Bacliff

History

Bacliff was established in 1910 by local landowners G.C. Perkins and W.Y. Fuqua as Clifton-by-the Sea. The area was developed as a seaside weekend resort, and included parks, hotels, summer homes, and a bathhouse and open air pavilion built on a pier over the water. Telephone service came to Clifton-by-the-Sea in 1913, and Grand Avenue (FM 646) became the main street. In 1933, Clifton-by-the-Sea was home to 50 residents and two businesses, and from 1940 to 1949 it was home to 100 residents and four businesses. "Gator" Miller, former publisher of the Seabreeze, said that in the 1950s the Galveston Daily News bought a large parcel of land and awarded free lots to subscribers; people who canceled subscriptions lost their homesites, which were given to other subscribers. In the 1970s and 1980s, there was a dispute over the valuation of the power plant between HL&P and the Dickinson Independent School District (DISD). In 1979 HL&P said the plant was worth $238 million but DISD's board of equalization said it was worth over $242 million. A legal dispute ensued between the two agencies. During the 1980s, three measures to incorporate the Bacliff area failed by wide margins. In April 1985, residents of Bacliff, Bayview, and San Leon considered an incorporation proposal to become the City of Bayshore. Judge Ray Holbrook signed an order for the election to take place on April 6, 1985, freeing the area, which had a population of 11,000, from the extraterritorial jurisdiction of League City and Texas City. Residents rejected the incorporation proposal. The vote was tallied with 1,268 against and 399 in favor. Proponents wanted a local police force and the ability to pass ordinances. Opponents said that the tax base was too small to support municipal services including police…

Geography

Bacliff is a Census class code U5, populated area. According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , of which is land and , or 5.85%, is water. Bacliff is east of League City, south of Kemah, northeast of Galveston, Most of the area is along the Galveston Bay, east of Texas State Highway 146. The Bacliff, San Leon, and Bayview communities form the "Bayshore" area.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  18,734
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  17,622
• Northern Mockingbird

  Mimus polyglottos (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  14,654
• Laughing Gull

  Leucophaeus atricilla (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  14,347
• Carolina Chickadee

  Poecile carolinensis (Audubon, 1834) · Aves
  13,787
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  12,548
• Great Egret

  Ardea alba Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  11,826
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  11,261

Largest nearby schools

• DICKINSON H S
  High · DICKINSON · 3,619 students · 16:1 ratio
• CLEAR SPRINGS H S
  High · LEAGUE CITY · 2,732 students · 17.9:1 ratio
• CLEAR FALLS H S
  High · LEAGUE CITY · 2,473 students · 17.4:1 ratio
• CLEAR CREEK H S
  High · LEAGUE CITY · 2,400 students · 16.1:1 ratio
• TEXAS CITY H S
  High · TEXAS CITY · 1,718 students · 14.7:1 ratio
• LEAGUE CITY INT
  Middle · LEAGUE CITY · 1,118 students · 17.5:1 ratio
• BAYSIDE INT
  Middle · LEAGUE CITY · 1,001 students · 17.9:1 ratio
• EUGENE 'GENE' KRANZ J H
  Middle · DICKINSON · 980 students · 12.6:1 ratio