Houston, with its frenetic pace, vast wealth, and top-notch art scene, epitomizes the "bigger is better" frontier spirit that has driven Texas to achieve worldwide prominence. Its once deserved reputation as a swampy cowtown with an unbearable summer climate changed in the 1930s with the introduction of air conditioning, and the population skyrocketed. Today, partly as a result of that boom, Houston struggles with traffic and pollution, but don't let that drive you away, as people come here for a reason.