Eldridge Parkway in Houston is named after William Thomas Eldridge. The businessman, city marshal, hotelier, land developer, and railroad man was born on September 8, 1862, in Washington County, Texas. At age 12, Eldridge left home in the early 1880s and moved to Eagle Lake. Here he became a city marshal, helped build the Cane Belt Railroad, built and opened a hotel, and built and operated Bonus and Eldridge, two company-owned towns.
Eldridge moved to Sugar Land after he was acquitted of murder charges of two men he thought were threatening him. In 1907 he partnered with I.H. Kempner of Galveston to acquire the land that would eventually become the Imperial Sugar Company. Eldridge moved to the site and served as the general manager. He built the company-owned town of Sugar Land. Besides sugarcane, Eldridge also grew cabbage, corn, cotton, feed grain, fruit, potatoes, and yams.
During this time Eldridge also acquired, refurbished, and sold seven different railways, including the Sugar Land Railroad, the San Antonio, Uvalde and Gulf Railroad, and the Rio Grande City Railway. Eldridge also contracted the Sealy Mattress Company to open a manufacturing plant in Sugar Land.
William Thomas Eldridge died on August 20, 1932.
Eldridge Parkway runs north and south. It begins at Northpointe Boulevard in northwest Houston south of Tomball, and ends at Richmond Road in southwest Houston.
I love all your history readings. Thank you
Love the history on William Eldridge. My boyfriend and I purchased Eldridge’s house in Eagle LakeTX.
When was that house built? And does it have a Texas State marker? If not, you might consider getting one!
I am on the Board of the Prairie Edge Museum in Eagle Lake and am working on a story
about the Dunovant and Eldridge History. Our records show the house was built in 1900
and while under construction the 1900 storm blew down some of the frame work; the
contractor re-built it strong enough to withstand future storms.
Descendants of Eldridge.