rice Bowl
Shinpei Mykawa, a naval officer traveling by train with a Japanese delegation
in the 1890s, noticed the flat expanses of this part of Texas and how suitable
it would be for rice cultivation. He returned as a civilian and is credited with
introducing rice culture in this part of Texas. A post office was in operation
in Mykawa from 1907 to 1933. By 1914 the town had a population of 200, but this
dropped to only 20 by the mid-1920s.
Oil was discovered nearby, but was
hardly noticed with all the activity in other parts of Harris county. The railroad
still has a siding marker Mykawa and the long road North to East Houston has a
huge police detention center - which is the most common association with the name
Mykawa.
The former one-story brick elementary school is now in use as
the Minnitex Civic Center.
Shinpei
Mykawa was buried in Houston's Hollywood
Cemetery (where I-45 meets North Main Street). |
| | The
1923 Mykawa School
TE photos, August 2006 | |
|
| | The
Mykawa School Plaque
TE photo, August 2006 | |
| |
|
