Katy Texas is a colorful and affluent community located just 30 minutes due west of Houston on Interstate Highway 10 and U.S. Highway 90 at the intersection of Harris, Fort Bend and Waller counties. People residing in Katy (Katyites) consider the city to be divided into two sections. "Old Katy" (or Katy Proper) and "Katy Area". Old Katy is considered the actual City of Katy and sits mostly north of Interstate I-10. Katy Texas is well known for its Southern hospitality and Texas charm. Katy is historically an agricultural area. It has been the site of one of the United States' largest gas fields since the early forties, which has been a great benefit to the economy of the area.
Katy TX SCHOOLS Katy TX Independent School District referred to as Katy TX ISD is a flourishing suburban school district that encompasses 181 square miles in east Texas. Its eastern boundaries stretch to Houston's energy corridor approximately 16 miles west of downtown Houston and extend along Interstate 10 to a few miles west of the city of Katy. In the 2007-08 school year, student enrollment has grown to more than 55,000 served by 47 schools - including six high schools. KATY TX HISTORY Katy Texas is a vibrant town with lots to do and plenty of restaurants. To find a Katy Texas Restaurants, you just need to go online to either Katy Magazine Online or GetToKnowKaty.com. Katy is named for the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad (commonly referred to as the "K-T Railroad", now a part of Union Pacific) that ran through Katy in the 19th century. Katy was once known as Cane Island. The name is derived from Cane Island Creek which runs just west of downtown. Cane Creek is a branch of Buffalo Bayou. The origins of the name Cane Island are believed to be from the fact that Katy was once a major sugar cane producer and rice producer. It has a festival the second weekend in October to honor and recognize the former rice producing town. Katy vs. Katy Area: Katy residents often split the city into two informal sections: "Old Katy" (or Katy Proper) and "Katy Area". Old Katy is the actual city limits of Katy and lies mostly north of Interstate 10. This is the original Katy from before the 1970s when Houston's Energy Corridor (and the development that came with it) made its way west on I-10. The "Katy area" is made up of large sections of unincorporated Harris and Fort Bend counties and mostly sits east and southeast of the city limits of Katy. This area is within the Katy Independent School District and nearly everyone in this area has a Katy postal address. The Katy area includes new upscale developments and master planned communities such as Cinco Ranch, Green Trails, Wood Creek Reserve, Grayson Lakes, Seven Meadows, Firethorne and Grand Lakes, while also encompassing developments from the 1970s and 1980s such as Memorial Parkway, Kelliwood and Nottingham Country. All of the "Katy area" lies in the city of Houston's extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ), not Katy's ETJ. This means that the areas of "Katy area" are controlled by the city of Houston and the city has the ability to annex it in the future. The city of Katy cannot annex this area unless the city of Houston releases the area's ETJ to Katy, which has occurred in several small chunks in recent years. The most recent instance of this was in 2001 when Houston ceded about 400 acres (1.6 km²) of ETJ to the City of Katy to allow the Katy Mills Mall and surrounding parking lot to be built entirely within the City of Katy. KATY TX LOCAL NEWS AND INFORMATION Katy Texas residents rely on the Houston Chronicle (www.chron.com) for their news. Local TV News stations include: KATY TX RECREATION, PARKS, AND WEEKEND GETAWAYS Katy Texas offers plenty to do when it comes to sports and recreation whether it is for the children or the adults. Whether you are seeking sports such as Tennis or Golf, or whether it is hunting, fishing, and boating, Katy Texas is the place. Conveniently located, it provides great access many weekend getaways, including the Texas Coast line and the many lakes in Texas. Some of the most popular getaways are: Galveston Texas – just an hour and a half away, this Gulf Coast area offers a long shoreline, boating, and all the fun of the beach. San Antonio Texas – One of America's oldest cities, San Antonio was colonized by the Spanish empire in the early 1700s. Rich layers of this and other cultures give the city its distinction. Famous for the Alamo and its River Walk, San Antonio makes a great weekend getaway. Just slightly more than 3 hours from Houston Texas, it is convenient when you need a change of pace. Austin Texas – Austin is known as the Live Music Capital of the World®? The slogan became official on August 29, 1991, after it was discovered that Austin had more live music venues per capita than Nashville, New York City, Los Angeles and, well, anywhere else in the nation. Today, our city hosts nearly 200 venues and is home to thousands of musicians. Which means you can catch a show any day of the week, at almost any time, if the mood and the tune strike. About 3 hours from Houston Texas, Austin Texas is a great weekend escape. Lake Conroe is located approximately one hour north of downtown Houston (via IH-45), Lake Conroe is a short trip for the water fans. Extending 21 miles in length and covering 21,000 surface acres, Lake Conroe is the reserve drinking water supply for the City of Houston and offers clean, clear water for a large variety of recreation (boating, fishing, hunting, golfing, swimming, water skiing, jet skiing, pleasure boating, etc.). Luxurious hotels and condominiums, quality RV Parks, waterfront boat storage with valet launching, luxurious waterfront real estate developments are only a few of the attractions to this exceptional manmade Lake only 60 minutes north from Houston via IH-45. Lake Houston Park is an Urban Wilderness Park of 5,000 acres located 30 miles north of Houston near the town of New Caney. Lake Houston Park is the only park in the HPARD system where overnight camping is available. Cabins and walk-in campsites are available for rental. Activities include hiking, biking, canoeing, kayaking, and horseback riding (Bring your own bikes, watercraft, and horses). The park is a wilderness park and is heavily forested so visitors need to be aware that wildlife in the park includes several species of snakes. The Houston Zoo provides a fun, unique, and inspirational experience fostering appreciation, knowledge, and care for the natural world. Essentially a small city encompassing a world of ecosystems and experiences, the Houston Zoo is made up of many moving parts. We have over 4,500 permanent residents (our animals) for whom we provide housing, meals, medical care and, yes, even education! In addition, we have 1.6 million guests each year who come to experience our incredible variety of animals and ecosystems, as well as attend special private and public events and entertainment. Our dedicated staff works around the clock to ensure that the Zoo is always running smoothly for the safety and well being of our residents and guests. The Houston Museum of Natural Science is located in Hermann Park across the street from Miller Outdoor Theater with close proximity to Highways 59, 288, and the 610 Loop. Exhibits change multiple times through the year so there is always something new to see. KATY TX SPORTS For the sports fans, the Houston metropolitan area hosts teams for all the major sports including the Houston Texans football team, the Houston Astros Baseball team, and the Houston Rockets Basketball team. |