The Woodlands, Texas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Woodlands, Texas
Census-designated place and special-purpose district
Top to bottom, left to right: The Woodlands Town Center, The Woodlands Waterway, Town Center, The Woodlands College Park High School, Waste Connections
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The Woodlands in Montgomery and Harris counties
The Woodlands, Texas Location in Texas Show map of Texas The Woodlands, Texas Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Texas
Counties	Montgomery, Harris
Established	1974
Area
• Census-designated place and special-purpose district	43.9 sq mi (113.6 km2)
• Land	43.3 sq mi (112.1 km2)
• Water	0.6 sq mi (1.5 km2)
Elevation	160 ft (50 m)
Population  (2020)
• Census-designated place and special-purpose district	114,436
• Estimate  (2021)	119,000
• Density	2,644/sq mi (1,020.8/km2)
• Urban	402,454 (US: 103rd)
• Urban density	1,836.5/sq mi (709.1/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Area code(s)	281/346/713/832/936
FIPS code	48-72656
GNIS feature ID	1867568

The Woodlands is a special community in Texas, USA. It's known as a "census-designated place" (CDP), which means it's an area defined by the government for counting people. It's also a "special-purpose district," which is like a local government that provides services to its residents.

The Woodlands is mostly in Montgomery County. A smaller part is in Harris County. It's part of the larger Houston area. The Woodlands Township manages the community. It has an elected board that helps run things. In 2020, about 114,436 people lived here.

This community is about 28 miles (45 km) north of Houston along Interstate 45. It started as a place where people lived and commuted to work in Houston. But now, many big companies have offices here too. Some of these include Occidental Petroleum and Chevron Phillips Chemical. The Woodlands even won a special award in 1994 for being an excellent planned community.

History of The Woodlands

How The Woodlands Started

Long ago, the area where The Woodlands now stands was home to the Akokisa and Bidai peoples. They used the fresh water from Spring Creek. In 1984, during construction, people found old tools and items from the Bidai people near the creek.

The idea for The Woodlands came from an oil investor named George P. Mitchell. He learned about building new towns from a company that created Columbia, Maryland. Mitchell officially started The Woodlands in 1974. He wanted it to have a conference center, hotels, offices, shops, schools, and golf courses. He also planned for different types of homes, from affordable to very large.

The land used to be a lumber mill. That's why some neighborhoods are named Grogan's Mill and Cochran's Crossing. The original plan for The Woodlands focused on protecting nature. It followed ideas from a famous landscape architect, Ian McHarg.

Over the years, The Woodlands changed owners several times. In 1997, a group including Morgan Stanley bought it. Later, The Rouse Company and General Growth Properties owned it. In 2011, The Howard Hughes Development Corporation bought The Woodlands.

Becoming a City?

George P. Mitchell first thought The Woodlands would become part of Houston. But as the community grew, many residents didn't want that. They wanted to create their own independent city government.

In 2007, new laws were passed to help The Woodlands. These laws allowed the community to expand its services and collect sales tax. They also made it possible for The Woodlands to become an independent city by 2057.

However, in 2021, residents voted on whether to become an official city. They decided against it by a large margin. So, for now, The Woodlands remains a township.

Geography and Nature

Map of The Woodlands in 2000

The Woodlands is mostly in Montgomery County. A small part is in Harris County, right next to Houston. The total area is about 43.8 square miles (113.6 square kilometers). Most of this is land, with a small amount of water.

The Woodlands is in a very forested area. Many trees have been kept to provide shade and beauty. The land is mostly flat, but there are some small hills. These hills range from 125 to 175 feet (38 to 53 meters) above sea level.

Villages of The Woodlands

The Woodlands is divided into eight main areas called "villages." Each village has its own parks, walking and biking trails, golf courses, shops, and homes.

The Town Center is a special area with lots of shopping, restaurants, and offices. It also has The Woodlands Waterway, which looks like the San Antonio River Walk. The Research Forest area has a park-and-ride facility and The Woodlands Township Town Hall.

The eight villages are:

• Alden Bridge
• Cochran's Crossing
• College Park
• Creekside Park
• Grogan's Mill
• Indian Springs
• Panther Creek
• Sterling Ridge

Climate and Weather

The Woodlands has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot, humid summers and mild winters. In winter, daily highs are around 60°F (15°C). Summer daily highs average 94°F (34°C).

Parks and Green Spaces

The Woodlands has 151 parks! Every resident lives within a ten-minute walk of a park.

The areas around Spring Creek are protected as part of the George Mitchell Nature Preserve. This preserve is part of the larger Spring Creek Greenway. It's known as the "longest, connected, urban forested corridor in the nation."

The northern part of The Woodlands is next to the W. Goodrich Jones State Forest. This forest is managed by the Texas A&M Forest Service. It's an important home for the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker.

People and Community

The Woodlands first appeared as a census-designated place in the 1980 U.S. Census.

Population Growth

In 2010, about 93,847 people lived in The Woodlands. By 2020, the population grew to 114,436 people. In 2021, it was estimated that about 119,000 people lived there.

The community is made up of people from many different backgrounds. In 2020, the population was about 77.3% white, 4.2% Black, 0.1% Native American, 6.7% Asian, and 9.1% people of two or more races. About 17.9% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

The number of Hispanic or Latino students in schools in The Woodlands has grown. There's even a Spanish-language magazine called Viva! The Woodlands Magazine. Many churches in the area also offer services in Spanish.

Religion in The Woodlands

As of 2016, The Woodlands had almost 50 places of worship. Most people in the community are Christian.

• The Woodlands United Methodist Church is very large, with about 13,000 members in 2018.
• Woodlands Church, started in 1993, opened its main building in 2001.
• There are two Catholic churches: Saints Simon and Jude Catholic Parish and St. Anthony of Padua. St. Anthony of Padua also has a school.
• For Jewish residents, there are Congregation Beth Shalom and Chabad of The Woodlands. Chabad of The Woodlands organizes the annual Hanukkah on Market Street celebration.
• The number of Hindu families in The Woodlands has grown a lot. The Hindu Temple of The Woodlands opened around 2010.
• The Woodlands Islamic Center (Masjid al-Ansaar) was created in 2009.

Economy and Businesses

CB&I administrative headquarters

The Woodlands has become a major business center. By 2000, many new office buildings were being built. Over a third of all new office space in the Houston area was in The Woodlands.

In 1999, Anadarko Petroleum decided to build a large 32-story headquarters building here. It opened in 2002. In 2012, Anadarko built a second, similar tower next to it. This building, called Hackett Tower, is the tallest in Montgomery County.

Chicago Bridge & Iron (CB&I) also had its main office in The Woodlands. In 2018, another company bought CB&I and sold the headquarters building.

ExxonMobil built a huge new campus near The Woodlands. About 10,000 employees moved there starting in 2014.

Other companies based in The Woodlands include Woodforest National Bank, Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, McKesson Corporation, and Huntsman Corporation. Many wealthy Mexican families have also moved to The Woodlands and started businesses here.

Fun Things to Do

Market Street, a shopping center in The Woodlands.

The Woodlands offers many fun activities and cultural events:

• The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion is a large outdoor concert venue. The Houston Symphony performs there in the summer.
• The Woodlands Waterway is a beautiful path that goes from The Woodlands Mall to Lake Woodlands. It has lighted sidewalks, perfect for walks.
• Market Street is a popular shopping area. It has a movie theater, many shops, and restaurants.
• The Woodlands Mall is a big shopping center right next to the waterway and Market Street.
• Every April, The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival takes place. It features 220 artists from around the world.
• The Woodlands Concert Band, started in 2001, performs at local events. It includes both amateur and professional musicians.

Each village in The Woodlands also has its own shopping center.

Education and Schools

A bridge leading through the forest in The Woodlands

Most students in The Woodlands attend schools in the Conroe Independent School District. Some students in the May Valley neighborhood go to schools in the Magnolia Independent School District. Children in the Creekside Park Village, which is in Harris County, attend schools in the Tomball Independent School District.

The Montgomery County Memorial Library System has two libraries in The Woodlands: the South Branch and the George and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Library. Many schools in The Woodlands are considered "exemplary," which is the highest school rating in Texas.

Public Schools

• The Woodlands High School (TWHS) serves the western part of The Woodlands. In 2012, Newsweek ranked it among America's Best High Schools.
• The Woodlands College Park High School opened in 2005. It serves the eastern part of The Woodlands. It was also ranked highly by Newsweek in 2012. College Park High School is also home to a special science and technology program.
• Students in May Valley attend Magnolia High School.
• Students in the Harris County part attend Tomball High School.

Junior High Schools

• In Montgomery County: Knox Junior High School, McCullough Junior High School
• In Harris County: Creekside Park Junior High School

Private Schools

Many private schools in The Woodlands have expanded recently due to the growing population.

• The John Cooper School
• The Woodlands Preparatory School
• The Woodlands Christian Academy
• St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School (Kindergarten to 8th grade)

The closest Catholic high school is Frassati Catholic High School. It was planned to serve students from The Woodlands.

The British International School of Houston offers a school bus service to The Woodlands.

Colleges and Universities

• Lone Star College has a campus here. Its main office is also located in The Woodlands.
• Sam Houston State University has a center in The Woodlands.
• Our Lady of the Lake University, a private university, moved its Houston campus to The Woodlands in 2011.

Transportation

Law enforcement in Montgomery County is handled by the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office. The Harris County part is covered by Harris County Constable Precinct #4.

The Woodlands Township offers two transportation services:

• The Woodlands Express provides bus service for people commuting to downtown Houston, the Texas Medical Center, and Greenway Plaza. It uses three park-and-ride lots in The Woodlands.
• The Town Center Trolley is a free daily service that helps people get around the Town Center area.

Notable People

See also

In Spanish: The Woodlands (Texas) para niños