Buffalo Bayou National Heritage Area Study

As authorized by the Buffalo Bayou National Heritage Study Act (Public Law 107-337), the National Park Service (NPS) has undertaken this study to determine the suitability and feasibility of the designation of the Buffalo Bayou National Heritage Area in Texas. Through the release of this report, the NPS is seeking to facilitate public awareness of the study and encourages public input into the study process.

The enclosed report describes Buffalo Bayou as the stage for an important confluence of oil refining, petrochemical production, and ocean-going commercial trade. The study also traces the bayou's role in the struggle for Texas independence, which led to the establishment of the Republic of Texas, a unique chapter in North American history. The corridor studied for heritage area consideration reaches from Shepherd Drive in central Houston, through downtown and east along the 25-mile Houston Ship Channel to Galveston Bay.

The study also concludes that the Buffalo Bayou proposal successfully meets the eight required heritage area evaluation criteria, as listed in the Buffalo Bayou National Heritage Study Act.

Contact Information

Christine Whitacre
National Park Service
Intermountain Region
P.O. Box 25287
Denver, CO 80225-0287

christine_whitacre@nps.gov