Located within the Houston area, Pasadena's population is estimated to be approximately 152,000 in 2007. The southeastern corner of the city is bordered by Galveston Bay. While it gets quite hot in Pasadena in the summer, the winter months are quite moderate. People moving to Pasadena will find a warm welcome from the friendly residents. Pasadena enjoys a very low crime rate and prides itself on being a very safe city to move to. Its many parks and recreation centers provide residents with a nice variety of thing to do there. Pasadena has access to many marinas that dot Galveston Bay.
Economy:
The primary source of jobs around Pasadena, Texas comes from the petroleum industry, shipping into Galveston Bay and from the nearby National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. The entire Bay area has a high median income due to its petrochemical and high tech industries, as well as fishing and jobs in the aerospace field.
Tourism:
Pasadena is home to the Armand Bayou Nature Center, which protects and nurtures 2,500 acres of grass and wetlands. Every November, Pasadena hosts a Taste of the Town festival where local restaurants have their best recipes available for your tasting pleasures. There is an annual strawberry festival every May that includes a parade and a beauty pageant. Also in May there is a Chamber of Commerce Industrial golf tournament. The battleship Texas is permanently moored in the Buffalo Bayou and was created as the first battleship museum in the country. A trip to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center is a must for any visitor or new resident to Pasadena. Close proximity to Houston provides access to many activities, museums and amusement parks.
History:
Before Europeans, there were several Indian tribes living in the area. Spanish explorers visited the area, and gave Galveston Bay its name. The pirate Jean Lafitte was known to have hide-outs around the area. When Mexico declared its independence from Spain, it then began to establish colonies in the area. Texas wanted independence from Mexico in 1835, and the final battle of the revolution took place in Pasadena. The city was founded in 1893 and was named for Pasadena, California. After a deadly hurricane in 1900, Nurse Clara Barton bought a million strawberry plants to help restore the area. Pasadena quickly became a major strawberry capital if the area. Pasadena was incorporated as a city in 1928. The shipping channels helped Pasadena become an industrialized city during the second world war.