▁of ▁the ▁local ▁indust ries . ▁The ▁establishment ▁of ▁the ▁Houston ▁Sh ip ▁Channel ▁resulted ▁in ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁manufact uring ▁indust ries ▁in land , ▁including ▁in ▁South ▁Houston . ▁Between ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 0 s ▁and ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 6 0 s ▁South ▁Houston ▁found ▁rapid ▁population ▁growth . ▁The ▁city ▁had ▁ 7 , 5 2 3 ▁inhabitants ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 0 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 0 ▁South ▁Houston ▁had ▁ 1 1 , 7 8 2 ▁inhabitants ▁and ▁ 3 0 3 ▁business es . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁ 1 4 , 2 0 7 ▁inhabitants ▁lived ▁in ▁South ▁Houston . ▁ ▁Ele ph ants ▁belonging ▁to ▁former ▁South ▁Houston ▁mayor ▁George ▁Christ y , ▁a ▁circ us ▁owner , ▁assist ed ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁the ▁Sp encer ▁Highway . ▁ ▁From ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 ▁census ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁census , ▁His pan ics ▁began ▁to ▁move ▁into ▁South ▁Houston ▁by ▁an ▁amount ▁between ▁ 1 , 0 0 0 ▁and ▁ 3 , 5 0 0 ▁per ▁square ▁mile . ▁Most ▁His pan ics ▁in ▁South ▁Houston ▁were ▁of ▁Mexican ▁descent . ▁ ▁Geography ▁ ▁South ▁Houston ▁is ▁located ▁at ▁ ▁( 2 9 . 6 6 0 9 8 0 , ▁- 9 5 . 2 2 9 7 8 7 ). ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Census ▁Bureau , ▁the ▁city ▁has ▁a ▁total ▁area ▁of ▁