West Columbia, Texas

West Columbia is a city in Brazoria County, Texas, United States. The city is centered on the intersection of Texas Highways 35 & 36, southwest of downtown Houston. The population was 3,644 at the 2020 census.

The 1st Congress of the Republic of Texas was convened in West Columbia on October 3, 1836. (It was then named simply Columbia.)

Geography

West Columbia is located in western Brazoria County at (29.141513, –95.647016), about west of the Brazos River. Texas State Highway 35 leads east to Angleton, the county seat, and southwest to Bay City. Texas Highway 36 leads north to Rosenberg and southeast to Freeport on the Gulf of Mexico.

According to the United States Census Bureau, West Columbia has a total area of , of which , or 0.67%, is water.

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2020 census

As of the 2020 census, West Columbia had a population of 3,644 people, 1,433 households, and 984 families residing in the city.

The median age was 38.0 years. 23.6% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.6% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 95.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 89.9 males.

There were 1,433 households in West Columbia, of which 33.8% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 44.6% were married-couple households, 16.8% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 32.7% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 28.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

! Race !! Number !! Percent

| White || 2,245 || 61.6%

| Black or African American || 575 || 15.8%

| American Indian and Alaska Native || 47 || 1.3%

| Asian || 19 || 0.5%

| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 0 || 0.0%

| Some other race || 356 || 9.8%

| Two or more races || 402 || 11.0%

| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) || 902 || 24.8%

2000 census

As of the census The town hosted the First Congress of the Republic of Texas when Sam Houston became president on October 22, 1836. The House of Representatives and Senate each met in private homes. The First Congress voted to move the capital to Houston on November 30 because Columbia lacked living quarters for government officials. On December 27, 1836, Stephen F. Austin died at the home of George B. McKinstry in Columbia.

The town, which became known as West Columbia, saw its commerce decline after the government moved away. A post office was set up in 1905. When oil was discovered in the West Columbia oil field in 1918, the town became a center for cotton, oil, rice and sulphur. By 1928, the town's population rose to 2,500, but the ill-effects of the Great Depression caused the number of residents to fall to about 1,000. In 1940 there were 1,573 persons living in West Columbia and 50 businesses. During the 1950s, the population increased to 2,100. By the 1960s big oil companies had a considerable presence near town and the area boasted the most cattle in the state. In 1960 West Columbia had 2,947 residents, in 1970 it had 3,335 and in 1990 it had 4,372. In the next two decades the population dipped slightly. Varner-Hogg Plantation State Historic Site is near West Columbia.

File:West Columbia TX High School.jpg|Columbia High School at 520 S. 16th St.

File:West Columbia TX Elem School.jpg|West Columbia Elementary School at 711 Gray St.

File:W Columbia TX Library.jpg|West Columbia Public Library at 518 E. Brazos Ave.

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Health services

West Columbia is served by Central EMS. There is not a hospital within the city limits. However, Sweeny Community Hospital, Brazosport Regional, Angleton-Danbury Medical Center and Matagorda Regional are all within a 30-mile radius.

Notes

References

External links

A photo album of West Columbia
Columbia Archives
First Capitol Replica