Houston is the most populous city in Texas and fourth most in the US. Brothers John and Augustus Allen created the town of Houston in 1836, claiming it would become a “great interior commercial emporium for Texas.” They named their town after Sam Houston, and the town served briefly as the Capital of Texas during Sam Houston’s first presidential term. Houston grew as a major agricultural and trade center through the 19th century, and the rise of industry, particularly oil, at the turn of and early 20th century led to an explosion of development throughout the city, making it the largest in Texas by 1930. From the 1940s to the 1990s, the city, through a generous annexation power, grew from 73 square miles to 627 square miles by 2015.