Houston is the 4th largest city in the United States and the 6th largest in North America. It was founded on August 30, 1836 by brothers Augustus Chapman Allen and John Kirby Allen who purchased around 6,600 acres of land near the banks of Buffalo Bayou.
The Allen brothers named the city after General Sam Houston, a prominent leader during the Texas Revolution and 1st president of the Republic of Texas. Houston was incorporated as a on June 5th, 1837 with James S. Holman as the city's 1st mayor.
For 3 years, it served as the capitol of the Republic in the late 1830s until it was reloacated permanently to Austin. Houston was part of an independent nation until 1846 when the United States formally annexed Texas.