View source for Kemah, Texas

{{Use American English|date=June 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Kemah, Texas
| settlement_type    = [[City]]
| nickname           = "Gateway to the Bay"<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.kemah-tx.gov| title=Kemah, TX| publisher=City of Kemah official website| access-date=February 24, 2017}}</ref>
| motto              = <!-- Images -->
| image_skyline      = KemahCommunityCenter.jpg
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = Kemah Community Center
| image_flag         = 
| image_seal         = <!-- Maps -->
| image_map          = Galveston County Kemah.svg
| mapsize            = 250px
| map_caption        = Location of Kemah, Texas

<!-- Location -->| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name   = United States
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Texas]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Texas|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Galveston County, Texas|Galveston]]

<!-- Government -->| government_footnotes = <ref name="GalvNews2021">{{cite web |url=https://www.galvnews.com/news/free/article_5ba0314f-d4ab-5cfe-971e-15d65acbb2b4.html |title=Joiner wins tempestuous race for Kemah mayor |last=deGrood |first=Matt |date=May 1, 2021 |publisher=Galveston County The Daily News |access-date=July 12, 2021}}</ref>
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = Mayor
| leader_name        = Robin Collins
| leader_title1      = 
| leader_name1       = 
| established_title  = 
| established_date   = <!-- Area -->
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_48.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 7, 2020}}</ref>
| area_magnitude     = 
| area_total_km2     = 4.96
| area_land_km2      = 4.78
| area_water_km2     = 0.17
| area_total_sq_mi   = 1.91
| area_land_sq_mi    = 1.85
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.07

<!-- Population -->| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = 
| population_total   = 1807
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_density_sq_mi = auto

<!-- General information -->| timezone           = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
| utc_offset         = -6
| timezone_DST       = CDT
| utc_offset_DST     = -5
| elevation_footnotes = 
| elevation_m        = 2
| elevation_ft       = 7
| coordinates        = {{coord|29|32|33|N|95|1|13.08|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code        = 77565
| area_code          = [[Area code 281|281]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 48-38776<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 1339021<ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=2008-01-31|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=2007-10-25}}</ref>
| website            = {{URL|www.kemah-tx.gov}}
| footnotes          = 
}}
'''Kemah''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|iː|m|ə}} {{respell|KEE|mə}}) is a city in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Texas]], southeast of [[Houston]] along west [[Galveston Bay]]. The city's population was 1,807 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]],<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US4838776| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Kemah city, Texas| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| work=American Factfinder| access-date=February 24, 2017}}{{dead link|bot=medic|date=April 2020}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> down from 2,330 at the 2000 census. Located in [[Galveston County, Texas|Galveston&nbsp;County]], Kemah's main industry is shipping. Originally a small fishing town, the city has become a tourist destination for the area's restaurants and attractions, which are contained within the Kemah Entertainment District. In 2012 Kemah was ranked the top [[tourism]] spot in the [[Greater Houston]] area.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kemahtourism.com|title=Kemah, TX - Official Website|website=Kemahtourism.com|access-date=7 July 2017}}</ref>

==Geography==

[[File:KemahTXMap.gif|thumb|left|Map of Kemah]]
Kemah is located in the northeastern corner of Galveston County at {{Coord|29|32|33|N|95|1|13.08|W|type:city}} (29.5425, –95.0203)<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> and is part of the [[Clear Lake (region)|Clear Lake Area]]. It is bordered to the west and south by [[League City, Texas|League City]], to the northwest by [[Clear Lake Shores, Texas|Clear Lake Shores]], to the southeast by unincorporated [[Bacliff, Texas|Bacliff]], and at its northern end by [[Seabrook, Texas|Seabrook]] across the Clear Creek Channel in [[Harris County, Texas|Harris County]]. <!--[[Texas State Highway 99]]/-->[[Texas State Highway 146]] leads through the center of Kemah, leading north {{convert|15|mi}} to [[Baytown, Texas|Baytown]] and south {{convert|12|mi}} to [[Texas City, Texas|Texas City]]. [[Galveston, Texas|Galveston]] is {{convert|25|mi}} to the south, and [[Houston]] is {{convert|30|mi}} to the northwest.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], Kemah has a total area of {{convert|4.94|sqkm|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|4.76|sqkm|order=flip}} are land and {{convert|0.18|sqkm|order=flip}}, or 3.55%, are water.<ref name="Census 2010"/>
{{clear|left}}

==History==
{{Further|History of the Galveston Bay Area}}

The land, measuring approximately {{convert|177|acre}}, was the basis for a town that would be called Kemah. This land was granted to one of the first colonists who was a farmer and stockraiser, Michael Gouldrich, on August 24, 1824.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kemahhistoricalsociety.net/history3.html|title=New Page 1|website=Kemahhistoricalsociety.net|access-date=7 July 2017}}</ref> Gouldrich's land was located near [[Clear Creek (Harris County, Texas)|Clear Creek]] and [[Galveston Bay]].

However, after Gouldrich disappeared, William Vince from Harris County acquired Gouldrich's Clear Creek land. Afterwards John Flanders, an [[List of Alamo defenders|Alamo fighter]] who was not supposed to have taken any land,{{Clarify|date=December 2015}} bought the property from William Vince and it was renamed "Flanders Grove" or "Flanders Labor". When Flanders died at the age of 36, Allen Vince, of Vince's Bayou, was appointed executor of Flanders' estate in 1841. On May 28, 1844, there was a petition to sell the land to pay off debts. Soon after, the land was appraised for $2 an acre and sold to Jonathan D. Waters. He bought the Clear Creek land on July 2, 1844, for $354.

After October 1850, Waters sold {{convert|10|acre}} of the Clear Creek property to various people, but Henry Kipp eventually owned the land. During the 1890s, the Bradford and Kipp families moved to the area and portioned off the land into town lots in 1898, thus establishing the town known as "Evergreen". It was located along the [[Texas and New Orleans Railroad]], and the area was also called "Shell Siding" for the [[oyster]] shell [[midden]]s lining the bay, in some places {{convert|20|to|30|ft}} deep.

After the [[1900 Galveston hurricane]], when the majority of the towns around Galveston Bay were destroyed, the Kipp and Bradford families were forced to evacuate, but later moved back to Evergreen in 1901. They rebuilt and restored the town, making two-story homes with porches for themselves on 10th street.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kemahhistoricalsociety.net/kemahpix.html|title=Historical Important Pictures of Kemah Area|website=Kemahhistoricalsociety.net|access-date=7 July 2017}}</ref> In order for there to be a post office in the town, the name had to be changed because there was already a town called Evergreen. The name "Kemah" was chosen with the [[Karankawa]] Indian word meaning "wind in my face".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.visitbayareahouston.com/content.cfm?B=5&P=36 |title=Bay Area Houston Convention & Visitor Bureau - Home |access-date=2013-02-22 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130307042458/http://www.visitbayareahouston.com/content.cfm?B=5&P=36 |archive-date=2013-03-07 }}</ref> In 1907, John H. Kipp Sr. established a post office in the newly named town of Kemah.

From the 1920s to the 1950s Kemah became a significant tourist destination resulting from investment by the [[Sam and Rosario Maceo|Maceo crime family]] which [[Free State of Galveston|ran Galveston]] during this time. The syndicate created a lavish [[casino]] district along the boardwalk featuring venues such as the Chili Bowl and the Kemah Den.<ref name="TM: Grande Dame">{{cite journal | title=Grande Dame of the Gulf | journal=Texas Monthly | date=December 1983 | page=168 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LywEAAAAMBAJ| last1=Communications | first1=Emmis }}</ref> During the 1950s the state [[Attorney General]] and the [[Texas Ranger Division|Texas Rangers]] finally shut down the Galveston vice empire. Kemah's casinos were closed and its tourism base declined drastically.

During the 1950s a major commercial shrimp fishing fleet was established in the town as the Clear Creek Channel was opened. Though [[Hurricane Carla]] severely damaged the city in 1961, the city rebuilt and the fishing business revived. During the 1970s, in part as a result of the establishment of the [[Johnson Space Center]] on [[Clear Lake (Galveston Bay)|Clear Lake]], tourism began to re-emerge as pleasure boats began to fill the lake.<ref>{{cite web | title=History of Kemah | publisher=Kemah Historical Society }}</ref>

On October 22, 1966, the town of Kemah adopted Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/?link=pr|title=Texas Constitution and Statutes - Home|website=Statutes.legis.state.tx.us|access-date=7 July 2017}}</ref> and became a General Law City. In 1992, the city expanded to {{convert|2|sqmi}}, or {{convert|1280|acre}}, and the population increased to 1,300 residents.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kemahhistoricalsociety.net/hist1.html|title=New Page 1|website=Kemahhistoricalsociety.net|access-date=7 July 2017}}</ref>

In the late 1990s, Kemah continued to expand and began to be known as a tourist and recreational hot spot. This occurred when Landry's Restaurants opened the [[Kemah Boardwalk]].<ref>{{cite book | title=Day Trips from Houston: Getaway Ideas for the Local Traveler |last1=Barrington| first1=Carol |last2=Kearney| first2=Sydney | publisher=Globe Pequot | location=Guilford, CT | page=236 | year=2008 | isbn=978-0-7627-4542-5 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=euz4fbCDlLYC}}</ref> The boardwalk now includes amusement rides <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kemahboardwalk.com/rides-and-amusements.asp|title=Kemah Boardwalk - The Fun Never Stops!|website=Kemahboardwalk.com|access-date=7 July 2017}}</ref> for tourists and residents to enjoy.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/north-america/united-states/texas/houston/28376/kemah-boardwalk/attraction-detail.html |title=Travel - the New York Times |website=travel.nytimes.com |access-date=2 February 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130411141017/http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/north-america/united-states/texas/houston/28376/kemah-boardwalk/attraction-detail.html |archive-date=11 April 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[File:Houston 51.jpg|thumb|House in Kemah that was struck by [[Hurricane Ike]] in 2008]]
On the morning of September 13, 2008, a [[Category 2 hurricane]] named [[Hurricane Ike|Ike]] made landfall in Galveston County. Although the hurricane caused more damage to Galveston, Kemah still felt the effects of the storm. Hurricane Ike caused power outages in Kemah, destruction of homes and business, and streets to be piled with trees and debris. However, most importantly, the [[storm surge]] affected the Kemah Boardwalk the most. Although it did not take Landry's long to start to rebuild the tourist attraction, a waterline in the Landry's Restaurant is a reminder of the devastating hurricane.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://abc13.com/archive/8807374/|title=4 years later, Galveston-area communities still feeling effect of Hurricane Ike|website=ABC13 Houston|access-date=7 July 2017}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
| 1970 = 1144
| 1980 = 1304
| 1990 = 1094
| 2000 = 2330
| 2010 = 1773
| 2020 = 1807
| footnote = U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

===2020 census===

{| class="wikitable"
|+'''Kemah racial composition'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US4838776&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2 |access-date=2022-05-22 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref><br /> (NH = Non-Hispanic){{efn|Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.<ref>https://www.census.gov/ {{nonspecific|date=August 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=About the Hispanic Population and its Origin |url=https://www.census.gov/topics/population/hispanic-origin/about.html |website=www.census.gov |access-date=18 May 2022}}</ref>}}
!Race
!Number
!Percentage
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] (NH)
|1,170
|64.75%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] (NH)
|62
|3.43%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] (NH)
|3
|0.17%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] (NH)
|87
|4.81%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] (NH)
|1
|0.06%
|-
|Some Other Race (NH)
|8
|0.44%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed/Multi-Racial]] (NH)
|74
|4.1%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]]
|402
|22.25%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''1,807'''
|
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 1,807 people, 778 households, and 578 families residing in the city.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 2,330 people, 892 households, and 566 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|1,300.8|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 1,075 housing units at an average density of {{convert|600.2|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 75.36% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 3.82% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.86% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 3.48% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 15.79% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.69% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 24.76% of the population.

There were 892 households, out of which 35.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.7% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.5% were non-families. 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.25.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.4% under the age of 18, 11.6% from 18 to 24, 36.9% from 25 to 44, 18.0% from 45 to 64, and 6.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 115.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 114.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $51,620, and the median income for a family was $64,063. Males had a median income of $50,061 versus $31,953 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $23,373. About 7.8% of families and 8.2% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 5.7% of those under age 18 and 10.0% of those age 65 or over.

==Government and infrastructure==
[[File:Kemahcityhall.jpg|thumb|Kemah city hall]]
[[File:KemahFireDepartment.jpg|thumb|left|Kemah Fire Station]]
The Kemah Fire Department and the Kemah Police Department serve Kemah.

==Crime==
In a 2008 ''[[Houston Press]]'' article, "Gator" Miller, publisher of small newspapers such as the monthly magazine ''Seabreeze'' and the entertainment magazine ''Night Moves'', said that a [[White American]] gang from [[Bacliff, Texas|Bacliff]] committed crimes in Kemah.<ref>Lomax, John Nova. "[http://www.houstonpress.com/2008-09-11/news/gangsters-in-bacliff/ Gangsters in Bacliff]." ''[[Houston Press]]''. September 11, 2008.</ref>

==Education==
Pupils in Kemah attend schools in [[Clear Creek Independent School District]]. The community is within the Board of Trustees District 1,<ref>[http://www.ccisd.net/board_05/pdf/District1map.pdf District 1 Map] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090227005623/http://www.ccisd.net/board_05/pdf/District1map.pdf |date=2009-02-27 }}. ''[[Clear Creek Independent School District]]''. Retrieved on December 6, 2008.</ref> represented by Robert Allan Davee as of 2008.<ref>"[http://www.ccisd.net/board_05/board_members.html School Board Members: Bios and Contact Information] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081205151459/http://www.ccisd.net/board_05/board_members.html |date=2008-12-05 }}." ''[[Clear Creek Independent School District]]''. Retrieved on December 6, 2008.</ref> CCISD was established in 1948, partly from the former Kemah school district. The former Kemah district served up to junior high school with high schoolers going to [[Webster, Texas|Webster]].<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/bay_area/living/ccisd-boasts-long-proud-history/article_4027ee93-c4f9-55e3-a833-14e4f795afd4.html|title = CCISD boasts long, proud history|date = 10 June 2011|access-date = 11 Aug 2015|website = The Citizen|publisher = Your Houston News|last = Cherry|first = Mary|archive-date = July 7, 2016|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160707071949/http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/bay_area/living/ccisd-boasts-long-proud-history/article_4027ee93-c4f9-55e3-a833-14e4f795afd4.html|url-status = dead}} - [https://www.chron.com/life/health/article/CCISD-boasts-long-proud-history-9370269.php New URL] on the ''[[Houston Chronicle]]'' site</ref>

Pupils are zoned to Stewart Elementary School (formerly Kemah Elementary School) in unincorporated Galveston County,<ref>"[https://www.ccisd.net/common/pages/DisplayFile.aspx?itemId=12858280 Stewart Elementary School Boundary] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161231113008/https://www.ccisd.net/common/pages/DisplayFile.aspx?itemId=12858280 |date=December 31, 2016 }}." [[Clear Creek Independent School District]]. Retrieved on December 31, 2016.</ref> Bayside Intermediate School in [[League City]],<ref>[https://www.ccisd.net/common/pages/DisplayFile.aspx?itemId=12858300 Bayside Intermediate School Attendance Zone] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161231115119/https://www.ccisd.net/common/pages/DisplayFile.aspx?itemId=12858300 |date=December 31, 2016 }}. [[Clear Creek Independent School District]]. Retrieved on December 31, 2016.</ref> and [[Clear Falls High School (Texas)|Clear Falls High School]] in League City.<ref>[https://www.ccisd.net/common/pages/DisplayFile.aspx?itemId=15629525 Clear Falls High attendance zone] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161231131812/https://www.ccisd.net/common/pages/DisplayFile.aspx?itemId=15629525 |date=December 31, 2016 }}. [[Clear Creek Independent School District]]. Retrieved on December 31, 2016.</ref>

Previously residents were zoned to League City Intermediate School,<ref>"[http://www.ccisd.net/campus_05/attendance_boundries/sbac/Intermediate/League_City_Int_Final.pdf League City Intermediate School Boundary] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928193605/http://www.ccisd.net/campus_05/attendance_boundries/sbac/Intermediate/League_City_Int_Final.pdf |date=2011-09-28 }}." ''[[Clear Creek Independent School District]]''. Retrieved on December 6, 2008.</ref> and [[Clear Creek High School (Texas)|Clear Creek High School]] in League City.<ref>"[https://web.archive.org/web/20060304134645/http://www.ccisd.net/campus_05/attendance_boundries/sbac/hs.jpg Clear Creek High School Boundary]." ''[[Clear Creek Independent School District]]''. Retrieved on December 6, 2008.</ref>

Residents of Clear Creek ISD (and therefore Kemah) are zoned to the [[College of the Mainland]], a [[community college]] in [[Texas City, Texas|Texas City]].<ref>[https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.130.htm Texas Education Code, Sec. 130.174.  COLLEGE OF THE MAINLAND DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.]</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Texas}}
* [[Galveston Bay Area]]
* [[Clear Lake (region)]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{notelist}}

==External links==
{{wikivoyage|Kemah}}
* [http://www.kemah-tx.gov City of Kemah official website]
* [https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hjk01 Handbook of Texas Online: Kemah, Texas]
* [http://www.kemahhistoricalsociety.net Kemah Historical Society]

{{Galveston Bay Area}}
{{Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown MSA}}
{{Galveston County, Texas}}
{{Texas}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Texas]]
[[Category:Cities in Galveston County, Texas]]
[[Category:Galveston Bay Area]]
[[Category:Greater Houston]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in Texas]]