According to my research, Indians lived in the area long ago. The area evolved into farmlands and rice fields, starting in the mid-1850s with the coming of the railroad. The Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad (MKT) arrived in the mid-1800s which helped small towns grow. The people lovingly referred to their new area as KT, based on the railroad. My hunch is that it’s named for someone named Katy. Downtown Katy was not incorporated until 1945, although the rice fields and farming prevailed far earlier than the incorporation.
Newcomers gathered into various parts of the area, like Cane Island, which was named for a creek, technically on the Cane Island branch of Buffalo Bayou. It is now an area with classy new homes, a golf course and a fabulous restaurant.
The huge rice dryers downtown fool you into thinking they continue to work, but the location was sold. Currently, the owner is refreshing the old rice towers (dryers) for festivals, food, and other activities.
Downtown “Old” Katy is working diligently to improve its square which has a water tower in the middle of it. It is becoming quite a work of art with murals, antique and gift shops, excellent restaurants and a large area for shows and entertainment. The Visitor Center on the square opened recently with detailed information about the area.
Their biggest festival is the Rice Harvest Festival which offers something for everyone. This year the Rice Festival is October 11-12. Be sure to put it on your calendar. Art shows, music, fruits and vegetables…all kinds of fun for the downtown square on the weekends, especially during festival events. A friend mentioned she danced for several hours to country music on the square recently.
If you are a history buff, you’ll want to visit the nearby Katy Heritage Park with three museums to visit. The Veterans of Foreign Wars has an outstanding array of items donated from the public. One of Katy’s lovely parks sits beside the VFW Museum. Their Vet group meets in an adjacent building.
Next door, The Johnny Nelson Katy Heritage Museum offers something for everyone to see. They have a miniature train set for both kids and adults to watch. The plethora of old equipment offers superior information for city slickers. Their docents help share the history and explain the various items, huge pieces of farm and construction equipment for building a growing town.
Next to this museum is a collection of old, restored homes, which is only open the first weekend of the month. I haven’t had an opportunity to visit this cluster of restored buildings.
The town’s recent growth is startling. In “Old Katy” the population was 21,894, while in 2023, it grew to 26,360. Houstonians are moving not only to “Old Katy,” but to the rest of the three counties. Oil and gas residents from all over the world create a fascinating population. Energy plays a big role in the area. The Katy schools are excellent, and their football teams are known for many winning teams. I’ve heard every time a high school has 3,000 students, they build another one. Many people move to Katy because of the extraordinary programs.
Restaurants are abundant. You can find all the ethnic food you want, plus the southern food is to die for. Bar-b-que is fantastic, but you can also find abundant places for Asian, African, Mexican…all kinds of food, or good ole Texas hamburgers and fries. You will never run out of good places to eat.
I appreciate the fact that shopping is abundant, not just the two malls, but also, I have four supermarkets within a two-mile radius from my home. I never experienced that in other places I have lived.
People arrive from all over Texas and farther away to visit Typhoon Texas Water Park, located near Houston, a little south of Highway 10 in Katy. Kids of all ages bring thrills of a lifetime.
What about religion? Katy is booming with churches of many denominations. People are friendly. I live in a community where neighbors meet regularly to keep each other informed. Who needs help? Someone in the group will carry a meal to the person in distress.
It’s a caring community, a good place to live or visit.
