Pasadena, Texas

Prior to European settlement the area around Galveston Bay was settled by the Karankawa and Atakapan tribes, particularly the Akokisa, who lived throughout the Gulf coast region. Spanish explorers such as the Rivas-Iriarte expedition and José Antonio de Evia charted the bay and gave it its name.[7] The pirate Jean Lafitte established a short-lived kingdom based in Galveston in the early 19th century with bases and hide-outs around the bay and around Clear Lake.[8] Lafitte was forced to leave in 1821 by the U.S. Navy.[9]

Following its declaration of independence from Spain the new nation of Mexico moved to colonize its northern territory of Texas by offering land grants to settlers both from within Mexico and from the nearby United States. The colony established by Stephen F. Austin and the Galveston Bay and Texas Land Company of New York rapidly began a wave of settlement around the bay.[10][11][12] Following a coup in the Mexican government by General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, Texas revolted against Mexican rule in 1835.[13] After several battles and skirmishes the final battle of the Texas Revolution took place near modern Deer Park & La Porte, Texas on April 21, 1836. While the main battlefield was located in the neighboring present-day city of La Porte, Texas. Because this was the last conflict that led to the Mexican surrender, La Porte and neighboring Deer Park have adopted the nickname "Birthplace of Texas".[14]

Downtown Pasadena after the 1915 Hurricane.

The 1900 hurricane that destroyed Galveston heavily damaged Pasadena, as well. The city received a population boost from some Galveston refugees who relocated to the mainland following the catastrophe.[15][16] Donations by the newly created Red Cross, including millions of strawberry plants to Gulf Coast farmers, helped revive the community.[17] This and the subsequent establishment of a major strawberry farm in the area by Texaco founder Joseph S. Cullinan made Pasadena a major fruit producer for many years afterward.[18]Rice farmers from Japan settled in the community further diversifying its agriculture. Champion Coated Paper Company of Ohio opened a paper mill in 1973.

In 1901 the Texas Oil Boom began with the gusher at Spindletop. The discovery of the oil field at Goose Creek led to increasing petroleum exploration around Galveston Bay.[19] By 1917–1920 refinery operations had appeared in Pasadena and continued to expand thereafter for example the Pasadena Refining System...[17] The world wars gradually brought further industrial development, with Pasadena's growth rate surpassing even neighboring Houston.[16]

Pasadena voted to incorporate in 1923, but residents decided to cancel the incorporation one year later. Pasadena incorporated in 1928. Because of the 1928 incorporation, Houston did not incorporate Pasadena's territory into its city limits, while Houston annexed surrounding areas that were unincorporated.[5]

Texas State Historical Association</ref> These developments helped to diversify the town's economy significantly.[17] Eventually, the city gained the unofficial moniker Stinkadena by locals due to the pollution from its large industrial base.[20][21][22][23]

Former Pasadena City Council member and State Representative Ray Barnhart described the city at the time as "a lovely community but politically corrupt."[24] Barnhart recalled that a half dozen Pasadena officials were indicted in the late 1950s and early 1960s for public corruption.[24]

In 1965, Houston Post reporter Gene Goltz Received the Pulitzer Prize for his exposure of government corruption in Pasadena, Texas, which resulted in widespread reforms.[25]

In the 21st century, Pasadena emerged as a mostly working-class suburb of Houston.

On October 31, 2015, an EF2 tornado struck a warehouse within Pasadena city limits.[26] Half of the warehouse was completely leveled with its roof completely mangled up. The tornado moved northeast into La Porte city limits and damaged approximately 30 homes.[27]

On January 24, 2023, an EF3 tornado struck northwestern Pasadena.[28] Multiple neighborhoods and apartment complexes were severely damaged by the tornado. No major casualties occurred with this tornado. The tornado would go on to affect Deer Park, and Baytown, Texas.

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters.

Neighborhoods in Pasadena include:

According to the city's 2017 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[44] the top employers in the city are:

The city has its own police department, which employs approximately 282 Officers, with one Police Chief, three Assistant Chiefs and other supervisory positions. The Pasadena Volunteer Fire Department is the largest of all volunteer municipal fire departments in the United States.[46][47]

Texas Strawberry Field (postcard, c. 1908–1910)

In 1900, Clara Barton of the American Red Cross purchased 1.5 million strawberry plants and sent them to Pasadena to help victims of the 1900 Galveston hurricane get back on their feet. By the 1930s those crops had flourished so much that Pasadena was claiming the title of Strawberry Capital of the World. At its height, the city's strawberry growers shipped as many as 28 train carloads of strawberries each day. To honor that history, the city still holds an annual Pasadena Strawberry Festival. Strawberry Road stretches through much of the city near where the old strawberry crops grew.[52] Attendance at the annual Strawberry Festival was 56,000 in 2008.

Pasadena Philharmonic Society and Orchestra[53] is a combination of two groups. The Society is composed of members of the local community that support the fine arts and classical music. The Orchestra is composed of local music educators, musicians, college students and selected high school students. The Orchestra presented its first performance in the fall of 1982. The Philharmonic has presented performances ever since.

The city of Pasadena is served by the Pasadena Independent School District.

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston operated the St. Pius V School in Pasadena from 1947,[54] until its 2020 closure; the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to the closure.[55]

• San Jacinto College (Central Campus and System Headquarters) a community college system which under Texas law serves all of Pasadena ISD, this means in effect it serves all of the City of Pasadena.[56]
• Texas Chiropractic College

Pasadena owns the Pasadena Public Library with the Main Library at 1201 Jeff Ginn Memorial Drive and the Fairmont Library, a branch, at 4330 Fairmont Parkway between Panama Street and Watters Road.[57][58]

Pasadena is served by two freeway systems. The main freeway artery is the Pasadena Freeway (State Highway 225). The east side of the Sam Houston Tollway (Beltway 8) runs through the eastern portion of the city.

The Harris County Toll Road Authority sells EZ Tags in the city.[74]