Harris County is located in the southeast part of East Texas, and is one of the most populous counties in Texas. The Texas Legislature established Harrisburg County on December 22, 1836. The county voted to change the name to Harris in 1839, after John R. Harris. The cultural makeup of the county originally consisted of Southerners from other states, Germans and French, and Spaniards and slaves. The agricultural infrastructure consists of soybeans, vegetables, and corn. Animal production includes hogs, poultry, cattle, and horses.
Anthropological research suggests the emergence of civilization more than 6,000 years ago. The presence of Anglo-Europeans was minimal despite the fact that the land encompassing Harris County existed as a territory of the Spanish government. After the conclusion of the Mexican-American War, the economy recovered through the steam ships and railroads, which increased production of cotton and sugar. This income supported the county through the Civil War.
After the Civil War, Harris County evolved from an agriculture economy into a manufacturing and industrial economy. Railroads and steamships supported the production of agricultural items, and the oil industry increased the economy ten-fold during the early twentieth century up through the 1930s. Japanese migrants came to the Houston and established a vibrant rice-producing economy that boosted the county's infrastructure. The Harris County Navigation Districts established stockyards and seaports, making Houston one of the most populous cities in the United States. The oil boom of the 1930s-1940s helped Houston pull through the Great Depression, and made Harris County very rich.
Museum/Historic Site
- Battleship Texas State Historic Site
- Bay Area Museum
- Baytown Historical Museum
- Caddo Lake State Park
- Houston Fire Museum
- Houston Police Museum
- Humble Historical Museum
- Jesse H. Jones Park and Nature Center
- John P. McGovern Museum of Health & Medical Science
- Kleb's Farm Museum
- La Porte Bay Area Heritage Society
- Museum of American Architecture and Decorative Arts
- National Museum of Funeral History
- Pasadena Historical Museum
- Patrick's Cabin
- Pioneer Memorial Log House Museum
- San Jacinto Museum of History
- Space Center Houston
- Spring Historical Museum
- Sylvan Beach Depot
- Tomball Community Museum Center and Farm Museum
Genealogy
- Albert Sidney Johnston Chapter Camp #67, SCV
- Alexander Love Chapter, DAR
- Ann Poage Chapter, DAR
- Ashbel Smith Chapter, No. 46, SRT
- Bay Area Genealogical Society
- Baytown Genealogical Society
- Bear Creek Genealogical Society
- Buffalo Bayou Chapter, No. 2558, UDC
- Brazos Valley Chapter, DAR
- Chaparral Genealogical Society & Library
- Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research
- Dabney Goodwin Chapter 2201, UDC
- Dick Dowling Chapter, SCV Camp 1295
- George W. Rogers Chapter 2499, UDC
- Greater Houston Jewish Genealogical Society
- Harris County Genealogical Society
- Hispanic Genealogical Society
- Houston Genealogical Forum
- Humble Area Genealogical Society
- Jane Long Chapter, DAR
- James Hardage Lane I Chapter, DAR
- James Tull Chapter, DAR
- Jean B. Bavoux Chapter (No. 32), SRT
- Jefferson Davis Chapter 1637 District 1), UDC
- John McKnitt Alexander Chapter, DAR
- Lady Houston Chapter, DAR
- Lady Washington Chapter, DAR
- Lum-Roark Chapter 2243, UDC
- Magnolia Rangers Chapter 2544, UDC
- Oran M. Roberts Chapter 440, UDC
- Paul Carrington Chapter 5, SAR
- Polish Genealogical Society of Texas
- Piney Woods Chapter 51, SAR
- Robert E. Lee Chapter 186, UDC
- Robert Rankin Chapter 62, SAR
- Sam Houston Chapter, No. 38, SRT
- Sam Houston Chapter, DAR
- Samuel Sorrell Chapter, DAR
- San Jacinto Chapter, DRT
- San Jacinto Chapter (No. 01), SRT
- San Jacinto Chapter 2554, UDC
- Spring Creek Powder Mill Chapter 2511, UDC
- The Southern Cross Chapter 2502, UDC
- Star of Destiny Chapter, DAR
- Sugar Land Genealogical Society
- Southeast Texas Genealogical & Historical Society
- Tejas Chapter, DAR
- Texas Star Chapter, DRT
- Texas State Genealogical Society
- Varina Howell Davis Chapter 2143, UDC
- William Mosby Eastland Chapter 2609, UDC
Historical Association/Organization
- Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society of Texas
- Bay Area Heritage Society
- Bryan Texana Foundation
- Clear Lake Area Historical Society
- Czech Heritage Society of Texas
- Harris County Historical Society
- The Heritage Society
- Klein, Texas Historical Foundation
- Spring Creek County Historical Association
- Southern Historical Association
- Texas City Heritage Association
Library/Archive
- Albert and Ethel Herzstein Library
- Battleship Texas State Historic Park Archives
- Houston Public Library, Central Library
- Harris County Heritage Society Library
- San Jacinto Museum of History Association Library
- Texas Gulf Coast Historical Association Archives
- Woodson Research Center Fondren Library- MS44
Text: http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hch07 Handbook of Texas ONline, Texas State Historical Association.