In the late 1880s, Splendora was known as Coxs Switch. This came about due to the fact that Charles Cox was instrumental in having the HE&WT Railroad put in a narrow gage spur from Houston for cross ties and lumber. This created many railroad and sawmill related jobs. The more common ones were logging, farming, sawmill work, cutting fire wood for steam engines, and crosstie making. The price paid for each crosstie made at that time was from three to ten cents. W. W. Burrow, who moved here in 1883 built the first general store in Cox Switch shortly after the railroad track was completed from Houston. His business started with large boxes of staples in his home. Word soon spread that if anyone was in need of a sack of flour or sugar, they could get it from Mr. Burrow. The train, store, and jobs created by the railroad provided the necessary ingredients for many more settlers to come to Coxs Switch. Among these were the Richardson’s, Flowers, Pattons, Sallees, Pridgens, Dukes, Lucases, Stokelys, Grays, Hendleys, Harringtons, and the Tullises. Charles Cox who at the age of 45, came here planning to die, realized that since he had married Ruth Hall and already had a couple of children that they might not want the town to be called Coxs Switch. In 1896, Mr. King decided on the name of Splendora because of the splendor of it and its floral environment. The main street of Splendora was the railroad track. People walked, rode horses, and drove wagons and buggies along the track. On Sundays everyone turned out to meet the train at the depot. The train was their only connection with Houston and the means of communication. It brought the mail, packages, payroll, and often visitors.
The first church building was built around 1895 next to the present cemetery. Preachers of various dominations took turns preaching until 1903 when the Green Leaf Missionary Baptist Church was organized. The church building was also used as a school house until 1913 when a new school was built on the land donated by Charles Cox and located on the site of our present Splendora Intermediate School. Some of the first school teachers in the first school near the cemetery were Professor Ezell, Mr. Pirtle, Molly Patton, and her daughter Lillie Patton.
City Hall is located at 26090 FM 2090 East beside the City Park. Listed below are telephone numbers to reach our key departments:
Police Department: 281-689-3448
Municipal Court: 281-399-1352
Utility Department: 281-689-3197
Mayors Office: 281-689-2300