Address
P.O. Box 947
St. Katy, Texas 77492
The only silver lining of the 1900 hurricane was the genuine human kindness that arose from the devastation.
“Even though there was a lot of damage in town, the citizens shared whatever they had with those who lost everything. Katy families shared clothes, shoes, food, and all basic necessities,” says Lopez. “It was a very hard time for everyone, and it took a long time to rebuild and recover.”
Over the next several years, many farms failed while others weathered the storm and made it through. With true Texas diligence, farmers kept trying to make a home for their families and grew whatever kinds of crops they could produce. When bad weather caused crops to suffer, the land would be taken back by the bank.
Those same Katy families would apply for more loans and start over; many kept trying until they could eke out a living and pay off the land. Others gave up and left Katy. Bad weather was always a major factor in the lives of the early rice farmers.
“The people of Katy learned to have a genuine respect for hurricanes and tornadoes,” says Lopez.
Read more from our Community Collection. Then for a deeper dive, head on over to the Katy Heritage Society for a more in depth look at the history of the Katy community.
