The city served as the residence of Sam Houston, the first and third president of the Republic of Texas who later represented the state in the U.S. Senate.

The city got its beginning circa 1836, when Pleasant and Ephraim Gray opened a trading post on the site.

Huntsville was also the home of Samuel Walker Houston (1864–1945),[9] a prominent African-American pioneer in the field of education.

Samuel W. Houston founded the Galilee Community School in 1907, which later became known as the Houstonian Normal and Industrial Institute, in Walker County.

In 1995, on the grounds of the old Samuel W. Houston Elementary School, the Huntsville Independent School District, along with the Huntsville Arts Commission[10] and the high school's Ex-Students Association, commissioned the creation of The Dreamers, a monument to underscore the black community's contributions to the growth and development of Huntsville and Walker County.

[16] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a land area of 35.86 square miles[17] in 2010.

[20] The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters.

[21] As of 2022, the largest employer in Huntsville is the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, with 6,744 employees.

Robert Draper of the Texas Monthly described Huntsville as the "company town" of the TDCJ; he stated that the industry was "recession-proof" and that "It's hard to find a person in Huntsville who doesn't have at least an indirect affiliation with the prison system", since many businesses indirectly rely on its presence.

[25] As of 2022, Sam Houston State remained the second-largest employer in Huntsville, with 2,417 employees.

[25] The headquarters of the Texas Forensic Science Commission is located at Sam Houston State University.

[40] As of 2001 many former prisoners released from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice system use the station to travel to their final destinations.

[27] The station is three blocks uphill from the Huntsville Unit, a point of release for prisoners exiting the TDCJ.

[42] As of December 2015, it is still listed as the Huntsville Municipal Airport by the Federal Aviation Administration and the Texas Department of Transportation.

The Cultural District is also home to some of the finest historical architecture in Texas, including murals created by world-renowned artist Richard Haas and unique homes built from recycled materials created by Dan Phillips of Phoenix Commotion complement the historic aspects of the district.

"[45] The authors say that debate is a significant part of the leadership agenda, and that the residents of Huntsville disagree about capital punishment.

The Texas State library has made available a large array of professional databases, giving the public access to thousands of professional journals, encyclopedias, language programs, educational tutorials, and informational sites.

[53] The Windham School District, which provides educational services to prisoners in the TDCJ, is headquartered in Building B in the Wynne Unit in Huntsville.

Standing on a 10-foot granite base, the 67-foot tall statue of Sam Houston is visible from I-45 northbound for 6.5 miles.

David Adickes, the creator of Big Sam, transformed 60 tons of concrete and steel into the monument and dedicated the statue to the City of Huntsville on October 22, 1994.

[56] Within the Huntsville Cultural District, the Wynne Home Arts & Visitor Center offers a wide variety of arts and cultural programs tailored to the interests and needs of Huntsville's diverse community.