Happy birthday, Houston! 5 things every Houstonian should know

HOUSTON – Happy birthday, Houston!

Houston celebrates 182 years since it was founded by brothers Augustus Chapman Allen and John Kirby Allen in 1836 where Buffalo Bayou meets White Oak Bayou.

Here are 5 things every Houstonian should know about Houston:

1. Why the city is named Houston: It is named after former general Sam Houston. Houston is known for leading trooops to victory at the Battle of Jacinto, securing Texas' independence from Mexico. Houston also served as president of the Republic of Texas, twice. Later he was U.S. senator and eventually governor of Texas.

2. The oldest existing building is the Kellum-Noble House: It was built in 1847 after Houston was founded.

3. Houston was temporarily the capital of Texas: During the period of the Republic of Texas, the capital moved to different cities. Then Republic of Texas governor Sam Houston moved the capital to Houston in 1837. In 1839 when Austin was the capital, Houston ordered the government moved to the city bearing his name, fearing attack from Mexican troops. According to texasalmanac.com, the archives never made it, and Austin regained its status in 1844.

4. Houston spiked in growth after Galveston’s 1900 hurricane: The population of Houston nearly doubled between 1900-1910, as the economy rose. In 1909 the Port of Houston was created, with the idea it would better serve the region after the 1900 Galveston Hurricane.

5. More than 145 different languages are spoken in Houston: It only trails Los Angeles and New York. English and Spanish are most widely spoken, but you can hear people speaking Chinese, German, Vietnamese and many more languages.

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