Tomball (/ˈtɒmbɔːl/ TOM-bawl) is a city in Harris County in the U.S. state of Texas, a part of the Houston metropolitan area.

[5][6] In 1907, the community of Peck was renamed Tomball for local congressman Thomas Henry Ball, who had a major role in the development of the Port of Houston.

[7] European settlement began in the Tomball area in the early 19th century, where newcomers found an open, fertile land that received adequate rainfall—perfect conditions for farming and raising cattle.

Railroad line engineers often noticed that the Tomball area was on the boundary between the low hills of Texas and the flat coastal plains of the Gulf, making it an ideal location for a train stop.

The railroad could load more cargo on each car, because the topography gently sloped toward the Galveston ports and provided an easier downhill coast.

Hotels, boarding houses, saloons, and mercantile stores all began to spring up in the area.

At first, people called the area Peck, after a chief civil engineer of the railroad line.

Gambrell, president of the Anti-Saloon League, urged his fellow prohibitionists to unite behind a Democratic candidate for governor.

Ball, the teetotaling man of rectitude, might have won, but Ferguson's men visited Tomball and found to their delight that the rough and ready railroad town was no "saloon-less world."

They brought back photos of Tomballians staggering out of at least four saloons ("shot of whiskey 10 cents, schooner of beer a nickel") and also discovered houses of ill repute doing a "brisk business" near the depot.

The Ferguson campaign plastered the state with photos of a town named for a prohibitionist, where little, it seemed, was prohibited.

As Texas historian James Haley tells the story, the man whose campaign slogan was "Play Ball," played right into Ferguson's hands by responding, lamely, that he enjoyed the club's literary pursuits, whereupon Ferguson happily produced records showing that the club had recently spent $112 on reading materials and $10,483.15 for liquor.

Humble Oil Company, struck a deal with the town through which they would provide water and natural gas free of charge to the residents in exchange for rights to drill on the land.

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

The district contains eleven elementary schools (Tomball, Decker Prairie, Lakewood, Timber Creek, Creekside Forest, Creekview, Canyon Pointe, Willow Creek, Wildwood, Grand Oakes and Rosehill Elementary Schools).

Harris County operates a tax office at 101 South Walnut Street in Tomball.

[32] The North Harris County Regional Water Authority form by State legislation as a taxing entity, which is located in Voting District No.

[33] The Texas House of Representatives bill that created the water authority, HB 2965, was signed into law on June 18, 1999.

[43] On September 7, 2010, the Tomball City Council voted down a proposal to make English the official language of the city, and it voted down a measure that would have forbidden undocumented immigrants from owning and/or renting property and operating and/or owning businesses.

[45] The United States Postal Service operates the Tomball Post Office at 122 N Holderrieth Blvd, 77375-9998.

The city is served by Tomball Regional Medical Center, located at 605 Holderrieth Boulevard.

It is a full-service 357-bed facility hospital providing special expertise in cardiovascular disease, cancer care, emergency services, digital diagnostic imaging, physical rehabilitation, sports medicine, and comprehensive wound and lymphedema care.