Blue Ridge, Houston facts for kids
Blue Ridge is a community in Houston, Texas, United States. It used to be a separate area in Fort Bend County. This community was also known as Hobby. It is located on a ridge near Oyster Creek, about 16 kilometers (10 miles) east of Richmond. The part of Blue Ridge that is now inside Houston is called the Fort Bend-Houston Super Neighborhood #41.
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History of Blue Ridge
The land where Blue Ridge is today was once part of Stephen F. Austin's first colony. People started living here permanently in the late 1800s. Blue Ridge did not have its own post office when it was a separate community. The W. Allen Robinson family arrived in 1894 and set up a ranch.
Oil was found near Blue Ridge in 1919. Soon after, a salt mine opened. In 1925, natural gas was also discovered. Because of these discoveries, banks and even gambling houses opened. Blue Ridge quickly became a "boomtown," meaning it grew very fast.
In 1936, a large prison farm called the Blue Ridge State Prison Farm took over the area. Most people living in Blue Ridge at that time worked at the prison. Blue Ridge was like a smaller work camp for the main Central Prison Farm.
In 1958, the Texas Department of Corrections decided to sell the prison land to private companies. Houses were then built in the 1960s and 1970s. Parts of Blue Ridge became part of Houston in the early 1970s. In 1970, Blue Ridge had 50 residents and no businesses. Today, Willowridge High School is located where the old prison housing used to be.
What Blue Ridge Looks Like
The Houston Fort Bend Super Neighborhood has specific borders. These are Beltway 8, Fondren Road, Hiram Clarke Road, and McHard Road. The area covers almost 8 square kilometers (3 square miles). Many different churches for various groups and religions are found in Blue Ridge.
Before it became a "super neighborhood," some people felt Blue Ridge was like a "stepchild." This meant it felt passed back and forth between different areas. Half of the community uses a Missouri City zip code (77489). This part is west of Chimney Rock. Many residents still call this section Missouri City, even though it's not officially inside the city limits of Missouri City. These people are sometimes called "Missouri City by Choice" residents.
Getting Around Blue Ridge
The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO) provides public bus services in Blue Ridge.
In 1990, some residents from the Ridgegate and Briargate neighborhoods protested. They did not want new bus services from METRO.
Schools in Blue Ridge
Blue Ridge is part of the Fort Bend Independent School District. This area is in the East Division, which controls school board positions 5 through 7. When Blue Ridge was an independent community, it did not have its own schools.
The schools that students in Blue Ridge attend are:
- Briargate-Blue Ridge Elementary School
- Ridgegate Elementary School
- Ridgemont Elementary School
- Christa McAuliffe Middle School
- Willowridge High School
Blue Ridge Elementary School opened in August 1969. Ridgemont Elementary opened in August 1973. Briargate Elementary opened in the fall of 1977. Willowridge High School started construction in February 1978 and opened in September 1979. Ridgegate Elementary opened in January 1981. McAuliffe Middle School opened in the fall of 1986. More construction at Willowridge High School was finished in the summer of 1992. In 2023, Blue Ridge and Briargate elementary schools combined. A new school building was built at the Briargate location because fewer students were enrolling.
Libraries in Blue Ridge
The Stimley-Blue Ridge Library is part of the Houston Public Library system. It is located at 7007 West Fuqua in Blue Ridge. In 1997, the library was named after Sherman E. Stimley. He was the first African-American law associate at a big law firm called Vinson & Elkins. In 1985, Stimley started the first consulting company in Houston that focused only on tax-exempt bond law and was led by an African-American. Sherman Stimley was very interested in books.
Parks and Fun in Blue Ridge
Blueridge Park is located in Blue Ridge. It is managed by the City of Houston's Parks and Recreation Department. Fort Bend County also operates Post Oak Park. This park is 23 acres (about 93,000 square meters) in size. It has three baseball fields, one concession stand (where you can buy snacks), one softball field, and a restroom facility.
