Celebrating the Communities and People Around NASA’s Johnson Space Center

Ever wonder what life was like before NASA’s Johnson Space Center moved in? Let us go back in time. The year was 1961: Alan Shepard became the first American in space, and John F. Kennedy promised to go to the Moon before the end of the decade.

The Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC), later renamed Johnson Space Center, quickly became home to the astronaut corps and NASA families. As Space City began to grow, so, too, did the communities surrounding NASA.

March 1962: Area photograph of Site 1, the Manned Spacecraft Center, at Clear Lake, prior to the start of construction. Credits: NASA

Nassau Bay
Just across the street from Johnson lies the city of Nassau Bay. Prior to the construction of the MSC, Nassau Bay was part of the 1776 Ranch owned by Colonel Raymond Pearson.

Developers chose Nassau Bay due to the tropical feeling it generates. At the time, NASA was moving personnel from areas such as California and Florida, and the developers sought to create an atmosphere that would be familiar and comfortable for the transferred employees.

Joyce Abbey, a second-generation NASA employee, speaks with palpable excitement in her voice about her community. She said of Nassau Bay, “I couldn’t imagine a better place to grow up.”

With her life centered around NASA, Abbey was destined to end up there. Though she wanted to do something different, studying psychology, NASA found a way back into her life.

“When you work here, you fall in love with the work and with what you are doing,” Abbey said.

Seabrook
The coastal city of Seabrook, just four miles from Johnson, has been integral to the community. While Seabrook recently celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2021, historical records date the city to 1832, when Ritson Morris, a native Virginian, obtained a league of land from the Mexican government. Seabrook W. Sydnor purchased a portion of the land in 1895, and a plat was filed with the Harris County Courthouse the following year.

The relationship between Seabrook and NASA dates to September 1961, when NASA announced plans for its newest center in the area.

“We were a small, quaint, vacation-type of community from the beginning of the century to the 1960s,” said Gayle Cook, Seabrook city manager. “With NASA coming in, it did start to change our community in the fact that you had people becoming permanent residents as opposed to vacation or summertime home (visitors).”

Although Seabrook is a 30-minute drive from Houston, it boasts one of the largest marina areas in the country, an expansive trail system, and a vast ecosystem that is one-of-a-kind.

“We have a rich history and rich amenities; we are a hidden gem,” Cook said.

August 1977: Decorated shrimp boats pass under the Texas 146 drawbridge over Clear Creek at Kemah-Seabrook Sunday during the annual Clear Lake area blessing of the shrimp fleet, comprising about 50 boats. Credits: Othell Owensby/Houston Chronicle

Clear Lake
In 1938, James Marion west sold 30,000 acres in southern Harris County, including the West family ranch, to Humble Oil and Refining Company, later known as Exxon Company. In 1961, NASA announced Houston as the site for their new center, built initially on a 1,000-acre tract of the former West Ranch. Humble Oil announced plans in January 1962 to develop 15,000 acres of the West property near the MSC for residential and industrial use.

Humble and Del E. Webb Corporation agreed to form a jointly owned company to develop the site. Their venture, Friendswood Development Company, became operational the following May. On September 15, 1963, Governor John Connally opened Clear Lake City. From then, the city began to quickly grow and welcome new residents.

Friendswood
In the spring of 1895, Quakers Frank Jacob Brown and Thomas Hadley Lewis felt directed to this area of the Gulf Coast to establish a community. Word of the colony spread amongst Quakers in the northern and midwestern states, and soon more than a dozen families joined them.

In 1960, farsighted local men put a plan into action for the incorporation of Friendswood, and the town elected its first mayor, city council, and a law officer — a move that helped prepare it to cope with the tremendous growth of the 1960s as hundreds of NASA employees chose Friendswood as their home.

Once NASA announced plans for the MSC, Friendswood welcomed the new team members with open arms. With an influx of NASA employees looking for homes, the small city began to grow.

“The people coming in had to live somewhere; it was just the beginning of subdivisions,” said historian Joyce Baker. 

“When we first moved, we explored the area and found that it was nice quaint and small community that genuinely cares for one another,” said Brian Zizik, an employee and Friendswood community member. “You can’t beat the 15-minute commute to JSC as well!”

University of Houston-Clear Lake
Created for NASA employees, the University of Houston-Clear Lake, or UHCL, is adjacent to Johnson. Recognizing the need for higher education in the growing Clear Lake area, the 62nd Texas Legislature authorized the establishment of a second University of Houston campus in 1971. In 1973, the Texas Senate authorized the construction of a permanent campus at Clear Lake.

Situated on a 524-acre wildlife preserve, UHCL has become a cornerstone of higher education in Texas. Since opening its doors in 1974, the university has awarded more than 75,000 degrees, resulting in expanded employment prospects, brighter futures, and changed lives.

These communities have been vital to NASA’s success in Texas. From the space pelican in Seabrook to the Nassau Bay spire, the symbiotic relationship between NASA and its surrounding communities is evident.

See history in action by paying any of these communities a visit.

Links used:

• History | Nassau Bay, TX
• Friendswood History - Friendswood Chamber of Commerce
• Vintage photos show Clear Lake 50 years ago, when NASA first put a man on the moon (chron.com)
• TSHA | Clear Lake City, TX (tshaonline.org)