Bridges and Sixteen bridges span the ship channel and smaller streams of the city, 10 of which are concrete; the largest, the Main street viaduct, was built in 1912, at a cost of $555,375. The park area of the city is over 800 acres, 409 acres having been donated in 1914 by Mr. G. H. Hermann.
Houston has exceptional edu cational facilities. It is the seat of the Rice Institute, the largest educational institution in the South, founded by the late William M. Rice in 1892 as a free coeducational institution of liberal and technical learning. The orig inal endowment of $5,000,000 has been increased to over $10,500,000, and it was opened for students in 1912. The property covers 100 acres; six of the proposed 33 buildings are completed. The city has, besides, 23 public schools — three of which are high schools for the whites and 12 (one high school) for col ored, with a combined building valuation of $1,415,050 and equipment valuation of $144,225. Saint Agnes Academy is the most important of several Catholic educational institutions, and there are a number of private schools. There are 34 churches of all denominations for whites, and 29 for colored, besides missions, chapels and numerous charitable institutions.
Government, In 1905 Houston adopted the commission form of government, vested in a mayor and four commissioners, chosen from the city at large every two years. The municipality owns and operates the water works which are abundantly supplied by arte sian wells. The city has a sinking fund of $1,452,315.94 in 1917. Its total expenses in 1916 amounted to $3,290,900, of which $551,380 was expended for schools ; $86,204 for the water department ; $178,068 for the fire department; $223,592 for the street and bridge department. In 1914 the area of the city was increased from 16 to 32 square miles. The total assessed valuation of lands, improvements and personal property was $143,000,000.
History.— Houston was settled shortly after the battle of San Jacinto, which was fought on 21 April 1836, within a few miles of its location it was named after Gen. Sam Hous ton (q.v.), was incorporated in 1837 and until 1840 was the seat of government for the re public of Texas. Pop. 153,192.