League City’ celebrates its 60th anniversary
T
he City of League City was officially incorporated with the State of Texas on May 14, 1962. Sixty years later to the date, League City hosted a series of events to celebrate the milestone, engage residents, and recognize our community’s namesake—John Charles (J.C.) League. The fun began at 8 a.m. in League Park with 33 teams made up of families, businesses, and non-profits competing in the A-MAY-ZING Adventure—a four-hour scavenger hunt across League City with challenges, games, trivia, and photos ops. The adventure concluded at Big League Dreams with a finish-line party and 60th anniversary celebration for the entire city from noon until 4 p.m. The free, family-friendly party included games, crafts, face-painting, inflatables, water slides, a dunking booth, rock climbing wall, a live band, a free League City 60th anniversary swag, and more. At 10 a.m. in League Park, League City Mayor Pat Hallisey and fellow councilmembers joined members of the League City Historical Society, Parks and 4B Board, and the Keep League City Beautiful Committee to meet the descendants of J.C. League and dedicate a six-foot bronze statue to honor his contributions to establishing and building our community over 120 years ago.
League was a Galveston businessman who in the late 1890s set out to create, build, and beautify a growing farming and ranching town located along the Galveston, Houston, and Henderson Railroad line in north Galveston County. The community, in 1902, was officially renamed League City in his honor. League helped to plat the town, dividing and selling lots of his land, while also donating a portion for a school, church, and park. In 1907, League shipped in two railroad cars full of live oak trees to landscape and beautify the town. Those trees still exist today along Main Street, League Park, and throughout the city’s Historic District. Now—120 years later, and on the 60th anniversary of League City’s incorporation with the state of Texas—Mayor Pat Hallisey issued a proclamation declaring May 14, 2022 as J.C. League Day. He also recognized League’s surviving family members and thanked them for their contributions and collaboration with city staff, the League City Historical Society, and the Keep League City Beautiful Committee to create a public work of art so all League City residents will know the city’s namesake, as well as its history over the last 100-plus years.
Statue of League City’s namesake, John Charles League, surrounded by his great-great grandchildren, John Waters IV and Nancy Dunn and great-greatgreat granddaughter, Alex Dunn.
Celebrating League City’s 60th anniversary.
JUNE 2022 | Bay Area Houston Magazine
27
