Shortly after the north-south split, District 56 (Houston) hosted the 29th Annual Toastmasters International Convention in August of 1973. The convention voted to allow women to become members of Toastmasters.
By July 1, 1997, District 56 was split east-west during the 40th Anniversary of the district. District 55 to the west includes San Antonio, Austin, and Corpus Christi while District 56 to the east includes all the clubs in Houston and the surrounding areas.
As of January 1, 2020, District 56 was home to 194 clubs, 3,593 members, with a balanced blend of corporate and community clubs.