Highlands

History

The community was named Highlands because the east bank of the San Jacinto River, where Highlands is located, has a higher elevation than the west bank of the river. By 1908, Highlands became a station on the Beaumont, Sour Lake and Western Railway. A post office opened in 1929. Highlands incorporated in 1930, but its charter was voided, leaving Highlands as unincorporated again. In the 1930s, Highlands had 20 businesses and its population decreased from 350 to 200. The 1936 Harris County highway map indicated two churches, a factory, a school, and a sawmill in Highlands. Highlands housed military members and war plant personnel during World War II. By 1948, Highlands had 3,000 residents and 75 businesses. In the 1950s, local business decreased and the population decreased to 2,723. A 1956 attempt for Highlands to incorporate did not pass. In the 1960s, Highlands had a canning sales company and an industrial chemical company. In the early 1960s, Highlands had 4,336 residents and 82 businesses. In 1965, W. O. Hutson built the Double Trouble Youth Rodeo Arena. In the early 1970s, Highlands had 3,462 residents and 66 businesses. By 1977, Highlands had 5,000 residents; in 1989 Highlands reported the same population. In 1990, Highlands had an estimated population of 6,632.

Geography

Highlands is located at (29.816803, -95.059362). According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , of which is land and , or 25.18%, is water. Highlands is located on the banks of the San Jacinto River and the Houston Ship Channel. The majority of the land in Highlands is on a high river bank. The historic Lynchburg Ferry is nearby.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Great Egret

  Ardea alba Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  6,054
• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  5,810
• Northern Mockingbird

  Mimus polyglottos (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  5,279
• Great Blue/Cocoi Heron

  Ardea herodias Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  4,871
• White Ibis

  Eudocimus albus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  4,838
• Snowy Egret

  Egretta thula (Molina, 1782) · Aves
  4,621
• Laughing Gull

  Leucophaeus atricilla (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  4,509
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  4,504

Largest nearby schools

• NORTH SHORE SENIOR HIGH
  High · HOUSTON · 4,569 students · 15.4:1 ratio
• DEER PARK H S
  High · DEER PARK · 4,026 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
• LEE H S
  High · BAYTOWN · 1,845 students · 14:1 ratio