League City

League City is located near the Texas Gulf Coast 20 miles southeast of Houston in northern Galveston County and southernmost Harris County. The city is situated on the south shore of Clear Lake and enjoys direct access to Interstate Highway 45, the Gulf Freeway.

League City was settled on the former site of a Karankawa Indian village. Three families, the Butlers, Cowarts, and Perkins, are considered the founding families. The Cowart family settled on Cowart’s Creek (often called “Coward’s Creek”). The Perkins family settled on a creek notably lined with magnolia trees and named it Magnolia Bayou. The Butler family settled inland at the junction of Clear Creek and Chigger Bayou.

The area was known as Butler’s Ranch or Clear Creek until J. C. League acquired the land and laid out an official townsite along the Galveston, Houston, and Henderson Railroad line. A feud between Butler and League over League’s name for the new town, League City, ensued but in the end, League City was chosen.

In 1907, League had two railroad flatcars of live oak trees left by the railroad tracks for the residents to plant on their property. Butler and his son Milby supervised the planting of these trees, known as the Butler Oaks, and many still line Main Street today.

Although League City was impacted by Hurricane Ike in 2008, the city has rebounded rapidly and continues to grow. League City has a population of approximately 68,000 and encompasses an area of 55 square miles, making it the largest city in Galveston County. The city’s crime rate is low and economic growth is very strong. Local industries include: The Boeing Company, NASA, Johnson Space Center, and Dow Chemical. The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) has a mainland campus in League City.

The city is known for recreational activities, particularly as a haven for boating and fishing, and is home to several water-side resorts. Excursions are minutes away and include the Kemah Boardwalk, the high-tech adventure of NASA, Houston museums, and the beaches of Galveston Island.

The majority of students in League City attend schools in the Clear Creek Independent School District with the remainder attending Dickinson Independent School District and Santa Fe Independent School District schools. Two high schools service the area, Clear Creek High School and Clear Springs High School. College classes are offered by San Jacinto College and College of the Mainland.