FRIENDSWOOD

Located twenty miles south of Houston and twenty-seven miles north of Galveston, Friendswood is poised to enjoy everything that Houston, Galveston and its own Bay Area have to offer. Friendswood began in the 1890s when a colony of English Quakers purchased more than 1,500 acres from local land owner J. C. League. The Quakers initially settled close to Alvin but several of the families disapproved of the local customs, which included dancing, and moved to land drained by four creeks: Chigger, Coward’s, Mary’s and Clear. The off-shoot settlement was named Friendswood in honor of The Society of Friends.

A post office was established in 1899 and Friendswood Academy graduated its first class in 1907. Residents owned dairy and poultry farms, and grew oranges, strawberries, figs, and rice. Oil was discovered in the area during the 1930s. Friendswood was incorporated in 1960 and in 1962, the NASA Manned Spacecraft Center (now the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center) was established ten miles away.

Although impacted by Hurricane Ike in 2008, Friendswood has rebounded rapidly and continues to grow. Friendswood enjoys proximity to three major airports and the deep-water ports of Houston and Galveston. Within a thirty minute drive, residents can attend cultural, educational and recreational events. Ballet, opera, theaters, orchestras, museums, NASA, amusements parks, observatories, zoos, major league sports of every kind, and the beach at Galveston are all conveniently available.

The city of Friendswood is known for its extraordinary demographics, including a highly educated, affluent resident base and an outstanding public school system served by the award-winning Friendswood and Clear Creek Independent School Districts. There are several community colleges, as well as quality four year universities and upper level graduate schools in close proximity. Predominant area employers include aerospace and defense, software and computing, biotechnology, computer equipment, electronics, communication services and the chemical industry.

Friendswood is a community whose residents enjoy the heavily wooded, suburban or semi-rural atmosphere. Some homes are positioned on several acre lots, while others occupy smaller subdivision-type lots or lots with frontage on the local creek. One subdivision offers a private airstrip. Choices abound with new master-planned and gated communities, resale homes in a variety of architectural styles, and several communities offering seniors the finest in independent and assisted living in Texas. New home prices average $324,000 and range from near $100,000 to the several millions.

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Visit Website: http://www.ci.friendswood.tx.us