Houston, Alaska, is a riverside town in the Mat-Su Borough, west of Wasilla along the George Parks Highway.
Houston has about 950 residents and encompasses nearly 24 square miles of land and more than a square mile of water.
Many residents are employed in the nearby Palmer-Wasilla area, and some commute to Anchorage. The area is a popular fishing center, where anglers work the Little Susitna River.
The homes of most inhabitants have individual wells, septic tanks and complete plumbing. The junior-senior high school uses its own well system. The remainder of residents haul water and use outhouses. A number of homes in this area are used only seasonally.
History
''Houston Siding'' was first listed on a blueprint map of the Alaska Railroad in 1917. The area was homesteaded during the 1950s. In 1966, Houston became an incorporated second-class city.
In June 1996, the Big Lake wildfire destroyed more than 37,500 acres in the Houston and Big Lake areas, including 433 buildings and homes valued at $8.9 million.
Source: Alaska Department of Community and Economic Development
