As Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, the Astrodome became more than just a stadium — it became a refuge, a symbol of resilience, and the heart of Houston.
HOUSTON — When Katrina made landfall in August 2005, it brought entire communities in New Orleans to their knees. Rachel Allen, who fled the storm, still finds it difficult to talk about.
“You saw the devastation it did to the city,” Allen recalled. “20 years later it still brings up emotions. We lost everything. I only had a bag.”
Tens of thousands sought safety inside New Orleans’ Superdome. But as conditions there deteriorated, Houston stepped up.
Houston opens its heart
Former KHOU 11 reporter Doug Miller remembers how quickly the city responded.
“Houston opened its heart and its most famous building and said, ‘Come on, we’ll take you in.’ That was a big deal,” said Miller.
Before county officials even opened the Astrodome’s gates, volunteers were already showing up with supplies, ready to help. Inside, evacuees faced exhaustion and uncertainty. Families were separated. People searched desperately for loved ones.
But there were also moments of joy. Shouts of “we found him, we found him” echoed through the Dome as families reunited among rows of green cots.
“The main thing you could see is these people were exhausted, they’d lost everything and this city was their last hope,” Miller said.
For Allen, the Dome became a turning point.
“I don’t know where I would be without that,” she said. “The Dome and the people inside — they were hope. It was help.”
The dome’s legacy
This year, the Astrodome turns 60. Beth Wiedower Jackson, Executive Director of the Astrodome Conservancy, says its role during Katrina may have been its greatest chapter.
“This truly was its own community, its own city under the Dome,” said Jackson. “We can use that as inspiration for what this building can be again.”
For many New Orleanians who stayed and became Houstonians, the Dome is more than a building. It’s a sacred place.
“For many, this is a reverential place,” Jackson said. “One might argue that its finest hour is yet to come.”
What’s next?
Nearly two decades after sheltering Katrina evacuees, the Astrodome’s future remains uncertain. A new proposal calls for transforming it into an arena and mixed-use development with a hotel, restaurants, retail, and office space. A recent University of Houston poll found 62% of voters would support using some public funds to help make that vision a reality.
But no matter what comes next, many believe the Dome’s legacy is already sealed as the place where Houston showed its heart in 2005.
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