Sugar Land, Texas and Vicinity

Dave and Macrine as Cowboy and Cowgirl in Sugar Land, Texas

In the summer of 2007, Macrine and I attended a Grand Reunion of Marinduque International,Inc (MI) held in Sugar Land, Texas. We flew to the Houston International Airport and was picked up by a member of MASTEG, and delivered to our hotel. During the day, we had meetings discussing preparation for our next medical mission to Marinduque (www.marinduqueinternational.org), but in the evening we were free to see the sights of the surrounding area. We did not see much of Houston and did not feel like getting out of our hotel, because it was so hot and humid outside just like the Philippines in the months of April and May. Some of our members went to San Antonio for a day tour. But since I had been to San Antonio, we did not joined the tour. We did have a night tour of Houston at night similar to the video below.


Sugar Land is a city located in Fort Bend County in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. It is one of the fastest-growing cities in Texas, having grown more than 158 percent in the last decade. In the time period of 2000–2007, Sugar Land also enjoyed a 46.24% job growth. In 2008, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that the city's population was 79,943, with a median family income of $110,327 and a median home price of $272,151.

Founded as a sugar plantation in the mid-19th century and incorporated in 1959, Sugar Land is the largest city and economic center of Fort Bend County. The city is the third-largest in population and second-largest in economic activities of the Houston area.

Sugar Land is home to the headquarters of Imperial Sugar and the company's main sugar refinery and distribution center was once located in this city. As a nod to this heritage, the Imperial Sugar crown logo can be seen in the city seal and logo. The city also holds the headquarters for Western Airways and a major manufacturing facility for Nalco Chemical Company. In addition, Sugar Land has a large number of international energy, software, engineering, and product firms.

The Town Center

Sugar Land has the most master-planned communities in Fort Bend County, which is home to the largest number of master-planned communities in the nation—including First Colony, Sugar Creek, Riverstone, New Territory, Telfair, and many others.

Sugar Land holds the title of "Fittest City in Texas" for the population 50,000–100,000 range, a title it has held for four consecutive years.

In 2006 CNN/Money and Money magazine ranked Sugar Land third on its list of the 100 Best Cities to Live in the United States.

In 2007, CQ Press has ranked Sugar Land fifth on its list of Safest Cities in the United States (14th annual "City Crime Rankings: Crime in Metropolitan American").

In 2008, Forbes.com selected Sugar Land along with Bunker Hill Village and Hunters Creek Village as one of the three Houston-area "Top Suburbs To Live Well", noting its affluence despite its large population.

Note: This is No. 28( Part 1) of a series of articles on places that Macrine and I had visited in the US since 1960.