Port Houston history

Racial tensions resulted in serious rioting in 1917, when black United States Army soldiers were stationed in the city; nearly 20 people were killed.

Long before its formal entry into the Second World War in December 1941, the United States was actively supporting Great Britain and its allies in the struggle against Germany through the Lend-Lease program and other efforts.

In 1977 the Port of Houston opened the Barbours Cut Terminal, Texas' first cargo container terminal, at Morgan's Point.

In 2001 Tropical Storm Allison killed 22 people in the area, damaged office buildings and thousands of homes, and caused widespread flooding in the city.

Reliant Stadium (opened 2002) houses the city’s professional gridiron football team (the Texans) and events such as the annual Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (February), the world’s largest.

Just southwest of the ballpark is the Toyota Center (opened 2003), a multipurpose arena that is the home of the city’s professional basketball team, the Rockets.

A light-rail commuter line running 7.5 miles (12 km) from Reliant Park to downtown opened in 2004.

The opening of the Bayport Terminal in 2006 further extended the port authority's reach outside the city of Houston.

Hurricane Ike, though responsible for far fewer deaths, caused similar damage to Houston shortly after making landfall in nearby Galveston in September 2008.

The expansion of the Panama Canal in June, 2016 only served to create an increased surge in container traffic and vessels to the Port of Houston in Texas.

In August of 2017, Hurricane Harvey dumped more than four feet of rain on Houston, inundating neighborhoods and upending thousands of lives.

By Helen Collier In 2018, a steady flow of renovation and reconstruction work from recent hurricane and fire catastrophes will continue along the Texas Gulf Coast to the West Coast and other areas.

December 2020, Port Houston received WRDA authorization, soon followed by the New Start designation to begin construction for expansion of the channel.