Southside Place, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Southside Place, Texas
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A sign with Southside Place's logo
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Location in Harris County and the state of Texas
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Harris |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.25 sq mi (0.65 km2) |
| • Land | 0.25 sq mi (0.65 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 49 ft (15 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,835 |
| • Density | 7,562.25/sq mi (2,917.00/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Code |
77005
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| Area code(s) | 281/346/713/832 |
| FIPS code | 48-69272 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1347529 |
Southside Place is a small city in Harris County, Texas, United States. In 2020, about 1,835 people lived there.
This city is known as a "bedroom community." This means many people who live here travel to nearby larger cities for work. Southside Place is also considered one of the wealthiest places in Texas based on how much money people earn there.
Even though it's its own city, the United States Postal Service uses "Houston" for all mail addresses in Southside Place.
Contents
History of Southside Place
Southside Place first opened on Easter Day in 1925. A developer named Edlo L. Crain wanted to attract people to live there. He built a pool and a park in the new neighborhood.
The first part of the city to open was south of the park. It was close to Bellaire Boulevard and a streetcar line. In 1926, the second part of Southside Place began to be built. This area stretched from Harper Street to University Boulevard.
The Great Depression (a time when the economy was very bad) slowed down building plans. Before Southside Place was built, the land was used as a farm for poor people in Harris County.
Southside Place officially became a city in June 1931. About 600 people lived there at the time. Because it became an official city, Houston could not take over its land. Houston did take over other nearby areas that were not official cities. A post office opened in Southside Place in 1940.
The number of people living in Southside Place stayed around 1,400 before World War II. In the 1960s, the city had its highest population of about 1,500 residents.
In 2009, the city decided to tear down its old government buildings. They planned to build a new, bigger complex for city services.
Where is Southside Place?
Southside Place is a small city, covering about 0.2 square miles (0.6 square kilometers) of land. It is surrounded by other cities like Bellaire, Houston, and West University Place.
An apartment complex called the Blair House used to be in Southside Place. It was built in 1963. As the value of land in the city grew, the complex was closed and torn down in 2015. New apartments, called Sinclear Apartments Southside Place, were built in its place.
Part of a neighborhood called Braeswood Place is also located in Southside Place. The rest of Braeswood Place is in the city of Houston.
People in Southside Place
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1970 | 1,466 | — | |
| 1980 | 1,366 | −6.8% | |
| 1990 | 1,392 | 1.9% | |
| 2000 | 1,546 | 11.1% | |
| 2010 | 1,715 | 10.9% | |
| 2020 | 1,835 | 7.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 1,230 | 67.03% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 63 | 3.43% |
| Asian (NH) | 238 | 12.97% |
| Some Other Race (NH) | 3 | 0.16% |
| Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) | 100 | 5.45% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 201 | 10.95% |
| Total | 1,835 |
In 2020, there were 1,835 people living in Southside Place. There were 537 households and 402 families.
In 2000, about 1,546 people lived in the city. Many households had children under 18 living with them. The average household had about 2.5 people.
The median age of people in the city was 39 years old. This means half the people were younger than 39, and half were older.
The median income for a family in Southside Place was quite high. This shows that many families living there have good incomes.
Businesses and Economy
The Braes Heights Shopping Center is located in Southside Place. It's a two-story shopping center with many small businesses. In 2012, a local newspaper called the Houston Press said it was the "Best Strip Mall." They liked that it still had many small, unique shops.
The Shell Oil Company used to have a large technology center in Southside Place. It opened in 1936 and was a place where scientists studied oil and natural gas. In 2008, Shell decided to close this center. This meant the city of Southside Place lost some tax money.
A large bowling alley called Palace Bowling Lanes was also in Southside Place. It was built in 1955. In 2016, the bowling alley closed. In 2018, plans were made to change the building into a new complex called Southside Commons. This new place will have a bowling alley, restaurants, shops, and offices.
Schools and Learning
Public Schools
The Houston Independent School District serves Southside Place. This means students living in the city go to schools in this district.
- Students living north of Bellaire Boulevard go to West University Elementary School.
- Students living south of Bellaire Boulevard go to Mark Twain Elementary School.
- All students from Southside Place go to Pershing Middle School. They can also apply to Pin Oak Middle School in Bellaire.
- For high school, some students go to Bellaire High School, while others go to Mirabeau B. Lamar High School in Houston.
There are also early childhood centers for younger children. However, most families in Southside Place use private preschools.
Colleges and Libraries
Houston Community College System (HCC) serves the area, offering college courses.
Southside Place is close to three public libraries:
- A Harris County Public Library branch in West University Place.
- The McGovern-Stella Link Branch of the Houston Public Library in Houston.
- The city of Bellaire also has its own library.
Parks and Fun Activities
The park and pool in Southside Place are run by the Southside Place Park Association. This group is separate from the city government.
The park area has:
- A park
- Tennis courts
- A baseball field
- A basketball court
- A swimming pool
- A clubhouse
The park, baseball field, and basketball court are open for everyone to use. To use the tennis courts, pool, or clubhouse, you need to be a member of the park association. Most people who live in Southside Place are members.
The clubhouse also hosts a summer camp. The pool has a swim team with over 150 members. They compete with other pools in the Houston area during the summer.
The Weekley Family YMCA is also nearby. It opened in 1951 and moved to its current location in 2001.
News and Media
The Houston Chronicle is the main newspaper for the area. Residents also get a special local section of the paper on Thursdays.
Other local newspapers include:
- The West University Examiner
- The Village News and Southwest News
The city government publishes its own newsletter called Southside Place Today. It is sent to residents with their water bills.
Getting Around
Southside Place is part of the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas (METRO). This means you can use public buses to get around. The city is served by several bus lines.
See also
In Spanish: Southside Place (Texas) para niños
