La Porte

La Porte, founded in 1892, is on the northwest shore of Trinity Bay, the inland extension of Galveston Bay; it covers an area of fifteen square miles in southeastern Harris County. It was established as a real estate venture by a group of men including A. M. and J. H. York, I. R. Holmes, and T. W. Lee, who chose the French word for "door" as its name. By 1900 La Porte had a population of 537. St. Mary's Seminary was founded there the same year by Bishop Nicholas A. Gallagher and remained there until 1954, when it was moved to Houston. In 1915 La Porte suffered from two major disasters-a fire that destroyed all of the downtown business district and a tremendous hurricane. During the 1920s and 1930s La Porte gained national attention because of Sylvan Beach Amusement Park, where a number of big bands, including those of Rudy Vallee, Phil Harris, and Benny Goodman, performed at dances and beauty contests. Until World War II La Porte continued as a sleepy little village, with only Sylvan Beach and the summer residents at Bay Ridge sustaining the economy. Shipyards in the area and the growing petrochemical industry along the channel provided employment for new residents.

Adapted from the official Handbook of Texas, a state encyclopedia developed by the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA). It is an authoritative source of trusted historical records.