Other Notable Communities
The historic Houston Heights, near downtown, has the highest point of elevation in the city. Like the smaller Woodland Heights neighborhood just to its east, it was originally a separate, independent suburb connected to Houston by streetcar. It was incorporated in 1891 and consolidated into the city of Houston in 1919. Even today it retains a ban on liquor sales and is a popular area for antique shopping. Like the neighboring Neartown, Houston Heights has long been a popular place for the artistic and gay and lesbian communities to live. Like other neighborhoods, the Heights has been experiencing gentrification pressures as the inner-loop grows, but residents concerned with historic preservation have resisted through the use of deed restrictions. Many of the Heights' Victorian houses and Craftsman bungalows are in high demand, especially those that have been remodeled. The Houston Heights is also home to the ArtCar Museum, a tourist attraction.
River Oaks is the city's most affluent area, often compared to Beverly Hills. Beyond Houston, it is the wealthiest neighborhood in the entire state and is home to many celebrities and political figures. Situated as it is between downtown and Uptown, River Oaks is a collection of mansions in a sea of high-rise apartments and lofts. Near and partially blending into River Oaks, the areas of Highland Village and Upper Kirby are home to many high-end shopping and dining venues.
To the west is the Memorial Area. The zip code for Memorial (77024) is the sixth wealthiest in Texas . It contains the largest of a series of affluent municipalities separate from but surrounded by the city of Houston, known as the Villages, which include Hedwig Village, Bunker Hill Village, Hunters Creek Village, Piney Point Village, Hilshire Village, and Spring Valley Village.
Clear Lake City is a master-planned community located in southeast Houston. It is home to the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, the University of Houston–Clear Lake and a very large upper-middle class Asian American community. The area was annexed into the city of Houston in 1979. League City, just south of this area, is home to a few water-side resorts.
To the northeast is the 14,000 acres (57 km2) master-planned community of Kingwood, which was annexed by the city of Houston in 1996. Kingwood is the largest master-planned community in Harris County.
Read more about this topic: Geographic Areas Of Houston
Famous quotes containing the words notable and/or communities:
“a notable prince that was called King John;
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—Unknown. King John and the Abbot of Canterbury (l. 2–4)
“Culture is the name for what people are interested in, their thoughts, their models, the books they read and the speeches they hear, their table-talk, gossip, controversies, historical sense and scientific training, the values they appreciate, the quality of life they admire. All communities have a culture. It is the climate of their civilization.”
—Walter Lippmann (1889–1974)