Texas City’s post office opened in 1893, and 3 of its places are on the National Register
More historic than 38% of U.S. towns · #188 of 642 in Texas State. What drives it
Most of Texas City was built recently: 2% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1984. 3 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 5 buildings. Below: 6 old photos and papers, maps from 1912 on, and the census since 1920.
The Texas City post office opened in 1893, the earliest record of the town by name. Wikidata gives 1911. Two smaller post offices, Virginia Point (1875) and Shoal Point (1878), opened inside today’s city and later closed.
First census: 2,509 in 19202020 census: 51,898133 years
How historic is Texas City?
C+
More historic than 38% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
Founding year: the first Texas City post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Wikidata: 1911.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Texas City’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Texas City is more historic than 38% of U.S. towns, #188 of 642 in Texas State. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
C+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Texas City’s overall grade.
Few Texas State towns list much on the Register (a typical Texas State town has 0.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Texas City’s 1.6 sits above most of its state (74% of Texas State towns have fewer) while its 9 historic buildings outnumber those of 75% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C− to B. The pre-1940 share (±0.7 points) is firm at this size. The founding year is the first post office, not a stated founding date; Wikidata gives 1911.
Founding year: the first post office (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Texas City’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Three duck hunters in 1891 noted that a location along Galveston Bay, known locally as Shoal Point, had the potential to become a major port. Shoal Point had existed since the 1830s, when veterans of the Texas Revolution (1835–1836) were awarded land for their services. The name was applied to the community when a post office opened in 1878. The duck hunters were Benjamin, Henry, and Jacob Myers, three brothers from Duluth, Minnesota. After they returned to Duluth, they formed the Myers Brothers syndicate and convinced other investors to put up money to buy 10,000 acres (4,000 hectares) of Galveston Bay frontage, including Shoal Point. They renamed the area Texas City.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Texas City. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1929Texas City sheet · 1:24,000
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Texas City.
Every building
Texas City, building by building, 1912–1920
Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.
The Texas City post office opened in 1893, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records). Wikidata gives 1911.
How does Texas City rank for history?
Texas City is more historic than 38% of U.S. towns, #188 of 642 in Texas State. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Texas City?
Three places: the Frank B. Davison House (listed 1976), the Col. Hugh B. and Helen Moore House (1994) and the Settlement Historic District (2010).
How old are the homes in Texas City?
2% of Texas City’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate), against a typical 1.6% for a Texas State town; the median home was built in 1984.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (6), the National Register of Historic Places (3), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
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