By Teresa Tomkins-Walsh Greens Bayou watershed imposed on rendering of Harris County. Photo courtesy of Bayou Preservation Association. Greens Bayou watershed is contained wholly within Harris County, in contrast to some regional watersheds that tap into adjoining counties. Comprising 212 square miles of drainage and including 308 miles of open streams, Greens Bayou watershed sprawls […]
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Debbie Z. Harwell, Editor Letter from the Editor: In the aftermath of local storms, many Houstonians claim the frequency of flooding has increased, raising the question: how accurate are those statements? The city’s first flood occurred in April 1837, just eight months after Houston was founded at the confluence of Buffalo and White Oak Bayous. […]
By Samantha de Leon The mammoth Hurricane Harvey made landfall on the Texas coast around 10:00 p.m. on Friday, August 25, 2017. Photo courtesy of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). For people living in southeastern Texas, hurricanes are guaranteed to make a few appearances. The colossal storms are inescapable and, in many ways, […]
By Nadia Abouzir Running along Buffalo Bayou, Eleanor Tinsley Park was completely submerged after Harvey’s rains. Photo courtesy of J. Daniel Escareño, Flickr. It is no secret that Hurricane Harvey devastated Houston, but how did it impact the city’s individual communities? Floodplain maps offer insight into where the risk is greatest to experience a 100- or 500-year flood, but many of the affected neighborhoods surpassed these thresholds […]
By Graciela Cortez Firefighters from HFD station 49 conduct rescue operations using a highwater vehicle in the Memorial area. Nathan Lilley stands in the front with Brandon Hernandez peeking out from behind him. On the truck standing left to right are Brian Dea, Dustin Davis, and Michael de Leon. Photo courtesy of HFD Station 49. In […]
By Anna Mayzenberg Meyerland grew rapidly from its beginnings in 1955. Homes, such as this one on Valkeith Drive (1960), frequently sold before construction was completed. Photo courtesy of the Houston Metropolitan Research Center, Houston Public Library. In the mid-1950s, the 1,200-acre Meyerland subdivision promised to be a new suburban haven for middle- and upper-class […]
By Syed Shahzeb Ayaz Using social media to locate those in need and dispatch volunteers to assist them, Mrs. Gitty Francis (far right), along with her volunteer staff, ran the Hurricane Harvey relief operations of Chabad-Lubavitch, a worldwide Jewish movement with a focus on outreach activities. Photo courtesy of Chabad of Texas Archive. During catastrophes, […]
By Christopher Kessinger Houston’s Democratic Socialists of America chapter came together to help Houstonians after Hurricane Harvey. The volunteers helped out in people’s homes and raised money, which they used for cash cards to help those in need. Photos courtesy of the Houston Democratic Socialists of America Facebook Group. Before Hurricane Harvey made landfall, Houston […]
By Christopher Kessinger Brandi Holmes and Secunda Joseph spoke to Houston History about what motivated them to help those in need during Hurricane Harvey. Photo courtesy of Resilient Houston: Documenting Hurricane Harvey. Activists with Black Lives Matter-Houston and Project Curate, Brandi Holmes and Secunda Joseph formulated their own responses to Hurricane Harvey. The two began […]
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