Harris County

Harris County, originally Harrisburg County, is on the upper Texas coast, bounded by Waller, Montgomery, Liberty, Chambers, Galveston, Brazoria and Fort Bend Counties. Archaeological evidence indicates that humans have occupied parts of the Country for at least the last 6000 years. The area remained sparsely populated through the Spanish colonial era, and through Stephen F. Austin’s empresario grant, 33 families secured lands in the area. The First Texas Congress incorporated Harrisburg County in 1836 and named the new city of Houston as the capital of the Republic. The original boundaries extended as far south as Galveston Island until the boundaries changed to its present form in 1838. It was renamed Harris County in 1839 in honor of John R. Harris. The County initially attracted settlers from the southern US to farm its lands for cotton and sugar, then drew European immigrants, primarily German and French, who worked as merchants, artisans, and farmers. Population and industry grew as numerous railroads were built, then the expansion of the Ship Channel and the of the petrochemical industry led to massive growth of the County in the 20th century. Over 4 million people call the County home.