History

Home Page - Directory
Invasive Species - Learn about the different kinds of Invasive Species.
History - Learn about the history behind Sheldon Lake.
Fish and Reptiles - Learn about the different kinds of species of fish and reptiles.
Aquatic Invertabrates - Learn about the different kinds of species of aquatic invertabrates.
Birds/Interviews - Learn about the different kinds of species of birds.
More Pictures - See more pictures of the class, Sheldon Lake, and visitors.
Visitors - Learn about the visitors that taught us about Sheldon Lake.
Sources - Where we got our information from.

The History Group is composed of Morris, Zuri, and Flor B. This group provided information on the history of Sheldon Lake and how it came to be and how it is now. They were responsible for accumulating this information and presenting it to the class.

The history group has been reading upon the history of Sheldon Lake. Sheldon Lake State Park Environmental Education Center covers 2,817 acres. Sheldon Lake is known to have 1,200 acres and 400 acres marshy wetlands. The area is home for over 200 species of birds. Some of these birds include the Egrets, Herons, and Ducks and also dozens of other large vertebrates such as Alligators, Beavers, Deer and Bobcats. 100,000 visitors go to Sheldon Lake each year and many of these visitors would be surprised to know that the lake didn't exist some 60 years ago.

Sheldon Lake was for many years used by farmers and ranchers to raise crops, cattle and horses. For a while the area was also used to make sodas. Over the years many influential Texans have been associated with Sheldon Lake. These Texans include Victor Blanco, Lorenzo de Zavala, Adele B. Looscan and Joseph Akagi.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, the small towns of Sheldon and Fauna where built along the railroad tracks. People began to move in noticeable numbers. In 1948 electricity was available to the area. In 1952 the city sold the reservoir to the Texas Game and Fish Commission (now the Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept.)

Then Texas and New Orleans Railroad began building through the area from Houston in 1853. In 1880 it ran its first train from Houston to New Orleans, which basically brought an influx of business and people as well as the building of the town of Sheldon which named after Henry King Sheldon of New York, who was a stockholder in the company that owned the railroad at the time.

As for the growth and development of Sheldon Lake's Vicinity during the years 1900-1941 their were lots of small industrial establishments like lumber mills and cotton gins. Due to the industries the economy began to diversify and long with this came a diversity of ethnicity in Sheldon's population. "All this trends shaped the way the area that is now Sheldon Lake State Park."

The logging operations near Sheldon began to change the nature of the area's economy and its society. Due to the establishments of the lumber companies a lot of African Americans migrated to the Sheldon area looking for work, this eventually formed a small African American community in Sheldon Lake.

In 1920's several businesses were established in Sheldon like sawmills and cotton gins. By the end of the decade a dirt road connect Sheldon Lake to Houston but in 1929 it was paved so this is another way Sheldon had influx inhabitants arrive their eventually changing Sheldon Lake's landscape into what we have today.

Many changes were made due to natural causes and human interaction, and led to the effects of Sheldon Lakes' landscape. Many of the proprietors like the Young Family "ranched cattle and raised cotton,corn and other crops on the surrounding land, including property that is now in Sheldon Lake State Park."

Time Line of the Sheldon Lake Reservoir
- The Sheldon Lake Area was being actively cultivated in 1930's.
- There were cattle in the area at the time.
- The area was mainly undeveloped at the time compared to the rest of the county.
- Japaneses settlers lived in the area.
- Impoverished people lived in the areaa during the time of The Great Depression.
- During WWII, the government was searching for new sources of water and chose the area surrounding Carpenter's Bayou.
- In 1942, planners were working to expand industrial production in the Houston area.
- Plans were drawn up to establish a reservoir on Carpenter's Bayou to supply war industries along the Houston Ship Channel with water.
- 2,117 acres of land was seized to build the reservoir.
- Construction of the reservoir began in 1943.
- The reservoir was pumped with water from the San Jacinto River.
- A canal was dug from the reservoir leading to the Houston Ship Channel.
- After WWII was over in 1945, the reservoir was deemed surplus land and was sold to the City of Houston.
- The primary mission of the area was be to provide refuge for water foul, and a place for entertainment.
- Due to invasion, the reservoir was drained and treated.
- To make the area more attractive, lots of vegetation was planted.
- On May 1, 1958, The Sheldon Reservoir was opened to public fishing.