Oak Forest, Houston, Texas

Oak Forest is a large residential community in northwest Houston, Texas.

Oak Forest was established in 1947 by Oak Forest Realty Corporation, owned by Frank Sharp, a developer who would later establish Sharpstown. Oak Forest Realty Corporation built houses only in Section 1 (Golf Dr. to Oak Forest Dr. and Dubarry to West 43rd Street. Sharp would later develop the neighborhood for 17 additional sections by building streets and installing utility lines, but left the home construction to other contractors.

The first house, which served as a sales office, was built at the corner of Golf and Fisher Dr. Almost all of the first houses were sold to World War II veterans for $8,000-$10,000. One of the original homeowners, Ruth Metzger, bought her house in April 1947 when it was only a slab and still lives there to this day.

Originally, there was no telephone service. If a homeowner needed to place a call, they had to use one in the construction shack on the corner of Wakefield and Kinley Lane or one in the house of Frank Sharp’s niece at on Wakefield. Telephone service finally arrived in the middle of 1948.

Sufficient acreage in Oak Forest was set aside for churches, parks and schools. Areas were also reserved for commercial development and this accounts for the many grocery stores, cleaners, service stations, etc., which are located on W. 43rd St. and Ella Blvd.

When it was first established, Oak Forest was a golf course and a part of the Aldine Independent School District. The land was ceded to Houston ISD. The original Oak Forest Elementary was built in 1951, followed by Black Junior High School in 1958 and Waltrip High School about 1961. Stevens Elementary was added as the area grew beyond the capacity of one elementary school.

Oak Forest was annexed by the City of Houston about 1949. Sixty years later, there are 5,523 homes in Oak Forest with a population of over 23,000. Oak Forest is the third largest area after the annexation of Kingwood and continues to improve gracefully with age.

Oak Forest was originally an unincorporated area in Harris County. It was annexed by the city of Houston in 1949.

It is served by Oak Forest Branch of Houston Public Library.

Emergency services

Fire service

The Houston Fire Department operates Station 13 Oak Forest at 2215 West 43rd Street, 77018.

Police service

The Houston Police Department's North Patrol Division serves the neighborhood [http://www.houstontx.gov/police/cs/beatpages/north.htm] .

Education

Primary and secondary education

Public schools

Oak Forest's public schools are operated by Houston ISD.

Elementary schools that serve Oak Forest include:
* [http://es.houstonisd.org/oakforestes Oak Forest Elementary School] [" [http://dept.houstonisd.org/ab/schoolboundarymaps/OakForestES.pdf Oak Forest Elementary Attendance Boundary] ," "Houston Independent School District"]
* [http://es.houstonisd.org/gardenoakses Garden Oaks Elementary School] [" [http://dept.houstonisd.org/ab/schoolboundarymaps/GardenOaksES.pdf Garden Oaks Elementary Attendance Boundary] ," "Houston Independent School District"]
* [http://es.houstonisd.org/smithes Kate Smith Elementary School] [" [http://dept.houstonisd.org/ab/schoolboundarymaps/KSmithES.pdf Kate Smith Elementary Attendance Boundary] ," "Houston Independent School District"]
* [http://es.houstonisd.org/stevenses Stevens Elementary School] [" [http://dept.houstonisd.org/ab/schoolboundarymaps/StevensES.pdf Stevens Elementary Attendance Boundary] ," "Houston Independent School District"]
* [http://es.houstonisd.org/benbrookes Benbrook Elementary School] [" [http://dept.houstonisd.org/ab/schoolboundarymaps/BenbrookES.pdf Benbrook Elementary Attendance Boundary] ," "Houston Independent School District"]
* [http://es.houstonisd.org/wainwrightes Wainwright Elementary School] [" [http://dept.houstonisd.org/ab/schoolboundarymaps/WainwrightES.pdf Wainwright Elementary Attendance Boundary] ," "Houston Independent School District"]

Parts of Oak Forest in the east are served by [http://ms.houstonisd.org/blackms Black Middle School] [" [http://dept.houstonisd.org/ab/schoolboundarymaps/BlackMS.pdf Black Middle Attendance Boundary] ," "Houston Independent School District"] , while parts of Oak Forest in the west are served by [http://ms.houstonisd.org/cliftonms Clifton Middle School] . [" [http://dept.houstonisd.org/ab/schoolboundarymaps/CliftonMS.pdf Clifton Middle Attendance Boundary] ," "Houston Independent School District"]

Parts of Oak Forest in the east are served by Waltrip High School [" [http://dept.houstonisd.org/ab/schoolboundarymaps/WaltripHS.pdf Waltrip High School Attendance Boundary] ," "Houston Independent School District"] , while parts of Oak Forest in the west are served by Scarborough High School. [" [http://dept.houstonisd.org/ab/schoolboundarymaps/ScarboroughHS.pdf Scarborough High School Attendance Boundary] ," "Houston Independent School District"]

When it was first established, Oak Forest was a part of the Aldine Independent School District. The land was ceded to Houston ISD.

Public libraries

Houston Public Library operates the Oak Forest Branch and the Collier Regional Branch Library, both located in Oak Forest.

Postal services

The closest United States Postal Service office is the Oak Forest Post Office at 2499 Judiway Street, 77018-6922.

Parks

The [http://www.houstontx.gov/parks/CommunityCenters.html# Candlelight Community Center] is located in Oak Forest.

Community services

Harris County Hospital District operates the [http://www.hchdonline.com/about/facilities/northwest.htm Northwest Health Center] at 1100 West 34th Street in Houston.

Community information

The Northwest Branch YMCA is the closest YMCA to Oak Forest.

References

ee also

External links

* [http://www.ofha.org/ Oak Forest Homeowner's Association]