Settegast, Houston facts for kids
Settegast is a neighborhood located in northeast Houston, Texas. It's a community with a mix of homes and open spaces. You can find it near the 610 Loop, a large railroad yard called the Union Pacific Settegast Yard, and the old Beaumont Highway. Many of the homes here are small, made of wood, and there are also empty lots. Organizations like Habitat for Humanity are helping to build new homes, and a community garden is being created. The City of Houston has even named Settegast a "Houston HOPE" neighborhood, which means it's a focus area for community improvement.
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History
Settegast was first started way back in 1892 by two German immigrants, William J. and Julius J. Settegast. They were interested in buying and selling land.
Later, in the 1940s, Settegast was planned out as a special community with streets and lots. Many African American families moved here, looking for land on the northeast side of Houston.
The City of Houston officially took over Settegast in 1949. This meant the city started providing services, like installing sewer lines in 1965 to help with clean water and waste.
In 1966, a group called the Houston-Harris County Economic Opportunity Organization (H-HCEOO) studied Settegast. They wanted to understand the challenges people faced in one of the city's less wealthy areas. They found that even though many people thought they owned their homes, it was often very difficult to truly own them because of unfair payment plans and hidden costs.
They also discovered that clean water and proper sewage systems were missing for many residents. About 70% of people got their water from shallow wells, which were often dirty from septic tanks. When people found out that contaminated well water was being sold, they went to City Hall and demanded a clean city water supply.
The study also showed that Settegast was a "food desert," meaning it was hard for people to find healthy food. Plus, two-thirds of the adults had not finished high school.
In 1967, the community faced more challenges. The H-HCEOO community center was damaged, and important voter registration forms were lost. Also, a resident faced unfair treatment during an eviction, which led to about 2000 Settegast residents signing a petition to protest. Even though the community spoke up, the official involved was not removed from his job.
When some city leaders mistakenly said that the H-HCEOO used government money for protests, local newspapers repeated the claim. This caused a lot of criticism for the organization and made things harder for Settegast. Some community leaders worried that the protests were going too far.
Cityscape
Settegast is bordered by the 610 Loop and the Beaumont Freeway to the south, and a Union Pacific Railroad yard to the west.
Experts have described Settegast as "rurban," which means it has a mix of city and country features. The original homes are simple and spread out. As of 2008, much of the area was still undeveloped, and you could even see animals like guinea hens and horses grazing in open fields. The neighborhood has many churches, with about one church for every 60 residents.
Economy
Union Pacific operates the Settegast Yard, which is a big terminal where different types of transportation meet, like trains and trucks.
Education
Students in Settegast attend schools within the Houston Independent School District. Children are zoned to Bennie Carl Elmore Elementary School, Key Middle School, and Kashmere High School.
Elmore Elementary School has teachers with good experience, and the school has shown strong progress in student learning. Key Middle School and Kashmere High School also have dedicated teachers.
History of education
Before July 1, 2013, the community was served by the North Forest Independent School District.
When schools were separated by race, Settegast had its own high school for Black students. Settegast High School opened in 1951 for grades 1-8. Later, B.C. Elmore High School opened in 1957. After that, Settegast School and Hilliard School became the local elementary schools. Elmore High became a junior high school in 1972 when Forest Brook High School opened. The old Elmore building was replaced with a new middle school in 1999, which opened in 2000.
When the North Forest ISD joined the Houston ISD on July 1, 2013, the Elmore campus became an elementary school.
Parks and recreation
The City of Houston manages Settegast Park, providing a place for outdoor activities. The Northeast Family YMCA also serves the residents of Settegast, offering programs and facilities. The original Lakewood Church was once located in Settegast, starting in a converted feed store. In 2005, the church moved to its current larger location.
Environmental concerns
According to environmental reports in 2018, some facilities near Settegast have had issues following environmental rules. For example, the McCarty Road Landfill Gas Recovery Facility and Queen Ready Mix have been found to have "high-priority violations" or "significant noncompliance," meaning they weren't meeting important environmental standards. Another facility, Magellan East Houston Terminal, also had compliance issues.
