Barrett

History

Located south of Crosby and the present-day Highway 90, Barrett's Settlement was founded by Harrison Barrett (1845–1917) and has been registered in the Texas Family Land Heritage as Texas Century Farm. Born into slavery, Barrett was the son of Simon and Lisa Barrett, who came to Texas from Louisiana. Following the emancipation of enslaved persons in Texas in 1865, Barrett spent several years gathering his family together. He eventually found all of them except one sister, and they settled on land east of the San Jacinto River. He purchased this land in 1889 and began a community that later would be known as Barrett's Settlement. Beginning with seven houses, the community grew to include additional homes, farms, and businesses. Barrett established a school, church, and cemetery. After a post office station was opened there in 1947, the area became known as Barrett Station. Harrison Barrett's homestead, twice rebuilt by his descendants, stands on its original location.

Geography

Barrett is located in eastern Harris County at (29.871849, -95.062065). U.S. Route 90 (Crosby Freeway) passes through the northwestern part of the community, with access from two exits. US 90 leads southwest to downtown Houston and northeast to Dayton. According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , of which are land and , or 3.42%, are water. The CDP boundary extends west to the San Jacinto River, one of the main tributaries of Galveston Bay.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  5,720
• Great Egret

  Ardea alba Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  5,670
• Northern Mockingbird

  Mimus polyglottos (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  4,969
• White Ibis

  Eudocimus albus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  4,632
• Great Blue/Cocoi Heron

  Ardea herodias Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  4,398
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  4,348
• Snowy Egret

  Egretta thula (Molina, 1782) · Aves
  4,180
• Little Blue Heron

  Egretta caerulea (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  4,011

Largest nearby schools

• NORTH SHORE SENIOR HIGH
  High · HOUSTON · 4,569 students · 15.4:1 ratio
• C E KING H S
  High · HOUSTON · 3,473 students · 17.7:1 ratio
• CHANNELVIEW H S
  High · CHANNELVIEW · 2,893 students · 19:1 ratio
• GOOSE CREEK MEMORIAL
  High · BAYTOWN · 2,223 students · 14.8:1 ratio
• STERLING H S
  High · BAYTOWN · 2,098 students · 14.3:1 ratio
• CROSBY H S
  High · CROSBY · 1,937 students · 16.7:1 ratio
• CROSBY MIDDLE
  Middle · CROSBY · 1,549 students · 17.4:1 ratio
• C E KING MIDDLE
  Middle · HOUSTON · 1,311 students · 16.8:1 ratio