50 Years of The Woodlands

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JP2QcYfFSIw “When we arrived, the lakes that exist now didn’t exist. I remember the beautiful inauguration of the Lakes Woodlands lake. All the guests were on the floor of the lake, obviously without water. Also, at that time, we created two very valuable groups: the International Friends and another one for Hispanics, with the purpose of welcoming them and building bonds of friendship based on respect for each culture, race, and religion.” It has been more than 40 years since Alma Ledwell arrived in The Woodlands, along with her husband

Over the past 50 years, The Woodlands has faced several significant climate challenges that have impacted the community: The Great Freeze of 1989: During the Christmas week of 1989, The Woodlands experienced an extreme cold wave, with temperatures dropping to 5 degrees Fahrenheit. This event caused havoc in newly built homes, where poorly insulated pipes burst, leading to flooding and extensive damage. Hurricane Ike in 2008: Ike was one of the most devastating hurricanes for Texas in recent decades. Although The Woodlands was not the hurricane’s epicenter, the community experienced

Gail Hume and Mike Hume Gail and I moved to The Woodlands in 1993. It was our second time in the Houston area; the first was in Spring, where we realized the lack of regulation in the area’s development. Although we liked our neighborhood, over time we were surrounded by unattractive constructions and the absence of nearby services. Developers often just cleared the forests, built houses, and planted a few small trees to replace the large ones. At that time, The Woodlands was much smaller and didn’t have the national

This year, The Woodlands celebrates its 50th anniversary, marking five decades of growth, innovation, and community. What began as a dream of sustainable development has transformed into a vibrant urban center that not only attracts families and businesses, but is also becoming a beacon of diversity and opportunity. The Legacy of the Hispanic Community The Hispanic population has played a key role in the growth and success of The Woodlands. According to recent data from the U.S. Census, Hispanics make up more than 25% of the population in the Houston

Over the last 50 years, the economy has been a key pillar in the transformation of The Woodlands, evolving from a planned community dream to a thriving reality. In its early years, the local economy focused on construction and real estate development, with George Mitchell leading the vision of balanced growth alongside the preservation of the natural environment. During the 1980s and 1990s, The Woodlands experienced an economic boom, fueled by the expansion of Houston and the opening of new transportation routes, such as the Hardy Toll Road. This growth

*By Cathie Baldwin and Bob Baldwin Cathie and I arrived at our cozy home on Turtle Rock Court, located in Panther Creek, in June 1989, just when The Woodlands was still a young community with only 15 years of existence. That summer, Turtle Rock Court became a true showcase of new homes, as all the houses were completed at the same time and families moved in simultaneously. This provided the perfect opportunity for us to get to know each other and form bonds with our neighbors from the very start.

My name is Ileana Turchínov, and I was born in La Paz, Bolivia, the heart of South America. I arrived in the United States in 1983 and decided to settle in The Woodlands. What attracted me to this community was its tranquility and abundance of trees, which was a contrast to the cold I had experienced in other places I had lived before, such as the state of Minnesota. At that time, The Woodlands was very different. There was only one neighborhood that we knew as Grogans Mill, and the

When I arrived here 44 years ago, The Woodlands was just being formed. The reason we moved was that my husband worked for George Mitchell at Mitchell Energy. That company used to be based in downtown Houston. They actually decided to move the company to The Woodlands. So, we were living in the southwest part of Houston, and commuting back and forth every day was impossible. That’s when we decided to move to The Woodlands and build a house. I remember there were barely any grocery stores, so buying food

In 1974, George Mitchell brought his vision of a community where nature and people could coexist in harmony to life with the creation of The Woodlands. As the first residents arrived, communities like Grogan’s Mill emerged, laying the foundation for this growing area. Over time, The Woodlands began to expand, attracting families in search of a peaceful lifestyle surrounded by trees and trails. During the 1980s, The Woodlands was still in its early stages of development. Turtle Rock Court, in Panther Creek, stood out as a special neighborhood where all