Seabrook, Texas. (original) (raw)

The town was platted in 1900 by John Sydnor and E. S. Nicholson of the Clear Creek Development Company. Although the name seems to be cobbled together like that of a subdivision - the truth is it was named after Synor's son - who's given name was actually Seabrook.

Founded on the site of what had been the Elmwood Plantation, the community first hosted people escaping the heat of Houston who came down on the Suburban - a twice daily interurban connecting Houston and Galveston.

Seabrook had its own post office as early as 1895. At the time of the great Galveston Storm, Seabrook's school had an enrollment of 100 pupils taught by three teachers. It was dashed to kindling by the killer storm but was rebuilt within a few years. The schools were merged with those of the Clear Creek ISD in 1947, later becoming part of the Clear Creek ISD.

In 1910 the Seabrook School for Boys was founded and underwent several changes of name before becoming the Harris County Boys School in 1955.

From a growing population of 560 people before the Great Depression Seabrook fell to 200 by 1936. Growth increased to 400 throughout the 1940s. Seabrook was incorporated in late 1961.

A bridge connecting Seabrook and Kemah was built in 1961 - despite damage from Hurricane Carla, the storm that launched Dan Rather's career. In 1968 there were 6,000 people living in Seabrook. Seabrook's population was over 8,000 in 1974, falling slightly to 6,685 in 1990.