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Welcome to Houston, Texas! Ranked the "third most livable city in the country" by Places Rated Almanac in 1996 and 1997, Houston is famous for offering a vast range of opportunities and cultural experiences to its 3.8 million Harris county residents. Often described as a "sprawling Texas town", the greater Houston area covers more ground than any other major city in America. This spread-out effect creates a sense of living in a medium-sized town that just happens to offer big-city convenience and opportunity. The friendly and open nature of residents welcomes newcomers from all walks of life into the growing fold.
Houston was founded by two New Yorkers as a real-estate venture in 1836. It is the largest and most cosmopolitan city in Texas. Although boarded-up vestiges of the 1980s oil crash remain, Houston's economy is now more diverse and robust, and has spawned a downtown revival. A 50-mile-long ship channel links this inland city with the Gulf of Mexico, making it the third-largest seaport in the United States.
The city, which encompasses a land mass more than half the size of the state of Rhode Island, is also a university town, and home to a fine symphony and respected ballet and opera companies. A major branch of America's space program is here--Disney teamed up with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to create the dazzling Space Center Houston. There are not a lot of cities where an industrial giant and a creative genius can both thrive and live in harmony, but this is definitely one of them.
