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Chronology of Texas City
1850s to 1890s
- 1854: U.S. government built a light house near the current base of the Texas City Dike.
- 1878: U.S. Post office, named Shoal Point, was opened.
- 1893: A consortium of investors formed the Texas City Improvement Company, and filed a plat of the early community.
- 1893: The Texas City Post Office was opened. Shoal Point Post Office was closed.
- 1893: The railroad link with Texas City was established.
- 1896: A mill with an elevator (Texas City Mill and Elevator company) opened. Docks were built.
- 1897: Texas City Improvement Company declared bankruptcy and reorganized into the Texas City Company (later the Mainland Company) and the Texas City Terminal Company (later the Texas City Terminal Railroad).
1900s
- 1900: The 1900 storm (hurricane) caused extensive property damage.
- 1901: A two-room school was established on Fifth Street between 3rd and 4th Avenues.
- 1901: First church building was opened in Texas City at the corner of 3rd Avenue North and 3rd Street.
- 1904: The Texas City pier was built.
- 1904: The first ocean-going steamship, the SS. Piqua, came in to the Texas City port.
- 1905: The U.S. government assumed maintenance of the Texas City channel.
- 1905: Dr. Frank Danforth began practicing medicine in Texas City.
- 1905: Texas City Independent School District was started.
- 1907: Texas City Terminal Railroad connected with the Galveston, Colorado and Santa Fe Lines.
- 1908: The first cargo ship landed in Texas City port.
- 1908: Texas City Refining Company started the first refinery in Texas City.
- 1909: The grain elevator opened for business.
1910s
- 1911: Texas City was incorporated as a city with a mayor/commissioner form of government. The first elections were held.
- 1911: Texas City Fire Department was chartered as a volunteer organization.
- 1911: The Texas City Board of Trade was established.
- 1912: The first school for black students was started.
- 1913: First Aero Squadron was established in Texas City.
- 1913: U.S. Army Camp was established in Texas City.
- 1914: Texas City Civic Club was started.
- 1915: A hurricane destroyed the Army camp in Texas City. The camp was abandoned and soldiers relocated. Loss of the Army Camp started an economic depression in Texas City that lasted for over a decade.
- 1915: The Texas City Dike was completed.
1920s
- 1922 or 1924: The Texas Sugar refinery was started.
- 1927: The Texas City library was started.
- 1928: The Texas City City building was completed, including offices, a jail, a courtroom, a library and an auditorium, in the 600 block of Sixth Street.
- 1929: Pierce Petroleum Refinery closed.
1930s
- 1930: Texas City Channel was widened to 800 feet.
- 1931: Texas Sugar refinery filed for bankruptcy. Through the efforts of Helen B. Moore, Texas City gained control of the dike. Republic Oil Refinery was built.
- 1933: Texas City Garden Club was started. The first president was Mrs. Frank Davison.
- 1936: Project to deepen the Texas City Harbor and Channel started.
- 1938: Union Carbide and Chemical Company was established.
- 1939: Two schools, Danforth Elementary and Heights Elementary were built.
1940s
- 1940: U.S. Government began building the only tin smelter in the Western hemisphere in Texas City.
- 1941 to 1945: Texas City plants went on war status with 5 defense plants. Plants began producing high octane aviation fuel, and styrene and synthetic rubber.
- 1942: Pierce Oil Refinery was shut down.
- 1943: Mainland Company, led by Hugh Moore, donated the land for Bay Street Park.
- 1943: A major hurricane hit Texas City.
- 1945-1946: Labor strikes took place in Texas City.
- 1947: The Texas City disaster occurred with massive casualties and extreme property damage. Rebuilding and recovery help was received from all over the world.
- 1947: Texas City annexed the industrial district and Texas City Heights.
1950s
- 1950: Texas City began expanding its city limits.
- 1951: Nessler and Sanders pools were built.
- 1952: Galveston County Memorial Hospital (now Mainland Medical Center) opened with 90 beds.
- 1954: Pan American Refinery became part of American Oil.
- 1955: Robinson Stadium was completed.
- 1955: Texas City Fire Department became a city department.
- 1956: Nessler park was dedicated.
- 1957: The grain elevator was demolished.
- 1959: Stingaree stadium was built.
1960s
- 1960: The Sanders Community Center opened.
- 1961: Texas City Dike was annexed, the dike was also made a recreational site.
- 1961: Hurricane Carla struck, causing extensive damage.
- 1964: The public library dedicated a new library building at 1701 9th Avenue N.
- 1964: The new City Hall facility was dedicated at 1801 9th Avenue N.
- 1964: The new swimming pool was dedicated.
- 1967: College of the Mainland opened.
1970s
- 1970s: Texas City plants and refineries involved in several corporate mergers among oil companies.
- 1973: The Carver Community Center opened. The oil embargo by Arab nations began to cause economic problems in the oil and gas industries.
- 1974: The Texas City Municipal shooting range complex opened. The Lowry Fitness Center opened. Bayou Golf Club opened.
- 1975: Citizens of Texas City passed an $18 million bond issue to renovate sewers, create rainwater pumping stations, and build a water treatment plant.
- 1978: An amendment to the City Charter created four single-member districts and two at-large positions on the City Commission.
1980s
- 1983: Hurricane Alicia caused extensive damage in Texas City.
- 1986: The Rotary Pavilion in Nessler Park was dedicated.
- 1986: A major expansion of Moore Memorial Public Library was completed.
- 1987: The Texas City-La Marque Hurricane Flood Protection System is dedicated.
- 1988: The Lowry Expressway was dedicated.
- 1989: Mayor Emmett F. Lowry died in office after 25 years as Mayor.
1990s
- 1991: Mall of the Mainland opened for business.
- 1991: Texas City Memorial Park and Cemetery were dedicated.
- 1994: Texas City Museum opened. New central fire station and administration complex opened. Fire Station 2 opened in 1995 and Fire Station 3 opened in 1999.
- 1995: Biosphere 1 opened.
- 1997: Texas City was named an All-American City by the National Civic League.
- 1994-1999: Bay Street Park was completed (Phase I, 1994; Phase 2, 1998; Phase III, 1999).
- 1998: Rankin L. Dewalt Criminal Justice Center was dedicated.
- 1999: Doyle Convention Center was dedicated.
- 1999: First annual Texas City Art Festival was held.
2000s
- 2000: City of Texas City signed an agreement for a megaport container terminal.
- 2001: Citizens Police Academy program began. Tropical Storm Allison caused widespread flooding throughout Galveston County.
- 2002: Land donation from the Texas Nature Conservancy was accepted by the City Commission to create the Dollar Bay Conservation Birding Trail.
- 2002: Grand opening of the Showboat Pavilion was held.
- 2005: An explosion at BP's Texas City refinery killed 15 and injured 170.
- 2007: Lowry Center renovation was completed.
- 2007: Matthew T. Doyle Natatorium was completed.
- 2007: City of Texas City converted Emergency Management Services to a city department.
- 2007: Citizens passed a bond issue for Texas City Independent School District, but voted against the bond issue for College of the Mainland.
- 2008: Hurricane Ike caused massive damage to the Texas City Dike, but the city was protected from devastating floods.
2010s
- 2010: The new Sanders-Vincent Community Center was dedicated. The rebuilt Texas City Dike reopened for public use. The Carlos Garza Sports Complex opened.
- 2011: The Texas City Museum reopened after extensive renovations.
- 2013: Marathon acquired BP refinery at 2401 5th Avenue S.