Baytown, TX

Baytown is located in the Coastal Plains region of Texas, east of Houston. Baytown lies on the northern shore of Galveston Bay between the San Jacinto and Trinity rivers. The city of Baytown was founded in 1948 when three towns - Lynchburg, Goose Creek, and East Baytown - consolidated into a single city.

ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES

Because of its Galveston Bay location, Baytown continues to be a thriving industrial city and is the home of many companies in the oil refinery business, as well as makers of chemicals, plastics and rubber. The following corporations conduct operations here:

• ExxonMobil
• Bayer
• Exxon Chemical
• Chevron Phillips
• Valero Marketing and Supply
• American Oil Co. (Amoco)

NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICTS

Most of the population from Baytown is urban. Number of houses in the city is more than 26,000 out of which, about 90 percent houses are occupied. Owners occupy about 14,000 houses whereas, renters occupy 9,500 houses. Housing density for Baytown is 806 houses per square mile.

The city is very walkable. Most of the restaurants and bars are within short distance from the center of the city. Notable tourist attractions from the city are Baytown Nature Center, Battleship Memorial Museum and Houston Raceway Park.

BEST BETS

• Houston Raceway Park: Sanctioned by the National Hot Rod Association, this is a world-class drag racing and high-tech dirt track racing complex. Houston's only major motor sports venue, Houston Raceway Park is one of the country's fastest speedway tracks and was the site of the first under-five-second run in NHRA history.
• Fred Hartman Bridge: Constructed from 1986 to 1995, the Fred Hartman Bridge is an architectural and engineering accomplishment that spans the Houston Ship Channel to connect the cities of Baytown and La Porte. Because stopping on or near the bridge is prohibited by the U.S. Coast Guard and the local police force, visitors must drive across the bridge for viewing.
• Wallisville Heritage Park and Museum: Ten miles east of Baytown is the Wallisville Heritage Park and Museum, which houses artifacts from 18th-century Spanish missions, including authentic saddle-making tools. Adjacent to the museum is an 1869 school that has been restored and turned into a genealogical library and historical research center.
• San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site: This park commemorates the site where Texas won its independence from Mexico on April 21, 1836, when Gen. Sam Houston's forces defeated the army of Gen. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna in a battle that lasted fewer than 20 minutes. A National Historic Landmark as well, the San Jacinto Battleground State Historic site is maintained by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The grounds include nature trails, hiking and biking paths, the San Jacinto Monument and Museum, and the battleship Texas.
• San Jacinto Monument and Museum: Recognized as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers, the San Jacinto Monument holds the distinction of being the tallest war memorial in the world. At the base of this star-topped monument lies the San Jacinto Museum of History, where visitors can view artifacts from the war and watch a video about the founding of Texas.
• Battleship Texas: The first battleship memorial museum in the United States, the battleship Texas is permanently anchored on the Buffalo Bayou at the Houston Ship Channel. The ship was commissioned in both world wars and has the distinction of being the only U.S. battleship that engaged in combat in Africa, in Europe, and on the Pacific during World War II. Serving as a test ship for naval aviation in 1919 and radar studies in 1939, the Texas is widely renowned for its innovations in naval warfare.
• Baytown Nature Center: This consists of two connected peninsulas that are surrounded by three bays accommodate an abundance of freshwater and saltwater wetlands and mixed woodlands. The Children's Nature Discovery Center provides educational opportunities in ecology and bird watching. Activities available at the nature center include fishing and crabbing, walking and jogging on designated trails, bird watching and nature observation, and picnicking.

FAMILY FUN

The warm coastal climate of Baytown allows for year-round outdoor recreation.

• Hunting: While waterfowl hunting is most common in the Baytown area, deer, dove, quail, squirrel, hog, and pheasant are also hunted.
• Boating and Fishing: Baytown boasts four parks -- the Baytown Nature Center, Bayland Park, the Wetlands Center, and Roseland Park -- with boat ramps and piers from which boaters can access Trinity Bay, Cedar Bayou, and Galveston Bay. Fishing is allowed from the docks. Boating and water skiing are popular water sports at Roseland Park in particular.
• Golfing: Evergreen Point is an 18-hole golf course set against a wooded backdrop. A short drive away in Mont Belvieu is Eagle Point, another 18-hole course.

EDUCATION

Baytown's proximity to Houston gives residents access to more than 100 colleges, universities, and technical and vocational schools in the area. Baytown itself is home to Lee College, an institution that began in 1934 as a junior college affiliated with the Goose Creek ISD's Robert E. Lee High School. In 1948, Lee College received accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, allowing the college to establish its own campus separate from the high school. Today the college offers academic, technical, and noncredit continuing education programs.