Old Ocean, Texas
Unincorporated community in Brazoria County · Not an incorporated municipality
About Old Ocean
Old Ocean is an unincorporated community in Brazoria County, Texas, United States. According to the Handbook of Texas, the community had a population of 915 in 2000. It is located within the Greater Houston metropolitan area.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How Old Ocean is governed
Old Ocean appears to be an unincorporated community or a census-designated place, so it may have no city government of its own — services usually come from Brazoria County and its elected officials. The chart below is a generic template; readers can correct it if Old Ocean does have local officials.
Form of government not yet listed.
0 of 14 positions listed. Gray dashed boxes are placeholders waiting for a name.
Residents of Old Ocean
Registered voters elect the officials below.
-
Mayor
Executive
Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this
The city's chief elected official. Presides over the executive branch, proposes the budget and represents the city.
-
City Manager / Administrator
Executive
Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this
The professional administrator who runs day-to-day operations (in some cities appointed by the council instead of the mayor).
-
Police Chief
Administration & departments
Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this
Leads the police department.
-
Fire Chief
Administration & departments
Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this
Leads the fire and emergency services department.
-
Public Works Director
Administration & departments
Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this
Streets, water, sewer, and city buildings.
-
Finance Director
Administration & departments
Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this
The budget, taxes, and city accounts.
-
Planning & Zoning Director
Administration & departments
Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this
Land use, zoning, building permits.
-
Parks & Recreation Director
Administration & departments
Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this
Parks, programs, and public facilities.
-
-
-
City Council
Legislative
Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this
The elected body that passes ordinances, sets the tax rate and approves the budget.
-
City Clerk
Administration & departments
Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this
Keeps the official records, runs meeting agendas and, often, local elections.
-
City Attorney
Administration & departments
Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this
The city's lawyer; advises officials and prosecutes ordinance violations.
-
Boards & Commissions
Legislative
Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this
Citizen advisory bodies, such as planning, zoning appeals and library boards.
-
-
Municipal Court
Judicial
Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this
Hears traffic, ordinance and other minor cases.
-
Municipal Judge
Judicial
Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this
Presides over the municipal court.
-
Looking for your county, state and federal representatives too? See who represents 77463 or everyone in Texas.
History
Old Ocean was originally known as Chance's Prairie, after the land grant made to Joseph H. Polley and Samuel Chance on July 27, 1824. William B. Sweeny, one of the founders of Chance's Prairie and for which the local town of Sweeny was named, bought 2,319 acres (9.38 km2) from Polley and Chance for $1,950. He had arrived in the county in 1832. His family and their 250 slaves arrived here and settled on a league of land donated by Charles Breen, on the southern boundary of this grant. John Sweeny, Sr.'s six children eventually owned more local plantations after he died in 1854. Eventually, more people settled here, and the town reportedly had a population of 18 in 1880. James Abercrombie discovered oil nearby in 1934, and a government oil refinery was constructed to make high-octane gas. It was closed near the end of World War II. The oilfield was called Old Ocean, and by 1936 the town eventually took that name. A post office with the name Old Ocean was established in 1945 and was located inside a commissary on Sweeny's plantation. The 1936 county highway map showed Bethlehem church, several other buildings, and several scattered houses in the area. Its population was 800 in 1945 and had four businesses two years later. Its population grew to over a thousand residents and had nine businesses in 1964, losing 100 residents and only one business in 1972. Its population was recorded as 915 from the 1970s through 2000. It had two churches in 1974. Its business directory included 19 businesses in 1982, eight a decade later, and 21 in 2000.
Some settlers of the community included Mills M. Battle, M. Berry, Thomas H. Borden, Charles Breen, Benjamin C. Franklin, Freeman George, Henry W. Johnson, Oliver Jones, Imla Keep, David McCormick, Zeno Philips, Thomas Walker, John Williams, and Robert Harris Williams. Before the American Civil War, Sampson Brown was brought here as a slave from Maryland by Joseph McCormick in 1837. He then became a teacher and a preacher in Milam and Fort Bend counties after he was emancipated. Prince Monroe managed McCormick's plantation for more than 20 years.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.