Tomball

Tomball is located along State Highway 249, 28 miles Northwest of downtown Houston. Although it's close to Houston, it is far from being a suburb. Tomball has been here for 90 years, first as a railroad town, and later as an oil town. The community's name was given in honor of State Senator Thomas Henry Ball in 1907 because of his influence in establishing Tomball as a railroad center for the transport of agricultural products. An oil boom hit Tomball when a 100 foot gusher was brought in during 1933, attracting hundreds of new residents. Local residents received free natural gas for over 50 years in exchange for exclusive rights by Humble Oil and Gas to drill within the city. Functioning as a commercial center for a large portion of Houston's rapidly growing northwest quadrant, the Tomball area has developed a strong economic base: Compaq Computer Corporation, Kwik Kopy Corporation, Friendswood Development, BJ Services and many other companies.