Katy trip planner

Katy is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, within the Houston–Katy-Woodlands–Sugar Land metropolitan area. The city is located in Harris, Fort Bend, and Waller counties. The population was 14,102 at the 2010 census, up from 11,775 at the 2000 census. The population was estimated to be 16,158 in 2015.HistoryIn the early 1800s Katy was known as "Cane Island", named for the creek that runs through the area, a branch of Buffalo Bayou. The creek was filled with tall cane, not native to the area. It was presumed to have been planted by either the Karankawa Indians or Spanish explorers to aid in fur trapping until the 1820s.In 1845 James J. Crawford received a land grant that included this area. The hot summers, thick clay soil made it difficult to attract settlers to the area. Crawford, Peter Black, John Sills and the families of former slaves Thomas (Mary) Robinson and Milto McGinnis were the only recorded residents of Cane Island in 1875.In 1895, James Oliver Thomas laid out a town, and in January 1896 the town of Katy was named through Thomas's post office application. The name "Katy" was derived from the MKT Railroad Company and was commonly referred to as "the K-T," which was also its stock exchange symbol. This common designation soon evolved into "the Katy."The anticipations of prosperity would bring growth to the new town which was developed around the original train stop and railroad tracks. By the early 1900s many families had come by train and wagon to establish Katy. Cotton and peanuts and corn were the first successful crops, but rice soon became the primary commodity crop. Katy later became known for rice farming; the first concrete rice driers in the state of Texas were built here in 1944 and still stand as landmarks. The farming community well supported local businesses as several hotels, stores, livery stables and saloons were prospering.