You Heard There Were Six? The Hilarious History of Houston's Ward Woes
Ah, Houston, Texas. The city that's bigger than Rhode Island (and trust me, that's saying something), the home of NASA's mission control (cue dramatic music), and apparently, a place shrouded in wardrobe malfunction mysteries.
Wait, what? Wardrobes? No, my friends, I haven't gone space-crazy. I'm talking about wards, those lovely little voting districts that carve up a city. But Houston's ward system? Let's just say it's more "Who wore it best?" fashion show than orderly political map.
The Four Fathers (and a Few Followers)
Back in the day, 1840 to be exact, Houston decided to follow the hottest trend in town: dividing itself into four wards. We've got the First Ward, the Second Ward, the Third Ward, and the Fourth Ward – nothing too fancy, but it gets the job done. These four original wards were like the Spice Girls of Houston's government – a winning team (sorry, Victoria).
The Plot Thickens (and More Wards Get Added)
But just like Posh Spice eventually went solo (sorry again, Victoria), Houston wasn't content with just four. The city felt the need to accessorize with a couple more wards. In 1866, the Fifth Ward strutted onto the scene, and a decade later, the Sixth Ward joined the party. Houston was basically rocking a six-ward look – think Destiny's Child, but instead of singing about independent women, they were wrangling over potholes and property taxes.
The Grand Finale: The Disappearing Act (of the Wards)
Now here's where things get truly dramatic. Early 1900s Houston rolls around, and the city council decides the six-ward trend is sooo last season. Poof! The wards vanish faster than a magician's rabbit.
So, how many wards does Houston have today? Zero, zip, zilch. Houston ditched the ward system altogether, opting for a different way to carve up the city for elections.
The Moral of the Story?
Houston's ward system is a cautionary tale for all you city planners out there. Trends come and go, but potholes and property taxes? Those are forever. So choose your political divisions wisely, because unlike a bad outfit, you might not be able to just ditch them when the next hot trend rolls around.
