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 notoriety it has today. It was a quiet, beautiful, and safe place, and we loved living here. The only downside was the distance: it took at least 45 minutes to reach any shopping center, which made shopping with kids difficult.

We lived in Cochran’s Crossing, the third and newest neighborhood when we arrived. The shopping center hadn’t been built yet, Bear Branch Park was just a gym and a pool, and Gosling Road ended at a stop sign at Research Forest, an intersection with many accidents until they finally installed a traffic light.

Without a nearby shopping center, shopping was a challenge. The McDonald’s in Panther Creek was the only fast food restaurant, and the Woodlands Hospital, which was not yet part of Memorial Hermann, was quite small. Most of the doctors were on 1960. It took years before I heard about “the emerging town center,” and the plan to build churches limited to 5 acres kept congregations small. McCullough was the school everyone attended, and the Woodlands Country Club had the only hotel.

Today, The Woodlands has evolved into a more complete city. Most of what one could need or enjoy is here, and much of the development follows the original idea of the town. This is a positive change.

However, the intention to offer a variety of housing prices so that those who work here can also live here seems to have faded. Now, many people who work here can’t afford to live here, which contributes to commuting traffic and diminishes the sense of community. Instead of getting to know the same people in stores, schools, and churches, many people come, work, and leave, or live elsewhere, creating what some call “the Woodlands bubble.” This goes against the original intent, and I find it less appealing.

What I value most about The Woodlands is the peace that comes from living in a natural beauty setting, without billboards, utility poles, or small shopping centers. It’s also a very safe place with friendly people. In my opinion, what The Woodlands lacks is more diversity, especially economic diversity, though that is starting to change.

*Mike Hume grew up mainly in Northern California. He began his career with Shell Oil driving a gasoline tanker truck during college, which led to a career in lubricants sales management. Since retiring, Mike has focused on consulting. His favorite hobby is photography, and The Woodlands is the perfect place for capturing beautiful images of nature.

Gail grew up in Arizona and always enjoyed having friends from other cultures. She lived in Brazil for a year after college. After marrying Mike, she was able to be a stay-at-home mom while Mike’s career moved them to different states. When their children grew up, Gail had the opportunity to use her language skills to meet wonderful people from many countries through her volunteer work.*