History

Polly Ranch Estates was formed in approximately June of 1953. Raymond Kliesing owned the land (which originally was part of the Milby Butler Ranch) and gave our subdivision its name, although there is some question as to which "Polly" in Raymond's life our subdivision was named after. Raymond's second wife, Polly was the first and obvious choice, however according to Raymond's son Sidney, Raymond was an exotic pet owner and at one time owned up to 5 parrots that he was also quite proud of.

The airstrip is a unique feature to our subdivision. It is ironic to learn that Raymond Kliesing was not a pilot, yet one of Polly Ranch's first residents was a pilot. James Pearson purchased land in Polly Ranch in 1958 and moved into his home off the runway in 1960. Back then it wasn't uncommon to see an airplane taxi itself onto the shell road runway! James Pearson and a couple of other original residents were instrumental in keeping the airstrip at Polly Ranch from being sold and turned into residential lots back in 1972.

Aside from the airstrip, Polly Ranch has its own private park where Clear Creek & Chigger Creek meet. In our park there is a lagoon and an island called "Monkey Island". This name was appropriately given when Donald Kliesing (brother of Sid) was given a monkey as a pet and soon after it was found that neither really enjoyed each other's company, so the monkey was given a girlfriend monkey and soon Monkey Island had a booming growth in population. Unfortunately, a terrible flood in the 70s soon left Monkey Island deserted.

The Association

Polly Ranch Estates Homeowners Association was officially formed in 1973 by the development company, Polly Ranch Estates Inc., to encompass 194 residential lots and several reserves. Since that formation, the HOA has been established as a 401(c)3 non-profit organization. The reserves have experienced various fates: one became the private park for the subdivision, several became a townhouse development, others were developed as additional single-family housing that has been incorporated into the HOA, and a small number persist as the airstrip and associated adjacent green space.

Since the formation of the HOA, all new homeowners of record have explicitly accepted the subdivision bylaws and deed restrictions as part of the closing process for buying their home in Polly Ranch. These documents, which specify respectively the how and what of our subdivision's operating rules, have been amended as needed over the intervening years -- through the stewardship efforts of countless members who have volunteered their time to support our community, the Association has maintained the unique character of our subdivision while ensuring its future.

In addition to the private airstrip in our subdivision, Polly Ranch also has a private park with walking trails and a playground. Our schools (Friendswood Independent School District) consistently rank in the top tier for academic achievement in the State of Texas. Our city, Friendswood, has extensive parks and other facilities nearby and has been ranked highly in several "best small city" reviews recently - a Houston suburb, Friendswood combines the positive aspects of a small town environment with ease of access to the opportunities and activities of the larger metropolitan area nearby.

We live in a subdivision of much diversity and historical intrigue, with NASA employees, engineers, doctors, lawyers, business owners, educators, and civil servants, etc. Our subdivision attracts us for many reasons (aviation, wildlife, a safe & friendly community) that are all great reasons to become a Polly Rancher! We are proud of our community and it shows in our spirit to take care of it.

Welcome to Polly Ranch. Whether this is your first time visiting or not, we are glad you are here and hope you enjoy your stay.