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Houston History continued...
The city of Houston was founded in 1836 by two brothers who were real estate brokers. John and Augustus Allen paid $1.40 per acre for 6,642 acres of land near the Buffalo Bayou. The city is named after General Sam Houston, who, along with the Texas Army, won independence from Mexico. Within a year of its foundation, Houston was the capital of the Texas Republic. It remained the capital until 1840, when the capital was moved to Austin. The republic itself, however, was short-lived as Texas was admitted to the Union in 1845. In 1901, oil was discovered near Houston in Beaumont. This led to an oil boom for the city of Houston. By the time of the Depression, there were 40 oil companies operating in Houston. In 1914, the Houston Ship Channel opened. The channel linked Houston to the Gulf of Mexico, causing Houston to become one of the nation's busiest port cities. Then, in 1961, Houston was chosen as the headquarters of NASA.
Houston is the home to many fine educational institutions. Among them are: Texas Southern University, the University of Houston, the University of St. Thomas and Rice University. Probably the most famous attraction in Houston is the headquarters of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration or NASA. After all, it is where the city gets its most famous nickname. It was opened in 1961 as NASA's primary site for the design and development and testing of spacecraft for human flight. The headquarters is also the base for Mission Control and many astronauts receive their training there. At NASA's Johnson Space Center, a visitor can touch moon rocks, try the food that astronauts eat and explore the future of manned space flight.
Houston is a city that has a variety of cultural entertainment activities. For example, Houston is one of only five cities in the United States that sustains all of the major performing arts with resident troupes. Its seventeen block downtown theater district accommodates permanent ballet, orchestra, opera and theatrical companies. The seating capacity of the theater district is second in the United States, only to that of New York City. Houston also has a unique museum district. The district offers numerous museums and galleries. The Downtown Aquarium features a huge shark tank, dancing fountains, a diving bell, a ferris wheel, an aquatic carousel, arcades and train rides.
If it is excitement that you're looking for, Houston has plenty. The Texas Aces, located at Hooks Memorial Airport, provide spectators with the thrill of mock dogfights. For a fee of $700, wannabe pilots can take a ride in a propeller-driven plane to shoot at other planes with laser guns. The company provides the pilot and flight gear, not to mention the excitement! If you're looking for thrill rides, Six Flags AstroWorld offers 33 spectacular rides, including 9 roller coasters! At Six Flags Splashtown, thrill-seekers can enjoy dozens of water adventures and acres of incredible rides, slides, chutes and pools.
Houston is the home to many professional sports teams. The Houston Astros of Major League Baseball, the Houston Rockets of the NBA and the Houston Texans of the NFL, all make their homes in the city.
With all of this, and the fact that Houston has 430 municipal parks and 165 golf courses, Houston is truly a city that has it all.
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