Westfield, Texas facts for kids
Westfield is a community in Harris County, Texas, United States. It is located near Interstate 45 and the Union Pacific Railroad. Westfield is about 19 miles (30 km) north of Downtown Houston. It is an unincorporated community, which means it is not officially a city with its own local government.
History of Westfield
Westfield began its story in 1846. A German immigrant named Herman Tautenhahn built a general store near Cypress Station. The community of Westfield was officially established by 1876. It was named after Gadi F. West, who owned land along the International–Great Northern Railroad.
In 1873, a post office opened in Westfield. Herman Tautenhahn moved his store closer to the new rail line. Westfield's economy was based on shipping goods by train. People would load items like cattle, cotton, animal hides, and lumber onto freight cars. These goods came from local warehouses and cattle pens. Westfield shipped as much freight as the nearby town of Spring.
By 1890, about 200 people lived in Westfield. Most of them were from English-American and German-American backgrounds. The community had several businesses that made sorghum, which is a type of syrup. There were also three churches, three mills that processed grain and cotton, and one steam sawmill. Westfield also had its first school by this time. Some residents made barrels, farm tools, and furniture.
In 1905, Westfield grew because of workers from the nearby Humble oil field. The population increased a lot between 1925 and 1930, from 50 people to 450. However, during the Great Depression, the population dropped back down to 50.
During World War II, about 200 people lived in Westfield, and there were 10 businesses. After the war ended, the population went down to 125. By the 1950s, a new road called Farm to Market Road 1960 was built. In 1962, Tautenhahn's original store, now called Big T Shopping Center, moved to the intersection of F.M. 1960 and Interstate 45.
The number of people in Westfield stayed around the same after the war until the mid-1960s. Then, it increased to 275. From 1966 to 1990, the population remained at 275. During this time, the area had a maximum of 32 businesses. The local post office closed in 1972. The state of Texas did not record population numbers for Westfield in the year 2000.
Education in Westfield
Areas that are considered part of Westfield are served by the Spring Independent School District. Dekaney High School serves students from Westfield, as well as areas like "Greenspoint" and other parts of unincorporated Harris County.
Westfield had its first school by 1890. In 1905, there were two schools. One school for White children had 137 students and one teacher. The other school for Black children had 33 students and one teacher.
Community Colleges
The Lone Star College System provides college education for students in the Westfield area.
Public Libraries
The closest public library for the Westfield area is the Baldwin Boettcher Library. This library is part of the Harris County Public Library system and is located at Mercer Park. The library branch is about 10,137 square feet (941.8 square meters) in size and opened in 1986.
