By Char Schneider
If you have always lived in a large metropolitan area, where you have to search the “back 40” for the animals at the fair, you will love the great experience at …

By Char Schneider
We all know about the “Austin 300,” but how did Texas grow from there?  There were the oil strikes and the cattle drives, but it was the railroads that really made it all …

In the 1970s and early 1980s it was hard to drive up I-45 from Houston without seeing horses and livestock. However, the original covenants of The Woodlands precluded any livestock or horses in The Woodlands …

By Char Schneider
In Montgomery County there are many strange or unusual names of towns and communities. Some early settlements were named after the founder or someone close to the founder; others were named because of …

By Char Schneider
Where did the unusual names of towns in Montgomery County originate?  Many of these towns or communities have an interesting story behind their name. One such community is Tamina.  It is located on …

By Char Schneider
Let’s get out the lights and decorations! Where are we going to get the tree? When are all the parties? These are only some of the questions floating around at this time of …

By Char Schneider
It’s time once again for the Presidential Election. Where do we vote?  In 1980 there was no problem finding out where to vote because there was only one polling location in all of …

By Char Schneider
The discovery of oil in Montgomery County began a new phase of development. Even though it was the loblolly pine and short-leaf pine belt of Texas, sawmill activity and lumber production began to …

By Char Schneider
In the last half of the 1800s newspapers began to appear in some of the towns. Some of them were short-lived, while others still exist. Mail in the early years was delivered by …

By Char Schneider
When Montgomery County was created on Dec. 13, 1837 it became only the third county in the State of Texas. The original county included large parts of what are now Grimes, Walker, Waller, …

By Char Schneider
Did you know that once upon a time our county was much larger? On Dec. 14, 1837, Montgomery County became the third county in the State of Texas. It came into existence because …

By Char Schneider
Why are the malls closed?” “Why is this section of the grocery store roped off? I need nails and screws!”  These were some of the conversations heard throughout the South, including Texas, until …

By Char Schneider
Where can I buy my fabric and craft supplies?” This question would definitely have been asked by any of the early residents of The Woodlands who liked to sew, knit, crochet, or do …

By Char Schneider
In the 1970s and early 1980s it was hard to drive up I-45 from Houston without seeing horses and livestock. However, the original covenants of The Woodlands precluded any livestock or horses in …

By Char Schneider
What hometown community would be complete without art? The Woodlands has been home to outdoor art sculptures from the very beginning. In fact, for the size of our community, we have more outdoor …

By Char Schneider
One of our oldest traditions in The Woodlands is the setting out of luminarias at dusk on Christmas Eve. Because of the Hispanic influence throughout the Southwestern United States, luminarias have been a …

Harper’s Landing is one of two major neighborhoods in College Park.
By Char Schneider
Did you ever wonder how the villages got their names? Although some things in The Woodlands were given specific criteria for names, the …

The Tournament course was the home of the Houston Open for 17 years.
By Char Schneider
The cry of “Tournament Week” was heard yearly throughout The Woodlands for many years. Although the Houston Open golf …

 
Grocery stores were planned for each of the additional village centers as they opened.
As any master-planned community developer knows, you must have a grocery store in your plans and preferably in the early years.
Before The …

By Char Schneider
Any time families move, one of the major concerns is the schools. How far away are they? What are their ratings? How many graduates go on to higher learning? And the list goes …

By Char Schneider
It’s the Fourth of July and time to celebrate our country’s birth. But did The Woodlands always celebrate the way we do today? For the most part, yes. From at least the late …

By Char Schneider
It’s Sunday. Where should we go to church? In the early years of The Woodlands this very well may have been the question on Sunday mornings. Initially, the only churches in the area …

In the late 1970s, and early 1980s the question, “How do I get in and out of The Woodlands?” was a fairly simple question with a fairly simple answer. There were only two options: I-45, …

Built for both recreation and flood control, Lake Woodlands is the third largest body of water in Montgomery County. The lake covers 203 acres and is one-and-one-half miles long from north to south. From east …

Sometimes we take the public library for granted, but it was not always a convenience. Back in the 1930s a public library was a rarity. In 1934, a state-sponsored library demonstration office circulated books from …

Preschool and child care availability are pretty much taken for granted these days, but where did it all begin in The Woodlands? When The Wood­lands first opened in the mid-1970s, they advertised all of the …

We Woodlands residents love our golf, our beautiful courses, and the fact that in our short existence we’ve made history many times over by hosting the Hou­ston Shell Open.
The first Houston Open golf tournament, held …