Why is the city of "Humble" pronounced "Umble"?

Just in case you were wondering. (Found this tidbit in a comment in Leon Hale's column archives)


The H in "Humble" is silent because the town was named after P.S. Humble who was from England.

With his Cockney accent, the H was silent, so there ya go.

Ol' Humble started a ferry on the San Jacinto river near where 59 crosses. A small settlement grew up there and pretty soon folks were addressing mail to "Humble's Ferry."

When the railroad came through the town up and moved to about where it is now.

BTW, the oil company was named after the town, not the other way around. Check out the historical marker on FM 1960 just east of town, on Moonshine Hill.