Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
History
Indeed the two most important words in Houston's history are 'oil' and 'cattle.' But the
city's spectacular growth would never have happened without two others: 'air' and 'con-
ditioning.' Until the 1930s, Houston was a sleepy regional center with a population under
100,000 - you'll find relatively few historic buildings here. Once air-conditioning became
widely available, the population jumped: by 1960 it numbered nearly one million.
From the 1970s through 1990s the city's fortunes followed the price per barrel of oil:
boom, then bust. The area's business base diversified to include the medical services, high
tech and space industries. Throughout the nationwide recession and gradual recovery of
