General Information , Location , Services , Recreation , Conveniences , Climate , Events , Heritage , Population , Geography , Demographics , Education , Historical Markers Click on one of the links above to go directly to that section.

Hitchcock, at the gateway to the Golden Gulf Coast, is an ideal location for easy access to retail and industrial centers, recreation, educational and medical facilities. This serene residential community is a great place to raise a family or to enjoy a tranquil retirement. Serving the citizens are an excellent library, an outstanding volunteer fire department, an efficient police department and dedicated public officials.

Highland Bayou and the Diversionary Canal both flow through the city; the Bayou to Jones Lake and the Canal to Galveston Bay. A public boat ramp in town provides access to the Diversionary Canal. As the waterways meander to the open waters, they pass the popular resort community of Bayou Vista and the exclusive waterfront development of Harborwalk. In the city limits of Hitchcock, Harborwalk is a gated, master planned community on West Galveston Bay offering easy access to the Intracoastal Waterway. This 850 acre luxury development plans for 550 plus home sites, a marina, a beach club, restaurant and boat slips.

Location - Located on State Highway 6 just south of Interstate 45, Hitchcock is only 20 minutes from Galveston and approximately 35 minutes from Houston. Hitchcock's strategic location, which encompasses 71 square miles, makes it the hub of the Greater Gulf Coast area, an asset that offers unlimited potential for future growth. Major shopping malls, hospitals, colleges and recreational facilities are only minutes away.

Ample waterfront property is open for residential and commercial expansion. An active local 4A Industrial Development Corporation (HIDC) offers its assistance to developers in securing municipal services and issues bonds for construction of new businesses.

Services - The city's population of 7,000 people are served by CenterPoint Energy, ComCast and Verizon. A well-equipped, well-trained volunteer fire department keeps insurance rates low for Hitchcock residents. Because Hitchcock is rated as a First Key City, businesses benefit from an additional 25% good credit rating on their insurance. The department has modern equipment including four pumpers, one of which is a 1,100 GPM pumper and a ladder truck.

Recreation - The Highland Bayou Diversionary Canal connects the West Bay to Highland Bayou. The five mile long canal meanders through town through Jack Brooks Park and past the City Park. This body of water offers a number of recreational possibilities such as camping, fishing, swimming and skiing.

Conveniences - Within the city limits are many conveniences including a medical clinic and a dental office. There are several eating spots - a Mexican restaurant, a barbecue diner, a seafood restaurant, two waterfront cafes and two fast food franchises. Within a few miles are numerous restaurants and fast food servers. A local shopping center provides a supermarket, a laundromat, a variety store and a beauty shop. Also in town are a modern library, a historical museum, two banks, a post office, a flower shop, another variety store, a video rental store, a specialty gift store, several service stations, two auto repair shops, two car washes, real estate offices, a law office and an engineering firm. Churches in town represent several major denominations.

Climate - Local climate conditions reflect the general coastal location - a warm semi-tropical sun, ideal any time of the year for almost any outdoor activity. Summer average temperature is in the 80's and winter average is in the 50's. Rainfall average is 41.81 inches; elevation, 16'.

Events - Community spirit is evident in the volunteer activities that fill up the calendar. Community-minded residents spend untold hours of their time coaching Little League Baseball and Football, sponsoring a 4-H Club, protecting their neighbors from fire, volunteering at the Senior Center and at various charities. The Hitchcock Chamber of Commerce, an organization of volunteers, sponsors a city wide Easter Egg Hunt, a Teacher Appreciation reception, a Christmas celebration with a lighted parade and a scholarship award as well as the annual Good Ole Days Celebration. For more than 35 years, the Good Ole Days Festival has been an August tradition when friends and families get together for a great weekend of wholesome entertainment. Highlights of the event include a BBQ Cook-Off, a huge parade, Miss Good Ole Days pageants for all ages, a carnival and continuous entertainment. Lots of good food to eat and arts and crafts booths to shop make for a great outing in a beautiful wooded setting on Highway 6. 

The people of Hitchcock are warm and friendly, and newcomers and visitors are always welcome.

Heritage - Hitchcock's history and heritage is about as colorful as most "Old West" tales. One of the oldest communities in Galveston County, the original settlement on Highland Bayou began in the 1820's when French settlers came to the area. Stories of pirates, buried treasure and gambling include the area of Hitchcock as an inland spot of activity.

In 1878, as a gift of loving memory, Mrs. L.M. Hitchcock gave land to the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad if they would agree to name the town after her deceased husband, Lent M. Hitchcock (who, by the way, never lived in Hitchcock). The donated site was two blocks long - there stood a depot and side tracks for the railroad.

Originally an important agricultural center, Hitchcock has a rich history. During World War II, it became a vital military center. The town was the site of the U. S. Naval Air Station, also known as the Blimp Base, and the U. S. Army facility, Camp Wallace, now the site of Jack Brooks park. Ruins of the Blimp Base still stand and the area is denoted by a Texas Historical Marker on Highway 6. Two other state historical markers honor Camp Wallace and the Stringfellow Home, which was the site of vast pear orchards that were planted by H.M. Stringfellow, a noted horticulturist.

The Genevieve Miller Hitchcock Public Library and the Hitchcock Heritage Museum are connected by the Gordon and Ursula Latimer Park. The library, built with citizens' donations, is one of the finest in the area with historical displays and information. The library archives and museum exhibits depict the colorful local history.

Population
Hitchcock is a city in Galveston County, Texas, United States.
The population was 6,386 at the 2000 census.

Geography
Hitchcock is located at 29°20'19"N, 95°0'39"W (29.338715, -95.010861)GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 238.3 km² (92.0 mi²). 172.1 km² (66.5 mi²) of it is land and 66.2 km² (25.5 mi²) of it (27.77%) is water.

Demographics
As of the census GR2 of 2000, there were 6,386 people, 2,434 households, and 1,737 families residing in the city. The population density was 37.1/km² (96.1/mi²). There were 2,754 housing units at an average density of 16.0/km² (41.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 59.96% White, 32.81% African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.16% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 4.76% from other races, and 2.00% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.73% of the population.

There were 2,434 households out of which 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.7% were married couples living together, 17.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.6% were non-families. 25.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.14.

In the city the population was spread out with 27.7% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 92.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,848, and the median income for a family was $35,013. Males had a median income of $31,098 versus $22,340 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,964. About 16.3% of families and 19.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.3% of those under age 18 and 15.8% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Most of the city of Hitchcock is served by the Hitchcock Independent School District.

Some of Hitchcock is served by the Santa Fe Independent School District.
All of Hitchcock is served by the College of the Mainland.

Our Lady of Lourdes School, a Roman Catholic elementary school operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, is in Hitchcock .

Historical Markers

City of Hitchcock - In a region held by Karankawa Indians before the 1820s and afterwards by cattle raisers, the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe railway built through the area in the 1870s naming the station for Galveston civic leader and late landowner, Lent Munson Hitchcock (1810 - 1869). On the railway, George Henckel in the 1880s opened a produce commission house. Leaders among fruit and vegetable growers included Emil and Hypolite Perthius, H.M. Stringfellow and Jacques Tacquard. Stores, a butcher shop, bakery, hotel and saloons were established. The townsite was platted in and a public school opened in 1894. 

Churches were active. St. Mary's (later Our Lady of Lourdes) Catholic Parish had the first house of worship (designed by Galveston architect Nicholas Clayton). A building for protestants, a Methodist Church, was erected in 1894. Other faiths arrived later. 

After 1920, truck farming declined and packing houses closed. In the 1930s, local men found work in Texas City. 

A coast auxiliary Army replacement center opened here in 1940, later becoming Camp Wallace, an anti-aircraft training center. A blimp base was operated between 1941 and 1945 for surveillance against enemy submarines. 

Hitchcock remains a center of small business and industry, with modern homes on garden acreage owned and occupied by urban and industrial workers.
http://www.pbs.org/opb/conquistadors/namerica/adventure1/b2.htm

Camp Wallace
Camp Wallace was located at the present site of Jack Brooks Park in Hitchcock. It was an Army Basic Training Camp that was completed on June 1, 1941. There were 399 buildings. From 1941 to 1946 thousands of young men received training in the military skills that they would need to survive and win in World War Two. The camp served as an Army Basic Training Camp and later as a Naval Separation Center. If you would like more information about the camp, please call the library at 409-986-7814.

N.A.S. Hitchcock Blimp Base - A United States Naval Air Station existed in Hitchcock during World War II. It was commissioned on May 22, 1943 and was closed on October 18, 1944. It was located in Hitchcock because of Hitchcock's proximity to the Gulf of Mexico where submarine squadrons called "wolf packs" from Germany's Navy were believed to be lurking. The blimp hanger was 1000 feet long, 300 feet wide and over 200 feet high. The hangar was torn down after hurricane Carla struck nearby in 1961. The four massive pillars remain and have been a local landmark for years.

Stringfellow Place - Nationally and internationally recognized horticulturalist Henry Martyn Stringfellow (1839 - 1922) started an experimental garden and orchard at this location in 1883. In 1890 he published a treatise containing innovative organic gardening methods that were adopted by Japanese, German, and many American fruit and vegetable growers. Silver medals garnered at two world fairs and world-wide acclaim for additional publications solidified his stature as a premier experimental horticulturalist of his time. Vestiges of his handiwork were evident here over 100 years later.