, TX


title address markertext
M. D. Anderson 1310 Prairie  Tennessee native Monroe Dunaway (M. d.) Anderson (1873-1939) joined his brother Frank and William L. and Ben Clayton in an Oklahoma cotton merchandising business in 1904. Anderson served as chief financial officer for the business, known as Anderson, Clayton & Company. In 1907 he moved to Houston and opened a branch office for the company in Houston's original Cotton Exchange building at the corner of Travis and Franklin streets.

 Anderson, Clayton & Company moved its main offices to Houston in 1916 and in 1923 moved here to the Houston Cotton Exchange building. They prospered and became the leading merchants in the global cotton market.

 Anderson never married and lived frugally in downtown hotels. In 1936 he established a charitable foundation with the fortune he made in the cotton business. Upon his death in 1939, $20 million of his estate was willed to the M. D. Anderson Foundation.

 The Texas Legislature authorized the creation of a cancer research hospital in 1941. Upon learning this, trustees of the M. D. Anderson Foundation successfully bid for the institution and helped finance it. The M. D. Anderson Cancer Center and the Texas Medical Center which the M. D. Anderson Foundation created have become world renowned institutions.
Antioch Missionary Baptist Church 600 Clay Street  The emancipation of slaves was heralded by federal officials in Galveston on June 19, 1865. Antioch became Houston's first African American Baptist Church when organized by nine former area slaves in 1866. Their first sanctuary, built nearby in 1868,served as the site of Texas' first African American Baptist Convention.

 The Rev. John Henry Yates (1828-1897), elected Antioch's first full-time pastor in 1868, led efforts to improve the education of Houston's African Americans and helped establish the Houston Baptist Academy in 1885.

 This sanctuary, built in 1875-79, began as a one-story structure designed by church member Richard Allen. It was enlarged in the 1890s and underwent major alterations in the 1930s. The nationally recognized Gothic Revival masonry building features stained glass windows containing portraits of prominent church figures, steep cross gables, pointed arch windows and doors, and a distinctive neon "Jesus Saves" sign.

 Once the center of a cohesive African American community, Antioch served as the mother church for many area African American Baptist congregations. The church continues to provide leadership in religious, civic, and educational activities as Houston's oldest and preeminent African American Baptist congregation.



Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1994
Auditorium Hotel 710 Texas Avenue   The Auditorium Hotel was built in 1926 for Houston investor Michele DeGeorge (1850-1927), who came to the United States from Italy in 1881. Designed by architect Joseph Finger (1887-1953), the building features Italian renaissance detailing in the upper stories. Its location in the center of Houston's theater district and its association with the now-razed city auditorium have contributed to its significance as a Houston landmark during the city's commercial development.



Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1984
Autry House 6265 Main St.   This house was built in 1921 by the Episcopal Diocese of Texas as a student center for Rice University. It was designed by Houston architect William Ward Watkin and the Boston architectural firm of Cram & Ferguson in the Italian Mediterranean style featured on many Rice University campus structures. The house is named for James Lockhart Autry (1859-1920), Texaco general counsel and husband of Allie Kinsloe Autry who donated funds for its construction.



Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1994 
David Barker House 121 E. 16th St.   Constructed in 1910, this was the home of prominent business, civic, and political leader David Barker (1868-1962). The house was completed during Mr. Barker's third year as mayor (1907-1913) of Houston Heights. Outstanding features of the American four-square style house include its wraparound porch with Tuscan columns and denticulated cornice; gabled dormer centered over the facade; and front entry with transom and sidelights. The home remained in the Barker family until 1971.



Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1990
Bering Memorial United Methodist Church 1440 Harold St.   Originally known as the First German Methodist Church of Houston, this congregation was organized in 1848 by the Rev. Charles Goldberg. Most of the charter members were German immigrants, including August and Conrad Bering, two brothers who had come to Texas in 1846 with their parents. The name of the church was changed in 1911 to honor this founding family. About the same time, English was introduced into the worship services. The congregation met at Milam and McKinney streets from 1858 until 1924, when it moved to this location.
Brown Chapel A. M. E. Church 3208 Washington Ave.   Organized in 1881, this church was founded to serve people living in the West End and Chaneyville communities, later known as the Sixth Ward. The Rev. Louis Brown served as first pastor of the church, which was named in his honor. A small sanctuary built in 1882 was destroyed by fire in 1917. Construction of the present building, originally a one-story frame structure, was begun that year. It was later enlarged to two stories, and in 1944 the exterior was clad in brick. Brown Chapel continues to be an important part of the Sixth Ward.
Site of General Offices, Buffalo Bayou, Brazos & Colorado Railroad Elm St.  Building of a railroad from here to the Brazos, to handle commerce of rich plantations, was attempted unsuccessfully in 1840-41 by early merchant Andrew Briscoe and the Harrises who founded Harrisburg. Their holdings, including Harrisburg townsite, were sold in 1847 to a group of bostonians and Texans-- headed by San Jacinto hero Gen. Sidney Sherman-- who succeeded in building the first railroad in Texas.

 The Buffalo Bayou, Brazos & Colorado Railway was chartered Feb. 11, 1850. Construction materials, shipped from Boston to Galveston, came up Buffalo Bayou by barges. Chief engineer John A. Williams began survey in May 1851. When a few miles of track were laid, the first passengers ever to ride a train in Texas went to Thomas Point (3 mi. W), April 21, 1853, to a celebration featuring salutes from "Twin Sisters" cannon used in 1836 Battle of San Jacinto. Four months later tracks reached Stafford's Point, and B. B. B. & C. operations officially began, with Harrisburg as the terminal.

 One block north of here were depot, roundhouse and docks; a half block south, site of 1836 Texas Capitol.

 The road was sold in 1870, and name was changed to Galveston, Harrisburg & San Antonio. It eventually became part of the Southern Pacific system.
James Judson and Lena Carter Carroll House 16 Courtlandt Place   Built in 1912, with 1924 alterations by architect Birdsall P. Briscoe, this was the home of James Judson Carroll (1876-1938), noted businessman and ornithologist, and Lena (Carter) 1879-1971) his wife, who was a member of a prominent lumber company family. The classical revival residence features interior carvings by artist Peter Mansbendel, two-story colossal columns, a distinctive balustrade, and large windows on the principal facade.



Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1997
John Cheevers 1217 W. Dallas  Came to Texas in 1829. Died in Houston in 1846.

 Participated in the Battle of San Jacinto as a member of Captain Thomas H. McIntire's company.

Clayton House 5300 Caroline   Built in 1916-17, this Georgian revival house was the home of William L. Clayton (1880-1966), founder of Anderson, Clayton, & Co., a cotton trading firm. A leader in public service as well as business, Clayton was a principal architect of the Marshall Plan for economic recovery in Europe after World War II. The two-story brick home features Tuscan columns, paneled pilasters, elliptical fanlight over the front door, and fanlit dormers on the roof.



Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1988
Arthur B. Cohn House Avenida de las Americas  A native of Little Rock, Arkansas, Arthur Benjamin Cohn (1871-1938) constructed this home soon after purchasing the property in 1905. As principal accountant for the William Marsh Rice Estate, Cohn was instrumental in the establishment of Rice Institute in 1912 and served as its first business manager. The late Queen Anne style house, which features paired classical columns and bracketed eaves, was Cohn's residence until 1909.



Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1985
James Collinsworth 1217 W. Dallas Ave.  Born in Tennessee, 1806. Drowned in Galveston, July 11, 1838, and his remains brought by boat up Buffalo Bayou to Houston. His remains interred in this cemetery under the auspices of Temple Lodge No. 4. First Masonic funeral ever held in Texas.

 Delegate to the Consultation held at San Felipe, 1835. Signer, from Brazoria municipality, of the Texas Declaration of Independence. "Bore himself as a chief" at San Jacinto. Secretary of State, 1836. Senator in the Congress of Texas, 1836. First Chief Justice of the supreme Court of Texas. A county in Texas was named in his honor.

Dr. Benjamin Jesse Covington and the Covington House 2219 Dowling St.   Dr. Benjamin Jesse Covington (c. 1871-1961), his wife Jennie Belle Murphy (1881-1966), and the stately home they built here in 1911 represented a level of achievement, dignity, and civic service matched by few African Americans in Houston during the first half of the 20th century.

 Born and reared on a farm in Falls County, Texas, Dr. Covington exhibited surgical skills on farm animals at an early age. He later attended Hearne Academy and Meharry Medical College to become a surgeon. After graduating in 1900 he began his medical practice in Wharton, Texas. He married Gonzales native Jennie Belle Murphy in 1902, and in 1903 they moved to Houston where Dr. Covington practiced medicine for 58 years.

 Dr. Covington, president of the Lone Star Medical Association in 1920, co-founded the Houston Negro Hospital in 1925. Mrs. Covington co-founded the Blue Triangle Branch, Y. W. C. A., and served as chair of the Texas State Commission on Race Relations. The Covingtons were active members of Antioch Baptist Church.

 During a period when local hotels were segregated, the Covingtons' home (razed in 1978) served as Houston's unofficial guest quarters for many prominent African American visitors including Booker T. Washington and eminent artists Marian Anderson and Roland Hayes. (1994)
Damascus Missionary Baptist Church 3211 Center Street This congregation traces its history to 1866, when the Rev. I. S. Campbell was sent by the National Baptist Convention to organize African American churches in Texas immediately following the Civil War. Assisted by Joseph Smalley, Campbell organized Damascus Missionary Baptist Church to serve residents of the West End and Chaneyville neighborhoods, later part of Houston's Sixth Ward. The Rev. Thomas Louis Hansborough served as the first pastor of the new church, which met in the home of a member until a sanctuary was built at Center and Leverkuhn streets. In 1885, church trustees purchased property on the west side of Court Street, near Center Street, and a new church building was erected at the site in 1893. The structure was destroyed by storms in 1900 and 1915 and was rebuilt each time. The congregation purchased nearby property at 3122 Center Street in 1926 and new structures were erected at the site in 1939 and 2007. Throughout its history, Damascus Missionary Baptist Church has served the community with missionary, worship, educational and civic outreach programs. Auxiliary organizations organized by members of the congregation include the Business and Professional Women of Damascus, The Damascus Christian Education Committee and the Willing Workers organization. A scholarship fund, a bereavement ministry and a food and clothing pantry have also been established by the congregation to provide Christian outreach to the community. Some church members represent families who have been associated with the congregation from the time of its organization. (1992, 2009)
Daughters of the Republic of Texas 620 Crawford St.   On November 6, 1891, seventeen women met at the home of Mrs. Andrew Briscoe at this site to organize an auxiliary to the Texas Veterans Association. Mrs. Anson Jones was elected president of the new organization, Daughters of the Lone Star Republic. Goals set for the group included preserving the memories of Texas Revolution heroes, instilling Texas patriotism in the state's school children, preservation of historic sites, and promoting statewide celebrations of Texas Independence Day (March 2) and San Jacinto Day (April 21).

 The first annual meeting of the organization was held in Lampasas on April 21, 1892. A resolution was passed to change the group's name to the Daughters of the Republic of Texas. By 1892 the first two chapters had been formed, one in Galveston and one in Houston.

 The DRT has been in the forefront of many historic preservation projects throughout the state. Clara Driscoll, on behalf of the D. R. T., wrote personal checks to save the Alamo from demolition. The organization also led efforts to preserve and commemorate the San Jacinto Battlefield site, and maintains the old General Land Office and French Legation buildings in Austin as museums.



Texas Sesquicentennial 1836 - 1986
Thomas J. and Mary Donoghue House 17 Courtlandt Place   Thomas J. Donoghue, a Texas company (Texaco) founder and executive, and his wife, Mary, built this house in 1915-16. Designed by noted New York architect Whitney Warren of the firm of Warren and Wetmore, it is an excellent example of Georgian revival architecture with wood and stone carvings by master artisan Peter Mansbendel. A part of the exclusive early 20th century Courtlandt Place neighborhood, the house remained in the Donoghue family until 1966.



Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1994
John M. Dorrance House 9 Courtlandt Place  (1852-1935) An early Houston cotton broker and business and civic leader, had this home built for his family in 1914. Designed by the noted Fort Worth architectural firm of Sanguinet and Staats, the house is an outstanding example of Mediterranean architecture. Prominent features of the structure include its arched windows and door openings, tile roof, and stucco finish. It remained in the Dorrance family until 1941.



Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1991
DePelchin Faith Home 2700 Albany at Drew   Founded in 1893 in memory of Kezia Payne DePelchin, a remarkable social worker, teacher, and nurse in Houston during the latter half of the 1800s. The orphanage moved to this building upon completion in 1913 and remained here until 1938. Designed by architects Mauran and Russell, the renaissance revival structure features an open arcade on the bottom story and an entryway flanked with Doric pilasters that support a classical cornice.



Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1984
First Presbyterian Church of Houston 5300 Main St.   Organized March 31 (Easter Sunday), 1839, in Senate Chamber, Capitol of Republic of Texas, Main at Texas, by the Rev. Wm. Youel Allen, missionary from the United States, and eleven members. James Burke was elected ruling elder. Services of worship and a Sunday School (begun on May 13, 1838) continued in Capitol while church building was being erected on site (NW corner, Main and Capitol) given by the Allen family which had founded Houston.

 The church was the first house of worship completed in Houston. Dedicated on Feb. 13, 1842, it was used for meeting of other denominations and groups. Here the House of Representatives met in summer of 1842, and President Sam Houston addressed a joint session of Congress. Thus the congregation repaid the Republic's hospitality of 1838-1839.

 Original church burned 1862; a brick structure was built in 1867, and served until the erection of a large stone edifice, Main at McKinney, 1894. Fire destroyed part of that building in 1932. The present church was occupied in 1948 and dedicated Sept. 12, 1954. Through the years, this church body has furnished many outstanding leaders to the businesses and professions of state and nation.

The W. L. Foley Building 214-18 Travis Street  John Kennedy (d. 1878), who had a trading post for frontiersmen and Indians in Houston as early as 1841, built the oldest part of this structure as investment property in 1860. After half of the building burned, his son-in-law, W. L. Foley (d. 1925), rebuilt the lost portion in 1889, giving old and new parts a Romanesque revival design. His architect was Eugene T. Heiner. In this building Foley tutored his nephews who founded the Foley Brothers' store.



Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1977



Marker Sponsor: Harris County Historical Commission
Fondren Mansion 3410 Montrose Blvd.   Designed by noted Texas architect Alfred C. Finn (1883-1964), this house was built in 1923 for the family of Walter W. Fondren (1877-1939), one of the founders of Humble Oil & Refining Company. Built in the Prairie School style, the impressive structure reflects the wealth and influence of its original owner. Prominent features include symmetrical massing of bays, dormers, and chimneys; tile roof; and Sullivanesque friezes on the entry bay and chimney caps.



Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1989
Forum of Civics 2503 Westheimer  Of River Oaks Garden Club. Built about 1880. Until 1920, the John Smith School. Restored 1927 by Will Hogg. A memorial since 1942 to Will and Mike Hogg. Gardens added 1955. Open to public.
Garrow House 19 Courtlandt Place   John W. Garrow (1879-1944), a successful cotton broker, had this house built in 1913 for his family. Designed by Houston architect Birdsall P. Briscoe, this was the seventh house built in the exclusive Courtlandt Place neighborhood. The house is an excellent example of Italian renaissance influence, a style popular in the United States between 1890 and 1935. Garrow family members lived in the house until 1944.



Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1997
Gray Lodge No. 329, A. F. & A. M. 3210 Hillcroft Ave.  Founded in 1870, this is Houston's second oldest Masonic Lodge. On May 11, 1870, twenty-two Master Masons, in response to the growth in Houston's population, signed a petition requesting a charter for a new lodge from the Grand Lodge of Texas. Gray Lodge No. 329 was constituted in the hall of Houston's first Masonic Lodge, Holland Lodge No. 1.

 The lodge was named for William Fairfax Gray, who was in Texas as a land agent and attended the Convention at Washington-on-the-Brazos in 1836 when Texas declared independence from Mexico. Gray moved his family from Virginia to Houston in 1837. He was by profession an attorney, and served as clerk of the Republic of Texas House of Representatives and the Senate in 1837 and 1838.

Harris County Courthouse of 1910 301 Fannin  When brothers Augustus C. and John K. Allen founded Houston in 1836, they designated this site as the Courthouse Square. In 1837 Huston became the Harrisburg (later Harris) County Seat, and a two-story pine log courthouse was constructed here.

 The present structure, which was built in 1909-10, served as the fifth Harris County Courthouse at this location. Designed by Charles Erwin Barglebaugh, an associate in the prominent Dallas architectural firm of Lang and Witchell, it features classical revival styling. Outstanding details include the domed roof, ornate central projections, or risalits, with Corinthian columns, and elaborate ornamentation of terra cotta, limestone, and masonry. Building materials include pink Texas granite and light brown St. Louis brick. During construction of the Courthouse, county offices were housed in a nearby theater.

 Shortly after a new courthouse was built east of the square in 1952, this structure was remodeled for use as the Harris County Civil Courts building.

 Today the Harris County Courthouse of 1910 serves as a dramatic example of civic architecture and as a symbol of Houston's dynamic growth in the early part of the twentieth century. (1984)
Heights Church of Christ 548 Heights Blvd.  Founded in 1915, this was the second Church of Christ congregation established in Houston. G. A. Dunn served as minister when the congregation built its first place of worship in 1916. In 1924 noted Houston architect Alfred C. Finn was hired to design a new church structure in the renaissance revival style with Georgian revival influences. A significant element in the Houston Heights neighborhood, the church has established new congregations throughout the Houston area and has been involved in foreign missionary endeavors, as well.

Heritage Presbyterian Church 7934 SH 6  Originally constructed near the banks of Little Cypress Creek (11 mi. NW) in 1916, this chapel served the congregation of St. John Lutheran Church. Designed with Gothic detailing, it was built by German craftsmen. When the fellowship grew too large for the sanctuary, it was purchased by the members of Windwood Presbyterian Church and moved to Grant Road (8 mi. NE). Heritage Presbyterian Church relocated it here in 1980.



Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1980
Hogg Building 401 Louisiana St.   Noted Houston business and civic leader Will C. Hogg (1875-1930) had this commercial structure built in 1921. Early tenants included the Armor Auto Company and the Great Southern Life Insurance Company. The art deco building, designed by the engineering firm of Barglebaugh and Whitson, features an exterior dominated by industrial windows. A rooftop penthouse, used for offices of the Hogg family businesses, reflects Mediterranean influences.



Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1980
Holcombe House 1905 Holcombe Blvd.   Businessman and developer Oscar Holcombe (1888-1968) and his wife Mary hired Houston architect L. W. Lindsay to design this home. Completed in 1925, it featured gardens designed by landscape architect Herbert L. Skogland. Outstanding features of the Tudor revival style house include a gabled and hipped roofscape, decorative half-timbering, a bay window, an elaborate chimney, and an entry portico with decorative brickwork. Holcombe, who served eleven nonconsecutive terms as mayor of Houston between 1921 and 1957, continued to live here until his death.



Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1991
Holland Lodge No. 1, A.F. & A.M. of Texas 4911 Montrose Blvd.   Ancient Free & Accepted Masons of Texas. First Masonic Lodge in Texas. Organized in March 1835 at Brazoria. Set to work Dec. 27, 1835, under dispensation of Grand Lodge of Louisiana, for whose 1835-37 Grand Master, John Henry Holland, this lodge was named. Labors were interrupted in Feb. 1836, in Texas War for Independence, when lodge and records were destroyed by Mexican army during march of Gen. Urrea to join forces with Dictator Santa Anna. The charter, however, was then in saddlebags of Dr. Anson Jones, Texas patriot and first worshipful master of Holland Lodge, who carried the sacred document into battle and victory at San Jacinto, April 21, 1836.

 In Nov. 1837, Holland Lodge was reopened, in the Republic of Texas capitol (at site of present Rice Hotel), Houston.

 On Dec. 20, 1837, Holland Lodge No. 36 (the original designation under Grand Lodge of Louisiana) met with the only other Masonic bodies then existent in Texas-- Milam Lodge No. 40 of Nacogdoches and McFarland Lodge No. 41 of San Augustine-- and organized the Grand Lodge of the Republic of Texas. Dr. Anson Jones, of this lodge, was elected first grand master of the Grand Lodge of the Republic of Texas, and Holland Lodge was assigned the No. 1 designation.

Holy Cross Mission (Episcopal) 710 Medina at Erath St.   A religious force since 1865, when the Rev. J. M. Curtis and 24 Harrisburg communicants met in a mission called Nativity, changed to Holy Cross about 1875.

 Numbering from 12 to 50 as the local economy shifted, members-- especially the women-- spent years raising building funds. At last, in 1895, a red brick church with a steeple was erected, facing Erath Street.

 Although repaired after 1900 hurricane damage, that structure eventually fell into ruin. The present church and parish house were dedicated on April 4, 1920, by Bishop Clinton S. Quin.

Houston Bar Association 301 Fannin   Members of the legal profession began practicing in Houston in 1837, one year after Texas gained its independence from Mexico and became a Republic. The earliest evidence of organization among the city's attorneys dates to 1870, when the original Houston Bar Association was formed. Judge Peter W. Gray was elected president of the association, whose objectives were to raise the standards of the legal profession and to purchase a law library. The organization was short-lived, however, and no records concerning its activity have been found. In 1901, fifty-three attorneys joined together to form the Harris County Bar Association, but it too ceased to exist after a few years.

 The present Houston Bar Association was formed on March 26, 1904. Among its early accomplishments was a campaign to build the 1910 Harris County Courthouse (present Harris County Civil Courts building) and the establishment of the Harris County Law Library in 1915.

 Throughout its history, the Houston Bar Association has supported programs to serve the community, including legal services to the indigent, legal education, lawyer referral services, legal publications, and other volunteer projects.

Houston Cotton Exchange and Board of Trade 202 Travis St.  Founded in 1874 to facilitate trade in the expanding cotton market. This Victorian renaissance revival edifice, designed by Eugene T. Heiner, was built in 1884-85 by contractors Max Kosse and James S. Lucas. The exchange room and galleries were situated on the second and third floors, and the first floor contained offices and the exclusive "Houston Club." The basement housed a plush saloon.

 The structure was remodeled and the fourth floor added in 1907. The exchange vacated the premises in 1924. The building was restored in 1973.



Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1974
Houston Fire Station No. 7 2403 Milam St.   Houston's oldest fire house, this building was designed by Olle J. Lorehn (c. 1864-1939) and was completed in January 1899. The two-story brick structure features rusticated stone details, a five-bay front with central arched entry flanked by two apparatus bay entries, and unique parapet details. Updated in the 1920s to change from horse-drawn to motorized equipment, the station remained in active service until 1968.



Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1988
Houston Heights 1302 Heights Blvd   Representatives of the American Loan and Trust Company of Omaha, Nebraska, came to Houston in 1890 to scout locations for land development. Under the leadership of O. M. Carter, D. D. Cooley, and others, company directors purchased 1,756 acres of land northwest of Houston. They led efforts to electrify Houston's streetcar system in 1891 and extended the lines to their new community, named Houston Heights due to its elevation 23 feet above that of downtown Houston.

 Directors of the Omaha and South Texas Land Company, formed by American Loan and Trust n 1892, developed streets, sidewalks, and utility systems; built and marketed homes; and encouraged the establishment of business and industry in Houston Heights. The city of Houston Heights was incorporated in 1896, and W. G. Love served as first mayor. He was followed in that office by John A. Milroy, David Barker, Robert F. Isbell, and J. B. Marmion.

 Seeking a broader tax base with which to support their public schools, voters of Houston Heights agreed to annexation by the city of Houston in 1918. Houston Heights grew rapidly in the 20th century, but continued to maintain its unique identity. It remains a distinctive neighborhood with many historic structures.

The Houston Light Guard 3816 Caroline  Organized as a Texas Militia unit on April 21, 1873, the Houston Light Guard

originally participated in parades, ceremonies, and competitive drills, and

served as guard of honor for visiting dignitaries. The first commander was

Capt. Edwin Fairfax Gray (1829-1884), then the City Engineer of Houston. During

the 1880s The Guard, dressed in uniforms of red coats and red-plumed helmets,

became known as a leader in drill competitions throughout the United States.

Prize money funded their first armory in 1891.



In 1898 the Guard was activated for service with United States troops in the

Spanish-American War. After participating in the Punitive Expedition against

Mexico, 1916-1917, the unit joined U. S. forces fighting in Europe during World

War I.



The Guard built a new armory at this site in 1925 and deeded it to the State of

Texas in 1939. The next year the unit was again activated and during World War

II saw action in seven campaigns in Africa and Europe. As part of the 36th

Infantry Division, Guard members were among the first American troops in Europe

during the war. Now part of the National Guard, the Houston Light Guard

represents a proud heritage of distinguished military service. (1982)
Houston Light Guard Armory 3816 Caroline   Designed by noted Houston architect Alfred C. Finn, the Armory was constructed in 1925 to replace an 1892 building that had become obsolete. Finn detailed the building to suggest a late renaissance period neo-Gothic English masonry; represented by the alternating bands of brick and stone and elaborate relief panels above the arched entrance. The building has been owned by the Houston Light Guard, the State of Texas, and the Houston Community College.



Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1992
The Houston Lyceum  500 McKinney Ave.  Genesis of Houston Public Library system. Outgrowth of Houston Franklin Debating Society, founded 1837, the first Houston Lyceum was chartered by the State of Texas on March 20, 1848. Its founders were Thomas M. Bagby, Abner Cooke, Peter W. Gray, T. B. J. Hadley, E. A. Palmer, James Walker, and other citizens interested in debating and in a circulating library. Meetings of this group lapsed, and a second Houston Lyceum was organized on May 27, 1854, by Andrew W. Daly, who became president. C. R. Smith was vice president; W. I. Brocket, recording secretary; S. C. West, corresponding secretary; T. H. Conklin, treasurer; and Thomas Pearce, librarian. Aim, similar to that of first Lyceum, was "to diffuse knowledge...by a library, by lectures..., and by discussion...." Some $17.40 and 88 volumes were collected by Aug. 25, 1854. A bookcase was bought, and library was lodged in the county courthouse.

 Lyceum activities were curtailed in Civil War era (1861-65), but library and records were preserved until his death in 1868 by the faithful president, Andrew Daly. The Lyceum was reactivated in 1874.

 Houston Public Library, inheritor of the Lyceum's books and ideals, is now a major resource center for one-fourth of the population of the State of Texas.
Independence Heights 7818 N. Main  Promoted by the Wright Land Company, the Independence Heights community began about 1908. Many black families purchased lots and built their own homes. A school was established in 1911.

 Businesses in Independence Heights included retail stores, restaurants, building contractors, lumberyards, a blacksmith shop, tailor, and barber shop. Fraternal organizations were formed, as well as a number of churches: New Hope Missionary Baptist Church (founded in 1912 at this site), Green Chapel A. M. E., St. Paul C. M. E., Ebenezer M. E., Concord Missionary Baptist, and North Main Church of God in Christ.

 By 1915 there were about four hundred residents. In that year an election was held and the city was incorporated. George O. Burgess was elected the first mayor. City improvements over the next few years included the shell paving of streets, plank sidewalks, and the installation of a municipal water system. O. L. Hubbard and Arthur L. McCullough, Sr. also served mayoral terms. In 1928 another election was held in which the city organization was dissolved. Independence Heights was annexed by the city of Houston on December 26, 1929. The Independence Heights name is still associated with the area.

Baker-Jones House 22 Courtlandt Place   Prominent attorney, banker, and industrialist James Addison Baker (d. 1941) purchased this property in 1915. He hired noted Houston architect Birdsall P. Briscoe to design this house, which he presented as a gift to his daughter, Alice Graham Baker and her husband, Murray Brashear Jones.

 Completed in 1917, the Baker-Jones House is an excellent local example of an early-20th century grand residence. Classical stylistic influences are exhibited in its refined and symmetrical proportions. The structure's prominent architectural features include a pedimented entrance pavilion flanked by Doric pilasters, with a recessed entry portico supported by fluted Doric columns. Also of note are the multi-light windows and round-headed dormers.

 Murray Jones was a respected lawyer who served as assistant district attorney and Harris County judge. Alice Baker Jones was a prominent local civic leader involved in numerous church and charitable activities.

 The house was sold out of the family in 1938. It has undergone a succession of owners since that time but remains one of the best preserved examples of Birdsall P. Briscoe's work in Houston.



Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1991
The Kennedy Bakery 813 Congress   Irish native John Kennedy (1819-78) came to Houston in 1842. A baker, he operated a store at other locations in the city before commissioning the construction of this building about 1860 for a steam bakery. Kennedy later established other operations and became a leading businessman of Houston. One of the oldest structures in the city on its original site, the two-story brick building remained in the Kennedy family until 1970.



Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1980
The Kinkaid School 201 Kinkaid Dr.  The oldest private non-parochial school in Houston, the Kinkaid School was started in 1906 by Margaret Hunter Kinkaid. Unable to teach in the public schools because of a regulation prohibiting married women instructors, Mrs. Kinkaid began teaching students in her home at the corner of San Jacinto and Elgin streets. The first pupils were seven kindergarten students who met in her dining room. As the school grew, the Kinkaid Cottage was raised and a new first floor was constructed to provide classroom space.

 In order to meet increased enrollment demands and administrative responsibilities, a school board was organized in 1924 and plans were begun for a new facility at the corner of Richmond and Graustark. A high school program was added soon after. With the continued leadership of Mrs. Kinkaid and the development of innovative educational programs adapted from her ideas and observations, the school became nationally known. Mrs. Kinkaid retired shortly before her death in 1951 and was succeeded by John H. Cooper, under who administration the present campus was developed. A leader in quality education, the Kinkaid School has been the alma mater of many prominent business and professional leaders.

Edward Mandell House 515 Rusk   (July 26, 1858 - March 28, 1938) Son of Houston businessman and Mayor Thomas W. House, was born in a two-story frame house at this site. He attended the Houston Academy and later continued his education in Virginia and at Cornell University.

 E. M. House married Loulie Hunter in 1881, and they were the parents of two daughters. In 1885 the family moved to Austin, and House became involved in Democratic party politics. He was instrumental in the election of four Texas governors-- James S. Hogg, Charles A. Culberson, S. W. T. Lanham, and Joseph D. Sayers.

 House gained national political prominence in 1912 when he was instrumental in the nomination of Woodrow Wilson for president. House became a trusted advisor to President Wilson, participating in foreign policy negotiations during and after World War I. He played a major part in drafting the Fourteen Points, Wilson's plan for ending the war, and was a delegate to the Paris Peace Conference in 1919.

 House died in New York in 1838 and was buried in Houston's Glenwood Cemetery. Known as Colonel House for many years, he is remembered as one of the most politically influential people of Texas and the United States, although he never held elective office.

Merchants and Manufacturers Building 1 Main St.   This building was constructed to house the activities of Houston's merchants and manufacturers during the post-World War I economic boom. Its location provided access to water, rail, and truck transportation of goods. Completed in 1930, the M & M Building, as it came to be known, was noted for its structural and functional design. It prominently features cast concrete art deco detailing.



Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1984
Ezekial and Mary Jane Miller House 304 Hawthorne   Came to Texas about 1900 and began a successful timber business. Of Scotch-Irish descent, Miller became known as a prominent merchant and civic leader in Houston. He had this residence built in 1905 for his wife, Mary Jane, and their five children. The home is a significant example of the blending of Queen Anne and colonial revival styles by early 20th-century Houston builders. Prominent features include its corner tower and dormer window.

 Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1984
John Milroy House 1102 Heights Blvd.   In 1891 the Omaha and South Texas Land Company purchased the property which was later developed into the town of Houston Heights. John Milroy (1862-1918), an early investor of the company, managed the Heights office. An active civic leader, he served as alderman and mayor of the new community. In 1898 he moved his family to this house. a composite of several styles, it features gables, bays, and fish scale shingling.



Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1979
Robert W. Montgomery 1217 W. Dallas Ave.  A member of Captain Henry teal's company of Regulars at San Jacinto. Died in Houston, June, 1837.
Moore Log House 440 Wilchester Blvd.  In 1931-32 Edith L. Moore and her husband built this house of pine logs they cut from their land. The stone fireplace and chimney were built of sandstone curbstones salvaged from downtown Houston. Dairy farming and logging provided their livelihood. To safeguard this homesite along Rummel Creek as a nature sanctuary, she willed the log house and 17.5 acres to the Houston Audubon Society in 1975.
Major Isaac N. Moreland 1217 W. Dallas Ave.  Born in Georgia. Came to Texas in 1834. Storming of Bexar, 1835. Commanded the artillery at San Jacinto. Made major, July 20, 1836. Law partner of David G. Burnet, 1837. died June 7, 1840 while Chief Justice of Harris County. buried under the auspices of the Masons and the Independent Military Companies of Houston.
John W. Moore 1217 W. Dallas Ave.  Opposed Bradburn at Anahuac 1832. Member of the Consultation at San Felipe in 1835. Signer of the Declaration of Independence, 1836. First sheriff of Harris County, 1837 to 1840. City alderman in Houston, 1840. Married to Eliza Belnap, February 2, 1839. Died in Houston, 1846.
Pillot Building 300 Fannin   The original building at this site, a cast iron front structure, was built between 1857 and 1869. Early tenants of the building, owned by French-born merchant and Houston civic leader Eugene Pillot (1820-1896), included attorneys, real estate brokers, and a dry goods merchant. Subsequently a hotel, a barbershop, restaurants, and bars occupied the building. Owned by Pillot heirs until 1944, the structure suffered severe damage in the 1980s and collapsed in 1988. A replica, incorporating some of the original cast iron columns, sills, and lintels, was completed in 1990.
Kellum-Noble House 212 Dallas Street  Built 1847 by Nathaniel Kellum. Used as early school. Became part of first city park in 1899.



Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1967



Incise in base:

 Restored 1954 by Harris County Heritage Society
John R. Reid 1217 W. Dallas Ave. Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, 1839. A member of the Congress of the Republic, 1840-1841. Died in Huston, December 25, 1841, and was buried under the auspices of Holland (Masonic) Lodge No. 1.

David Porter Richardson 1217 W. Dallas Ave.  Private secretary of President Sam Houston. Died at Houston, August 12, 1837.

John Richardson 1217 W. Dallas Ave.  Came to Texas, 1834. In Captain James Gillaspie's company at San Jacinto. Died in Houston, May 25, 1840.

St. Mark's United Methodist Church 600 Pecore Ave.   This congregation traces its history to 1875, when the Rev. Rudolph Brueck organized Emanuel German Methodist Episcopal Church. It was renamed Zion German Methodist Church in 1891 and Norhill Methodist Episcopal Church, North, in 1924. Woodland Heights Methodist Episcopal Church, South, was organized in 1912. It merged with the Norhill congregation in 1938 and relocated to this site. The new congregation, named St. Mark's, represented the historic first merger among churches of the North and South Conferences of the Methodist Church.

St. Nicholas Catholic Church 2508 Clay St.   Founded in 1887 as Houston's first Catholic church for blacks, St. Nicholas parish was located at the corner of Chenevert and Lamar streets. This building, designed by Leo Diehlmann, was completed in 1924. Prominent features include twin projecting towers-- one taller with an open belfry and one lower capped tower, corbelled brick detailing, and curvilinear parapets. St. Nicholas parish remains an important part of Houston's Third Ward.



Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1987
Saint Paul A. M. E. Church 1554 Gears St. Organized in 1869, Saint Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church has been a part of First Ward history for over a century. The first pastor of the church was the Rev. David Wren. Services were held in a brush arbor until a sanctuary was built in 1873. The building was destroyed by the 1900 hurricane. It was rebuilt and has been modified several times over the years. An elementary school, established by the church in the 1870s, became part of the public school system and in 1927 was named for Richard Brock, early church member and city alderman.
St. Peter Church 9022 Long Point Rd.  Founded, 1848, by five German immigrant families. A log cabin erected in 1854 served as house of worship until 1864, when this building was dedicated. It is one of the oldest church buildings in continuous use in Harris County.

 Many of the descendants of the founders still worship here. Many original church artifacts are still in use.

 An early public school in west Harris County was located on this site. the cemetery which adjoins the church grounds dates from 1848 and contains graves of many pioneers of the area.

 Church building restored, 1967.

 Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1967
St. Thomas High School 4500 Memorial Dr.   Established 1900 as St. Thomas College, and housed that year in a former Franciscan monastery built in 1861 at Franklin Avenue and Caroline Street. The founders were the Rev. Nicholas Roche, C. S. B., and two other Basilian fathers. (Their order originated in France in 1822 and expanded into Canada in 1850; the Basilians in Houston were the first in Texas.)

 When original school suffered hurricane damage, the fathers relocated at Capitol and Main. In 1903 permanency was assured when Father Roche bought a block of land at Austin and Hadley and constructed Houston's first college preparatory school for boys.

 Thanks to the foresight of a native Texan, the Rev. T. P. O'Rourke, C. S. B., educator and author, St. Thomas High School in 1940 moved to this site on the bank of Buffalo Bayou. Father A. L. Higgins directed the building of the new plant, which has expanded in later years.

 During Houston's 20th century growth into a focus of world culture, St. Thomas High School has trained men of vision and responsibility, winners of national and international fame: statesmen, churchmen, artists, historians, athletes, civic and business leaders, industrial pioneers, and citizens of many talents.
San Felipe Cottage 515 Allen Parkway   Oldest surviving house in Houston; built 1837 on land of Mrs. Obedience Smith, an early settler.



Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1967
San Jacinto Chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas 1600 N. MacGregor   On November 9, 1891, eight Houston women organized the San Jacinto Chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas. Founding members were Mrs. Andrew Briscoe; Miss Belle Fenn; Mrs. John R. Fenn, who served as chapter president until 1896; Miss Annie Hume; Mrs. Anson Jones, widow of the last Republic president; Mrs. A. B. Looscan; Mrs. J. J. McKeever; and Mrs. Minnie Phelps Vasmer. The state organization had been formed three days earlier in the Houston home of Mrs. Briscoe.

 Preserving the San Jacinto Battlefield (18 mi. E) became a priority project for this chapter. In 1894 its members helped veterans mark key sites at San Jacinto. Members urged the state to acquire land there, and by 1900 some 327 acres were added to 10 acres held since 1883. The chapter placed 20 granite markers there by 1912.

 State and Federal funds erected the San Jacinto Monument in 1936-39, so the chapter's own monument fund was used for other projects. This log headquarters was built in 1936 with Federal labor, and a bronze sun dial was placed at the battlefield in 1939.

 The chapter developed the Children of the Republic organization in 1936, and sponsors student essays on Texas history. Local libraries receive books and funds, and D. R. T. state projects are generously supported.



Texas Sesquicentennial 1836 - 1986
San Jacinto High School 1300 Holman Avenue   South End Junior High School opened its doors in 1914 with 750 students in an impressive classical revival style structure built here in 1913. South End Junior High became a senior high school in 1923, and in 1926 its name was changed to San Jacinto High School.

 Houston Junior College, predecessor to the University of Huston, began offering night classes at San Jacinto High School in 1927. An east wing containing 20 classrooms, a boys' gymnasium, and lunch room was built in 1929. In 1936 an art deco style west wing containing an 1800-seat auditorium, classrooms, and a girls' gymnasium was built. The University of Houston, which officially opened here in 1934, continued to offer night classes at San Jacinto High School until 1939.

 Special Education students began attending classes here in 1947. In 1960 two large technical/vocational school facilities were added to the San Jacinto High School complex. San Jacinto High School held its final classes here in 1970 when the Houston Technical Institute occupied the building. Houston Community College began offering classes here in 1971.

 Many of San Jacinto High School's former students formed an alumni association which by the mid-1990s had a membership in excess of 9,000.

 Sesquicentennial of Texas Statehood 1845 - 1995
Fielding G. Secrest 1217 W. Dallas Ave.  Served in Captain Henry W. Karnes' company of cavalry at San Jacinto. Died in Huston, June 1, 1840.

 His wife Eliza Sneed Secrest died in 1839.

Shepherd Drive Methodist Church 1245 Heights Blvd In 1899 a group of Methodists from this area, known then as the Brunner Addition, met in a building known as McClure's Assembly Hall and organized the McAshan and City Mission Methodist Church. A sanctuary, built on this block in 1900, was destroyed by a severe storm that year. A new sanctuary was completed in 1901. The church was renamed McAshan and Brunner Methodist in 1904, Brunner Methodist in 1906 and Brunner and Epworth Methodist in 1913. When construction of a new church building began in 1917, it became known as West End Methodist Episcopal Church, South. The church acquired additional land here in 1940 which included a parsonage and provided a full block of frontage on Shepherd Drive. By 1942 the congregation was known as the Shepherd Drive Methodist Church. In 1954-55 a new church building containing 17 classrooms, a sanctuary, and a fellowship hall was built at this site. In 1959 Shepherd Drive Methodist Church merged with the Larkin Street Methodist Church, a nearby congregation organized in 1916. This congregation continues its traditional spiritual programs, support of youth and senior outreach programs, promotion of community gatherings, and involvement in civic and social issues affecting the area. Sesquicentennial of Texas Statehood 1845 - 1995
The Sheridan Apartments 802-804 McGowen St.   This three-story apartment building was constructed in 1922 to help ease a housing shortage in Houston. It was built and owned by Robert C. Duff, a prominent Texas railroad man and banker before the Great Depression. The building features bracketed eaves and a tile roof and exhibits influences of the arts and crafts and prairie school periods in architectural styling. The Sheridan is one of Houston's few remaining "flats" from the 1920s and 1930s.



Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1984
Sloan Memorial United Methodist Church 712 Sydnor One of the oldest Black Methodist churches in Houston, this congregation was started in 1880 by the Rev. Ed Roscoe, who served as the first pastor, with the assistance of the Rev. George Davis and the Rev. James Smith. The organizational meeting was held under a tent at this site.

In 1881, church trustees Wash Breed, Robert Swiley, and Dick Thomas purchased the property from J. E. Foster, a local realtor. Since the land was located on Sloan Street, later renamed Sydnor, the original congregational name was Sloan Street Methodist Episcopal Church.

The first sanctuary and parsonage were destroyed by fire in 1912. During construction of a new chapel, worship services were held in a frame building at the corner of Meadow and Nance. Additional facilities were completed during a 1950 building program.

A significance force in the development of the local neighborhood since the 1880s, Sloan Memorial United Methodist Church has been active in community action programs. Members here have included several prominent business, professional, religious, and civic leaders of the area.
William S. Stilwell 1217 W. Dallas Ave.  A private in Captain Isaac N. Moreland's company of Artillery at San Jacinto. Appointed captain, December 26, 1836. Born in New York 1809; died in Houston September 12, 1837

 "Died in this city, on the 12th inst., suddenly, Captain William S. Stilwell, late of the Texian army. The New Orleans and New York papers are requested to notice this." Texas Telegraph
William C. Swearingen 1217 W. Dallas Ave.  Born in Kentucky. Arrived at Velasco, January 28, 1836 on the schooner Pennsylvania to fight for the freedom of Texas. A member of Captain Amasa Turner's company at San Jacinto. Died in Houston, December 24, 1839.

 "Kiss William for me and tell him Pappy will be there in the fall and stay with him and that he must be a good boy." From a letter Mr. Swearingen wrote to his parents in Kentucky.
Sweeney, Coombs & Fredericks Building 301 Main St.   This late-Victorian commercial building with a 3-story corner turret and Eastlake decorative elements was designed by George E. Dickey in 1889. Evidence indicates that the 1889 construction may have been a renovation of an 1861 structure built by William A. Van Alstyne and purchased in 1882 by John Jasper Sweeney and Edward L. Coombs. Gus Fredericks joined the Sweeney and Coombs Jewelry firm before 1889.



Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1974
Teas Nursery Company 4400 Bellaire Blvd.   Teas Nursery Company traces its history to 1843, when John C. Teas (1827-1907) began selling apples out of his back yard in Indiana. After moving the business to Missouri in 1868, Teas became a nationally prominent horticulturist.

 In 1908 his son, horticulturist Edward Teas, Sr. (1870-1951), met developer W. W. Baldwin who was then planning the community of Westmoreland Farms and the town of Bellaire in southwest Harris County. Baldwin hired Teas to execute the planting designs for Bellaire Boulevard and adjacent streets.

 Teas started work in Bellaire early in 1909. The next year, he moved his family from Missouri to this site and opened Teas Nursery Company. Initially specializing in the sale of fruit trees and flowering shrubs and plants, the business was later expanded to include landscaping services.

 The company's early projects included the landscaping of Rice Institute (now Rice University) and the River Oaks subdivision. By 1951 Teas Nursery had planted over one million trees in the Houston area. Edward Teas died the same year, leaving ownership of the nursery to his descendants.
Temple Lodge No. 4, A. F. & A. M. 4055 W. Bellfort St.   This Masonic Lodge traces its history to the early days of the Republic of Texas, when the seat of government was located in the newly founded city of Houston. Formally chartered on May 10, 1838, Temple Lodge was the fourth Masonic organization established in Texas, and the first to be established in the new Republic. It was chartered by the Grand Lodge of the Republic of Texas, which had been formed from the three existing lodges, all of which had been chartered originally by the Louisiana Grand Lodge.

 Playing leading roles in the organization's formation and development were many noted Texas patriots and statesmen. Early colonist George Fisher was named first worshipful master, with San Jacinto veteran Richard Bache as secretary and future Governor Francis R. Lubbock as first junior deacon. Temple Lodge held its regular meetings in the Senate Chamber of the Capitol in downtown Houston, where statesmen Anson Jones and Mirabeau Lamar were in frequent attendance. In July 1838, Temple Lodge conducted the first Masonic burial in the Republic of Texas for State Supreme Court Chief Justice James Collingsworth.

 Since its establishment Temple Lodge No. 4 has reflected the Masonic values and teachings of its founders.
Colonel Benjamin Franklin Terry 2525 Washington  (February 18, 1821 - December 17, 1861) Star and Wreath

 Fort Bend County planter. Member Secession Convention, 1861. Sent to Virginia hoping to fight for South in first battle of war. Cited for valuable volunteer service First Manassas. Raised cavalry regiment that attained renown as Terry's Texas Rangers. Accepted his commission only after his men elected him colonel. Killed at Woodsonville, Kentucky while leading unit's first charge. His loyal Rangers carried his name until end of war. Terry County named in his honor.



In this plot also rest: Mrs. B. F. Terry, Mrs. Cornelia Terry Thatcher (daughter) and infant, two Terry children.

Trinity Episcopal Church 3404 S. Main   Established in 1893, Trinity Episcopal Church acquired this site in 1910. Construction of the sanctuary, designed by architect Ralph Adams Cram, began in 1917 and was completed in 1919. Features of the Gothic revival structure include a basilica plan with an offset buttressed and pinnacled tower, and art glass windows. Five rectors of the parish became bishops in the Episcopal church. Trinity Church continues to serve a large active congregation.



 Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1986
The Waldo Mansion 201 Westmoreland   A Confederate veteran, J. P. Waldo (1839-1896) settled in Houston after the Civil War. He married Mary Virginia Gentry (1849-1922), daughter of railroad promoter Abram Gentry. Waldo soon became a prosperous railroad executive. In 1885 he built this house at the corner of Rusk and Caroline (2 mi. N). A Mansard roof and tower originally topped the mansion. Elegant millwork adorns the interior. In 1905 Waldo's son Wilmer (1876-1962) moved the house to this site, then a fashionable area on the edge of town. He rebuilt it without most of its Victorian detailing. The Waldo family lived here until 1966.

Trinity United Methodist Church 2600 Holman   This congregation grew from a small mission organized in 1848 for the slave membership of the Houston Methodist Church (now first United Methodist Church). The Rev. Orceneth Fisher served as first pastor of the African mission, which was given a sanctuary of its own about 1851.

 On March 5, 1865, the congregation was organized officially by the Rev. Elias Dibble of the Mississippi Mission Conference. Initially known as First Church, Houston, Trinity Methodist Church grew to number 100 within the first year. In 1869 the cornerstone was laid for a sanctuary at 1408 Travis and Bell streets.

 Trinity Methodist Church has been a part of numerous significant events in the history of Houston, including the founding of Wiley College in 1873 and the organization of Texas Southern University in 1925. A number of leaders in Houston politics, education, and fraternal organizations have been members here. Throughout its history the congregation has been responsible for organizing other churches in Houston.

 One of the earliest black congregations in Houston, Trinity United Methodist Church has been located at this site since 1951.

Rutherford B. H. Yates, Sr., House 1314 Andrews St.  Rutherford Birchard Hayes Yates (1878-1944), son of the Rev. John Henry "Jack" and Harriet Yates, grew up next door to this property (in a house later relocated to Sam Houston Park.) Yates followed in his father's footsteps as a civic and religious leader in Houston's Fourth Ward, originally known as Freedmen's Town, a spiritual, cultural and business district for African Americans in Houston since the Civil War.

 Following his graduation in 1906 from Bishop College in Marshall, Texas, with a degree in printing, Rutherford Yates taught school in Vinto, Louisiana, and Palestine, Texas, before moving to Dallas with his wife, Erie (Sherrod), and their infant daughter. In 1908, they moved to Houston and resided in the Yates family home until this house was completed in 1912. A well-preserved and typical example of the middle class residences built in the Fourth Ward in the early 20th century, the Yates house features leaded glass windows, a wraparound porch with Classical columns, and doors with transoms and sidelights.

 During the time that the Yates family occupied this house, Rutherford Yates worked with several African American printers and taught at the Houston Academy (founded by his father) where he had attended school as a young boy. In 1922, he and his brother Paul established the Yates Printing Company, which grew and prospered over the years until it closed after 1978. At a time when commercial lodging for African Americans in Houston was limited, Rutherford and Erie Yates and their children -- Johnnie Mae, Olee and Rutherford -- often opened their home to visiting dignitaries and delegates to church and other conventions. The house remained in the Yates family ownership until 1994.



Recorded Texas Historic Landmark-1998

Aldine 905 Aldine-Bender Rd. (FM 525)   The railroad arrived in this area, first called Prairie Switch, in 1873. The Aldine Post Office was established in 1896; twenty-five to thirty families, most of Swedish descent, settled on Aldine's fertile land. Here they grew such products as Satsuma oranges, pears and magnolia figs. In 1900 developer E. C. Robertson and his partner, F. W. Colby of Kansas, began to market parcels of land to out-of-state speculators, many of whom bought tracts sight unseen. A Presbyterian Church was organized from a Union Sabbath School in 1902, and the town began to grow. It soon boasted a hotel and general store, a two-room schoolhouse erected on this site in 1910, and a cemetery deeded for community use in 1911.

 Aldine resident J. C. Carpenter operated a small fig cannery until 1914 or 1915 when the Carpenter Fig Company opened a cannery nearby. Reportedly one of the largest fig preserving plants in the U. S., it employed twenty-five to thirty people during the canning season. The fig industry died out from 1918 to 1920 because of freezes, blight and lack of sugar during World War I.

 Dairy farms replaced fruit farms and the Magnolia Oil Company established a large crude oil pumping station in Aldine in 1923. The Aldine Railroad Depot shut down in 1931 or 1932, and the post office closed in January 1935. The community turned to automobiles for transportation. Farmers began marketing their wares in Houston. The town of Aldine gradually declined. In 1932 four area common school districts joined to form the Aldine Independent School District. Now a part of the metropolis of Houston, the townsite of Aldine remains only in the annals of Texas history. (1999)
Bryan-Chapman House 15 Courtlandt Place   Envisioning a thoroughly modern home for themselves, sisters and Houston arts community leaders Caroline Bryan Chapman (1859-1933) and Johnelle Bryan (1861-1935) had this house constructed in 1925. The home was a showplace of strong Mediterranean influences such as arched windows, multi-light doors, a Ludowici tile roof, and balconets. The sisters enjoyed their Courtlandt Place home for less than a decade. It was purchased in 1935 by Oilman Joseph F. Bashara, whose family remained in the house until 1980.

 Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1998



 This home was designed by 26-year-old Texas architect Carlos B. Schoeppl (1898-1990). He later moved to Florida where he had a distinguished career.

 Supplemental plaque - 2010
Ned A. & Linda S. Eppes House 5322 Institute Lane   Erected in 1926 in the new Jandor Gardens planned neighborhood for concrete manufacturer Ned. A. Eppes (1883-1929) and his family on land purchased by Linda S. Eppes, this house was among the earliest in Houston constructed of concrete building materials. The Italian renaissance villa-inspired block house features a stucco finish and an elaborate Spanish mission door surround, both unusual until the 1930s. Independent architect John McLelland and the firm of Brickey, Wiggins and Brickey are credited with the design of the house.

 Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1998
Thomas William House, Jr. 701 San Jacinto   (1846-1923) T. W. House, Jr., was the third of eight children born to Thomas William (1814-1880) and Mary Elizabeth (Shearn) (1822-1870) House. T.W. House, Sr., was an English immigrant who established the T.W. House Bank in 1838 and became mayor of Houston in 1862.

 The younger House received his education at the Houston Academy. At age 23 he married Ruth Nicholson (1847-1914); they had six children together, building a home at 1010 Louisiana in downtown Houston.

 House served on the Houston City Council from 1880 to 1886. Following his father's death, he became the director and then sole proprietor of the T. W. House Bank. In addition to managing the family business holdings, he was involved in the operation of three Houston utility companies. The T. W. House Bank collapsed during a national bank crisis in 1907. House filed for bankruptcy and the bank property was sold to the First National Bank of Houston.

 In 1913, President Woodrow Wilson appointed T. W. House, Jr., to the office of Houston postmaster. He served in that position, with his offices located on this site, until 1922. He died in 1923 and was buried in Glenwood Cemetery. The T. W. House Postal Station in Houston Heights was named in his honor. (1998)
Dr. Penn B. and Annie A. Thornton House 327 W. 16th St.   Erected in 1905 for Houston Heights doctor and businessman Penn Thornton (1866-1927) and his wife Annie (Amsler) (1872-1947), who was active in Heights social and civic organizations, this house is representative of the housing stock in Houston Heights during the early 20th century. Simple form and fine detailing such as the asymmetrical front porch and classical columns make the house a good example of the colonial revival style. Penn B. Thornton, Jr.and other family members occupied the house until his death in 1978.

 Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1998
The Rev. William M. Tryon 2525 Washington  (March 10, 1809 - November 16, 1847) William Milton Tryon of New York City lost his father at the age of 9. At 17, young William was baptized. He and his mother moved to Georgia in 1832 where William was licensed to preach. He attended the Mercer Institute and was ordained as a minister in 1836. Tryon was pastor of five churches in Alabama and married Louisa Higgins in 1840.

 In 1841 the Rev. Mr. Tryon volunteered to go to Texas for the American Baptist Home Mission Society. Tryon became a circuit rider in southeast Texas, reviving the church at Washington-on-the-Brazos. He was instrumental in Texas Baptist affairs, beginning the first of five terms as moderator of the Union Baptist Association in Texas. He suggested the formation of the Texas Baptist Education Society and, with Robert E. B. Baylor, drafted the charter for a Texas Baptist college. Tryon served as chaplain of the Texas Senate from 1843-1845, and became the first president of the Baylor University Board of Trustees in 1845.

 On July 21, 1845, Tryon became the second missionary pastor of the First Baptist Church of Houston and was soon its first resident pastor. The membership, which had no church building, numbered only twelve. Tryon raised the money to erect a brick edifice on donated land at the corner of Travis Street and Texas Avenue. The completed structure was dedicated in May 1847. By the end of the summer sixty-nine new members had joined the congregation.

 William M. Tryon died of yellow fever in November 1847. He was interred in the churchyard. Years later, when the property was sold, his remains were transferred to Glenwood Cemetery. (1998)

 Incise on back: Project Sponsored by the New Covenant Department, First Baptist Church
Pioneer Memorial Log House 1510 N. MacGregor  Conceived by the San Jacinto Chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas (SJCDRT), the Pioneer Memorial Log House was created to commemorate Texas' 1936 Centennial. Designed by the SJCDRT and a Houston architect to model an authentic pioneer cabin, the structure served as both a Chapter home and a hospitality house.

 Despite difficult economic times, the SJCDRT raised all funds for the structure. Land was donated by the city of Houston, and pine logs came from the property of the President of the Sons of the Republic of Texas. Rather than relinquish their hard-won monies to the city as required by the Public Works Administration, the SJCDRT hired a contractor and laborers independently.

 Craftsmen painstakingly pieced together the hand-notched logs and built the chimney with stones taken from historic Texas structures and buildings associated with famous Texans. Other notable original features of the house include the three-bay front porch, gable roof, exposed rafter ends, and double door primary entrance. Dedicated on March 2, 1936, the 100th anniversary of Texas independence, the Pioneer Memorial Log House continued to serve beyond Texas' Centennial year. The home is host to historic, patriotic, educational, and civic groups.

 Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1997
Sessums & Virginia Cleveland House 8 Courtlandt Place   Designed by the prominent architectural firm of Sanguinet & Staats and built by W. C. Fulsher in 1911, this was the home of civic and Episcopal church leaders Alexander Sessums Cleveland, vice president of the Courtlandt Improvement Association, and his wife Virginia. "Sess" Cleveland served as president of the Houston Public School Board and as a trustee of the Rice Institute. The house is a fine example of early 20th century eclectic styles -- Classical in its plan and porticos, Italianate in its roof and eave overhang, and Prairie style in its window treatments, sidelights and transom. It remained in the Cleveland family until 1971.

Recorded Texas Historic Landmark-1999

Third Church of Christ, Scientist 5516 Almeda Rd.   Intended to serve the congregation that had been organized as an offshoot of the growing First Church of Christ, Scientist, in 1922, this structure was designed by J. Rodney Tabor of the Jonas and Tabor architectural firm. Completed in 1928, this structure is among the last of a number of Mediterranean-style buildings erected in the South Main area to lend a sense of history and place to the newly developing Almeda Road corridor. The edifice is noteworthy for its octagonal tower, arched windows, tile roof and stuccoed walls. The Sunday school addition erected in 1953 follows the same style.



Recorded Texas Historic Landmark-1999

First Baptist Church of Houston 7401 Katy Freeway   In February 1841, the Rev. James Huckins visited the fledgling city of Houston, where a small group of Baptists had been meeting informally since 1838. Under Huckins' leadership, a congregation was organized on April 10, 1841, with 16 charter members. Noted Texas minister William E. Tryon became the Houston church's first resident pastor in 1845. His first concerns were the erection of a church building and increasing the membership. The new structure, located at the corner of Travis Street and Texas Avenue, was dedicated in May 1847, and membership increased dramatically. Pastor Tryon succumbed to yellow fever in 1847. Under the leadership of his successor, Dr. Rufus C. Burleson, membership grew to 140 by 1852.

 Membership declined during the Civil War and Reconstruction, reaching 100 again in 1871. The church began a mission in nearby Richmond in the 1870s, followed by two mission chapels north of Buffalo Bayou and Tuam Mission in South Houston in the 1890s. These and other missions sponsored by the First Baptist Church became self-supporting Baptist churches. In 1907 the church joined with others in establishing the Star of Hope Mission and the Baptist Sanitarium (later Baptist Memorial Hospital). The congregation persevered during the Depression and World War II. The congregation experienced unprecedented growth in the early 1970s, and on April 3, 1977, relocated to this site from 1010 Lamar in downtown Houston. Membership increased to 21,000 by the year 2000. In addition to evangelism, discipleship and missions, the church became known for other specialized ministries, including music and pageantry, programs for the deaf, community service and support to smaller churches. (2001)

Jordan Grove Missionary Baptist Church 2603 Anita St.   As residents of the Fourth Ward neighborhood known as "Freedmantown" began moving to Houston's Third Ward in the 1870s, the need arose for a church to serve the spiritual needs of African Americans in the area. According to oral tradition, an itinerant preacher, the Rev. Wee W. Navigan met with several families in the summer of 1879 to establish a church in the Third Ward, which they named Jordan Grove. Subsequent pastors included the Rev. Lorenzo Williams, who served for two years, and the Rev. Jordan R. Lofton (1858-1936), who led the congregation for 48 years. Under Lofton's leadership, Jordan Grove Missionary Baptist Church built a sanctuary in 1893-94 on the lot they had purchased at 2017 Dowling. Destroyed in the 1900 storm, that building was replaced by a twin-tower frame structure in 1910. Cornerstones from each of these buildings are incorporated into the present church edifice on Anita Street. During the last half of the 20th century, membership grew to 1500 members; new educational and outreach programs gave Jordan Grove a strong presence in the community. Its pastors have been leaders in national denominational activities, and a number of its members have gone into the ordained ministry. An important part of African American history in Houston, Jordan Grove Missionary Baptist Church continues to stand in service to its members and the community. (2001)

Belle Sherman Kendall 2525 Washington Ave.  The daughter of Texas revolutionary war general Sidney Sherman and Catherine Isabell (Cox), Belle Sherman (1847-1919) was born in Harrisburg and married William E. Kendall in 1867. After making Houston her home in 1878, Belle S. Kendall became a noted civic leader. She was a founding member of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas and the Woman's Club of Houston. Under her leadership, the Woman's Club played a pivotal role in developing the Houston Public Library system. After securing funds from philanthropist Andrew Carnegie for the city's first public library building, Belle was honored at the cornerstone ceremony in 1902. In 1969 a branch library was named in her honor. (2001)
The Blue Bird Circle 615 W. Alabama  The Blue Bird Circle is a non-denominational philanthropic women's organization dedicated to serving the needs of children. Since its organization in January 1923 under the auspices of First Methodist Church, volunteers have committed time and money to create a young women's co-operative home, a day nursery and the "Little Hospital" for crippled children. In 1949 the Circle founded a clinic for children with cerebral disorders that grew into the renowned Blue Bird Circle Clinic for Pediatric Neurology. The Circle continues to support the clinic and fund pediatric research at the Developmental Neurogenetics Laboratory and the Rett Center at Baylor College of Medicine. (2001)
Anderson House 3925 Del Monte  Featuring Neoclassical elements in its design, this house is noteworthy for its association with two of Houston's premier 20th-century residential architects. Hiram Salisbury, a popular architect for early homes in River Oaks, designed the original part of the house, which was completed in 1941. In need of additional space for their family, owners Thomas D. And Helen Sharp Anderson hired noted Texas architect John Staub to design an east-wing addition in 1950. Set within a formal landscape, the Anderson House features a two-story porch on the front faÃˇřade detailed with Ionic columns above and Doric columns on the ground level. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2001
Grace United Methodist Church 1245 Heights Blvd.  Associated with the development of Houston Heights, this congregation began in 1905 with the meeting of several women who formed the Home Missionary Society of Houston Heights. The Rev. Stephen McKinney served as first pastor of Heights Methodist Episcopal Church, South, as it came to be called. Worship services were held in a variety of locations until the congregation erected a permanent sanctuary on this site in 1906. A larger building, constructed in 1911-12, served the congregation until 1971. Renamed Grace Methodist in 1950, the church has provided its members and the community with strong educational and outreach programs throughout its history. (2001)
Benjamin Apartments 1218 Webster St.  Completed in 1924, this apartment building is a good example of multi-family housing constructed in the south end of downtown Houston after World War I. Successful businessman Benjamin Cohen (1875-1951) hired noted Houston architect Alfred Finn to design the building. Its style is simple but reveals influences of the Arts and Crafts movement prominent at the time. Cohen and his wife, Annie (Solomon) (1875-1951), lived in one of the apartments while renting the remaining three to other prosperous Houstonians. After Cohen sold the building in 1945, it was used as a private hospital but lay vacant for much of the late 20th century. A rehabilitation project in 2000 returned the Benjamin Apartments to viable use as commercial office space. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2001
Harper House 319 Hawthorne St.  Constructed in 1905 from mail-order house plans designed by Tennessee architect George Barber, this residence in the Westmoreland Historic District was first occupied by Benjamin and Bertie Harper and their two children. Ben Harper owned Union Iron Works, Inc., and was vice-president of the Harris County Bank and Trust Company. Exhibiting characteristics of a late Queen Anne design with its wrapped porch, decorative gable, projecting bays and Doric columns, the Harper House fits Barber's design No. 234, labeled "Suburban Beauty" in an 1899 issue of American Homes.

 Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2001

Minchen House 1753 North Blvd.  A pioneer in the oil and gas industry in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana, real estate investor Simon Minchen (1886-1958) and his wife, Mamie (Pesses) (1887-1986), purchased this lot in 1930 for $4,500. They paid noted Houston architect Joseph Finger $1,250 to design this house for their family, and contractor w. J. Goggan, known for his exceptional craftsmanship, completed it in 1931 for $25,000. A rare example of Italian Renaissance architecture in Houston, the Minchen House exhibits prominent characteristics of that style, including the clay tile roof and arched windows and doors. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1999
Link-Lee House 3800 Montrose Blvd.  Constructed in 1912 for businessman John Wiley Link, this building was designed by the firm of Sanguinet, Staats & Barnes and was the first home completed in the Montrose subdivision, which Link developed. Oilman Thomas P. Lee purchased it for his family in 1916 and in 1922 had Houston architect Alfred Finn make several alterations. An exceptional example of Neoclassical architecture, the Link-Lee house features a pronounced portico, elaborate brickwork and ornate terra cotta ornamentation. Sold to the Catholic Diocese of Galveston in 1946, it has served the University of St. Thomas since the school opened in 1947. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2001
Houston Heights City Hall and Fire Station 107 W. 12th St.  Houston Heights City Hall and Fire Station



When the former city hall burned in 1912, Houston Heights mayor J. B. Marmion and the city council commissioned Houston architect A. C. Pigg to design a new building to house city offices and also serve as a fire station and small jail. Completed in 1914, the city hall and fire station served its intended purpose only until 1918, when the city of Houston annexed Houston Heights. The building, which features decorative brick and cast stone work, then became Station No. 14 for the Houston Fire Department and remained active until 1995. A neighborhood landmark, the historic building continues in use as a community gathering place.

 Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2001

First Evangelical Church 1300 Holman  First Evangelical Church



 On July 1, 1851, a group led by the Rev. Caspar Messon Braun (1822-1880) founded the Erste Deutsche Evangelische Lutherische Kirche, or First German Evangelical Lutheran Church. The State of Texas issued the church's charter in September of that year.

 

The first sanctuary was a wooden building on the southeast corner of Texas Avenue at Milam Street. In 1901, under the Rev. William L. Blasberg (1862-1935), the congregation moved to the northwest corner of Texas at Caroline, to a new red brick and sandstone sanctuary. After selling the second structure in 1926, the First Evangelical Church, as it became known, purchased this site. Under the leadership of the Rev. Detlev Baltzer (1889-1962), the congregation hired architect Joseph W. Northrop, Jr., who had moved to Houston to oversee construction of the original Rice Institute, now Rice University. James West was general contractor for the new church campus, and J.C Nolan and the Star Electric and Engineering company held sub-contracts.

 

Northrop's North Italian Romanesque styling features terra cotta roof tiles on the sanctuary, education building and parsonage, as well as a campanile, or bell tower. The buildings were constructed of interlocking concrete tiles covered with buff-face brick and white sandstone trim. The campanile's bell was forged in 1880 and has rung at each of the congregation's places of worship. The tower connects the sanctuary to the seven-bay arched portalis of the education building, which houses a stage, sports facilities, auditoriums and classrooms. The sanctuary's details include pulpit and altar made by master woodcarvers from Oberammergau, Germany. Pews and chancel furnishings, designed by Northrop, are by the American Seating Company. The choir loft houses a 1903 Kilgen and Son pipe organ, and the stained glass windows are from the Browne Window Company.

Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2002

Mount Pleasant Baptist Church 4819 Hershe St  Mount Pleasant Baptist Church



 Houston's Fifth Ward developed primarily after the Civil War, when freedmen came to the area. In 1866, an alderman represented the ward, comprised of Anglo and African Americans, in the city's government. The earliest institutions were churches, including Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, which grew out of Mount Zion Baptist Church.

 

The Mount Zion church moved across Buffalo Bayou after its sanctuary burned. Some church members had to cross the bayou on skiffs for worship, and a group decided to form a new church, Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, closer to home. In a one-room store in 1876, the Rev. George W. Booker led his wife, Lizzie, Abe and Patsy Gray, Nathan and Susan Ann Johnson, and Sarah Scott in services. These seven men and women purchased a lot on Liberty Street, now known as Rothwell, and built a brush arbor there. Many joined Mount Pleasant Baptist Church after a revival, and within a short time, after raising funds at festivals and suppers, the church built a wooden sanctuary. The first sanctuaries were destroyed by storms and a fire. After each disaster, church men and women salvaged building materials for their next sanctuary.

 

The Rev. George Booker resigned in 1908 and was followed by the Rev. Joe J. James. During his pastorate, the Women's Missionary Society organized and became a part of church leadership. In the 1940s, the City of Houston bought the church's land for highway construction. The church purchased land at Solo and Hershe Streets from the Clay and Clay funeral directors and began to build a new sanctuary. The members held their first services in the new house of worship in 1951.

 

With only five pastors during its first 125 years, Mount Pleasant Baptist Church maintains the traditions of its founding members, with generations of area families still serving and ministering to the Fifth Ward community.

(2002)

Incising on back:





PASTORS

REV. GEORGE W. BOOKER (1876-1908)

REV. JOE J. JAMES (1909-1931)

REV. HOWARD O. SCOTT (1932-1959)

REV. ACY DOYAL McCRAW (1959-2000)

REV. ROY LEE JACKSON (2000- )

College Memorial Park Cemetery 3500 W Dallas College Memorial Park Cemetery



 Founded in 1896, College Memorial Park Cemetery is one of Houston's three oldest African-American graveyards, along with Olivewood and Evergreen. The earliest legible grave marker dates to 1900, but with many unmarked graves and unreadable stones, it is likely that earlier burials exist.

 

College Memorial Park Cemetery takes its name from its location opposite the Houston College. Its proximity to the Fourth Ward neighborhood, which saw an influx of African-American migration and the establishment of a freedmen's town after the Civil War, made this the primary burial ground for many religious, civic, education and business leaders of that community.

 

Among those buried here are: John Henry (Jack) Yates, a vital community leader, first pastor of Antioch Baptist Church and founder of Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, who encouraged property ownership among black Houstonians; Fort Worth and Houston educator J. M. Terrell, who became principal of Prairie View State Normal and Industrial College, president of Houston College and administrator of the Houston Negro Hospital; veterans of both world wars; and participants in the racial conflict now known as the Houston riot of 1917. Jack Yates (d. 1897) originally was buried in Olivewood cemetery, but was reinterred here after College Memorial Park Cemetery became operable.

 

Over the years, the burial ground has suffered from neglect and vandalism. Late 20th-century revitalization efforts sought to offset the earlier damage and to bring awareness to the cemetery as an important part of Houston's culture and heritage.

(2002)

Blue Triangle Branch, Y. W. C. A. Building 3005 McGowen  Blue Triangle Branch, Y. W. C. A. Building

 

 In the early 20th century, Houston's African American community wanted to provide recreational facilities for its youth and for African American troops stationed at Camp Logan. Various groups formed, including two interested in the welfare of young girls. The Camp Logan Activities Committee offered civics and morality instruction, and a committee created by Mary L. Jones aimed to form an organization dedicated to girls' moral and spiritual growth.

 

During World War I, a national representative from the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) worked with Jones to open a recreation center in 1917 in the Masonic building at 806 Clay. Following the war, the center applied to Houston's YWCA for branch status, which was given in 1920. The Blue Triangle Branch, YWCA, offered athletic, musical and educational programs for girls. In 1921, it opened a boarding house, which grew throughout the decade. During the Great Depression, the center closed the residence, but services expanded, helping hundreds of women and girls find work.

 

In the 1940s, the Blue Triangle YWCA began plans to build a new center. A group of women donated this site, and construction began in 1950 on the building designed by noted Houston architects Hiram A. Salisbury and Birdsall P. Briscoe. The architects chose a Transitional style, showing late Art Moderne as well as more contemporary elements. The building exhibits a semi-circular entry portico, casement windows and raised brick banding, with a fret pattern used frequently by Briscoe.

 

The Blue Triangle YWCA was an important part of the lives of the community's women and girls. Several women, including Lilla B. Love and Elizabeth E. Stevens, willed property to the organization in continued support of its mission. The Blue Triangle ended its YWCA affiliation in 1998. Restored and reopened by a community group, the new center offers youth and adult programs, and provides space for other groups.

 Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2002

Original site of the Houston Coca-Cola Bottling Company 2009-2011 Washington Ave  Original site of the Houston Coca-Cola Bottling Company



 The Houston Coca-Cola Bottling Company, one of the first companies in the nation granted franchise rights for the distribution of Coca-Cola in bottles, opened its doors in a brick building on this site in 1902. J.T. Lupton of Chattanooga, Tennessee, was the primary owner. The initial purchase of syrup from the Coca-Cola Company consisted of 387 gallons of syrup, and bottled Coca-Cola was delivered by a mule-drawn wagon. In 1908, the company bought almost 3,000 gallons of syrup to meet the soda demand, which was growing along with Houston's population. In this location, they had one hand-operated bottling machine with a capacity of 250 cases a day.

 

By 1915, sales of Coca-Cola had increased such that the company moved to larger facilities at 1212 Washington Avenue. In 1918, J.E. Evans became the plant's general manager, and during his tenure Houstonians continued to celebrate the soft drink sensation, prompting the company's continued growth. By 1948, C. Lupton Thomas, general manager, and J.E. Evans, president, developed plans for a new facility at 2800 Bissonnet. Lauded as the world's most modern Coca-Cola plant, the new million-dollar plant opened to the public in June 1950.

 

For more than a century, the Houston Coca-Cola Bottling Company has provided jobs, as well as refreshment, to the City of Houston and surrounding areas. The company has consistently given back to the city through charity work and project funding. As one of the largest operations of its kind in the world, it continues its commitment to employees, customers and neighbors.

  (2003)

Myers-Spalti Manufacturing Plant 2115 Runnels  Myers-Spalti Manufacturing Plant



 The City of Houston developed rapidly in the 19th century due in large part to its capacity for shipping and transportation. This was made possible by waterways, such as Buffalo Bayou, and railroads, five of which radiated from the city in 1861. Houston's industrial center, the warehouse district, grew up east of Main Street, along the banks of Buffalo Bayou.

 

In 1860, Samuel May Williams sold this property to Houston physician D.F. Stuart, who built a warehouse in the 1880s for cotton storage. The Lottman brothers purchased the site in 1893 and converted the building into a mattress factory. In 1904, they sold the property to H.F. Spalti, vice-president of Olive & Myers Manufacturing Company of Dallas. Spalti and Company President W.B. Myers started Myers-Spalti on this site. J.A. Grieves assisted them in developing the Houston branch of their successful mattress and furniture factory.

 

The original warehouse housed the millwork and planning sections of the company. Built in 1905, Warehouse Number Two housed the shipping, cabinetry and finishing departments, and Warehouse Number Three contained the printing and management offices. By 1907, a rail line extended onto the property from nearby tracks. Myers-Spalti added a fourth warehouse for storage in 1909 and additional structures in the 1920s. The company moved operations in the 1950s.

 

The development of Houston's industrial architecture can be seen in this site's building styles, which range from brick and heavy timber to concrete slab and columns. Since the 1950s, the buildings have housed hardware sales, electronics and manufacturing, storage and other light industrial businesses. The structures were once part of a city marketplace project and later developed into residential housing.

(2003)

Magnolia Brewery Building 715 Franklin   Magnolia Brewery was part of the Houston Ice and Brewing Company, founded in the late 19th century by Hugh Hamilton. Some of the brewery's popular brands included Magnolia, Southern Select and Richelieu beers. This building, designed by H.C. Cooke and Co. in 1912, was part of a much larger complex of structures along Buffalo Bayou. The building's details include pronounced cornice, upswept corner corbelled parapet and stained-glass transoms with a magnolia design. The company closed in 1950, but the building remains a link to the area's industrial history.



Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2003
Harris County Department of Education 6300 Irvington Blvd   The Texas Declaration of Independence specifically noted the lack of a public education system as one compelling reason for establishing a separate republic. Later, as a result, Republic of Texas President Mirabeau B. Lamar led the Congress in setting aside land in each county to support primary schools and colleges.

 As Texas continued to develop during the 19th century, additional legislation began to define a cohesive educational system. By November 1856, Harris County funded schooling for indigent children; within two years, the county also used public monies for teacher examinations. During the next decades, the state created the office of the State Superintendent of Schools, allowing each county to establish the office of County Superintendent.

 Early Harris County schools were served by district and community systems. In 1889, the county created its Department of Education, and all schools became part of its jurisdiction. B.L. James became the first County Superintendent, and he oversaw more than 50 Common School Districts. These districts together served approximately 900 students. In the 1920s, once a district's enrollment reached 500, it could attain independent status.

 As the Texas school district system changed throughout the 20th century, services of the Harris County Department of Education evolved. In 1978, the Legislature abolished state funding for county school trustees, and by 2003 only two such entities fully functioned -- in Harris and Dallas counties -- existing as non-profit support organizations. Today, the Harris County Department of Education supports students, teachers, administrators, school boards and public schools with a wide range of programs. (2005)
Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church 2201 Tuam Ave   As Houston's Third Ward neighborhood developed, the Rev. James Harvey Makey (1849-1915) called neighbors to his home in 1879 to form the Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church. Makey, a member of Antioch Baptist Church, found guidance from Antioch's pastor, the noted Rev. John Henry "Jack" Yates. Rev. Makey and Deacon Clarence Young constructed a small frame church building in 1884. Makey and his wife, Jeanette, served the congregation for many years. Other early leaders included Brother Henry Thomas, the first Sunday School superintendent, as well as Deacons Joe McConico, David Thompson, and Willie Hogan. Members held revivals in the spring and conducted baptisms on Easter Sunday in Buffalo Bayou. In 1917, the growing congregation purchased this site for a new sanctuary.

 The Rev. Joseph Patience Churchwell became pastor in 1928 and served until his death in January 1957. During his years of leadership the congregation developed many programs, including evangelism, twelve Mission Circles, men's chorus, youth council and various boards and groups. His wife and daughter were also active in building the congregation's services. In 1954, also during Churchwell's pastorate, members constructed a new sanctuary.

 Church members called the Rev. David Leon Everett, II to serve as pastor in 1957, and he served until his death in 1990. Under his guidance the church initiated community outreach activities and participated in various Baptist networks. More than 1,500 members joined during his time as pastor.

 Today, Jerusalem Missionary Baptist congregation continues to uphold the standards set by its strong leaders, playing an active role in community life. The church has met at this location since its founding in the Rev. Makey's home. (2005)
Houston Public Library 500 McKinney Ave   Within 10 years of its founding in 1836, Houston was a bustling city. Throughout the 1840s, the city's professionals came together in debating societies to discuss a variety of topics. They created the Houston Circulating Library to provide reference materials for their debates. In 1854, they organized the Houston Lyceum. By 1857, the group, which was limited to white, dues-paying males, had almost 800 books in its collection. In 1887, 30 years later and with more than 2,400 books, the Lyceum opened its membership to women.

 For the next several years, the women members proved to be persistent advocates for creating a public facility. By 1895, the Lyceum provided limited access to non-member adults of Houston. The following year, the library became available to local high school students. In 1899, Houston's city council appropriated money to maintain a free library. Mrs. W. E. Kendall and Mamie Gearing of the Houston Woman's Club wrote a letter to philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, who offered $50,000 for a building. Local organizations, including what had become the Houston Lyceum and Carnegie Library Association, as well as private citizens and businesses, raised money to purchase a site at the corner of McKinney Avenue and Travis Street. The city hired Martin and Moodie Company to design and build the new library, which opened on March 2, 1904 as the Houston Lyceum and Carnegie Library.

 Under the direction of Julia Ideson, city librarian from 1903 to 1945, the library expanded its services to include several branches and a bookmobile. Ideson oversaw construction in 1926 of a larger central facility, later named in her honor. Her successors continued her work, providing one of the nation's largest cities with books and programs in a variety of locations and languages. (2004)
Magnolia Cemetery 816 Montrose Blvd.  On these grounds in 1884, Henrietta Steiner buried family members John P.W. and Arthur Steiner. A few days later, several members of the First German Methodist Church Of Houston established Magnolia Cemetery for the exclusive use of church members. The Magnolia Cemetery Company applied in 1892 for an amended charter, extending membership privileges to others.

 

Trustees deeded a portion of unused cemetery land to the City of Houston in 1929 to provide right-of-way for Buffalo Drive, now Allen Parkway. In the early 1970s, the group sold another unused part of the land to neighboring American General Insurance Company. This land was later converted to park space that, with the Gus S. Wortham mausoleum, helps create a contemplative environment for visitors and area citizens.

 

In 1984, Magnolia Cemetery became a perpetual care facility, operating as a nonprofit corporation. Among the more than 3,800 persons interred here are veterans of most U.S. wars, including the Civil War. Many descendants of those buried here are active in preserving their families' resting place.



Historic Texas Cemetery - 2002
F.C.L. and Emilie Neuhaus House 6 Courtlandt Place F.C.L. and Emilie Neuhaus House



 Prominent Houston businessman Franz Carl Ludwig Neuhaus and his wife, Emilie (Boettcher), hired noted architects Sanguinet and Staats to design this house in 1909; they hired A.E. Barnes as construction manager. Completed the next year, the Colonial Revival house exhibits Classical elements, including a portico at the front entry with arched sidelights and Coric entablature. The house also features a porte cochere , which separates it from an outbuilding that has served as a garage, stables, carriage house, hayloft, henhouse and servants' quarters. The Neuhaus heirs sold the house in 1945. The first built on Courtlandt Place, the residence exemplifies fine craftsmanship of the early 20th century.



Recorded Texas Historic Landmark-2002

Edward R. and Ann Taylor 1900 Reed Rd  Edward R. and Ann Taylor



 Edward Ruthven Taylor, born in August 1845 at Independence, Texas, moved with parents Edward Wyllys and Aaroline Taylor to Houston in 1848. Here, in the city's formative years, the family made an impact in the cotton business and in the public education system.

 

 At the start of the Civil War, Edward Ruthven attended private school in New York. In 1862, at age 16, he returned to Texas and joined Waul's Texas Legion. He served with the unit at the battle of Vicksburg, Mississippi, where he was captured. While held as a prisoner of war, he contracted tuberculosis and the Legion later discharged him from service.

 

 As he recuperated at home, Edward became close to one of his family's slaves, a girl named Ann. Some sources indicate Ann came from Hungerford, Texas, and slave papers list her name as Ann George. Edward and Ann fell in love and unofficially married, as interracial marriages were not legal in Texas at the time. At the age of 25, Edward moved to Myrtle, later known as Pierce Junction, with Ann and their first child, Pinkie. Establishing a farm of more than 600 acres, the family grew, and Ann and Edward had five more surviving children: Major Julius, Samuel, William E., Nettie C., and Burt Taylor. In 1903, Edward deeded half of his property to Ann. She lived until 1909 and is buried on the original Taylor homestead with three children who did not reach adulthood.



 A few years before Ann's death, the family became aware of potential oil deposits on their land. In 1921, the Pierce Junction field had its first substantial oil strike. The oil rush continued beyond Edward's death in 1924, and his children, given equal shares of the property, continued to maintain the land and its resources. Family members donated the original homestead to the City of Houston in 1986.

(2003)

League of United Latin American Citizens, Council 60 3004 Bagby   On February 17, 1929, representatives from three organizations met in Corpus Christi to merge and form the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC). The new group sought to unify statewide efforts to challenge racism and inequities toward Texas' Hispanic residents, while also promoting patriotism, education and equality.

 Although needing only ten members to charter a new council, more than 20 Houston men met in 1934 at a filling station and bookstore at 74th and Navigation to form LULAC Council 60, of Magnolia Park. The group immediately set out to eradicate local prejudice and discrimination, and adopted the national organization's primary goals: improving education, employment and civil rights. Many of their early efforts were combined with the Latin American Club of Harris County, with which they merged in 1939 to become simply LULAC Council 60 of Houston. Local work included securing jobs for Mexican Americans in wartime industries; similar efforts later opened the door to Mexican Americans in the city's police and fire departments.

 The initially all-male Council 60 organized the LULAC Women Council 22 in 1948 and the Junior LULAC Council in 1949. Throughout the 1940s and 1950a, LULAC, at the state level, was involved with the American G.I. Forum in bringing cases before Texas courts, with one, Pete Hernandez v. State of Texas, going before the U.S. Supreme Court. The cases resulted in anti-discriminatory decisions, including school desegregation and jury selection. In 1955, LULAC 60 moved to a two-story stuco clubhouse at 3004 Bagby. From these headquarters, Council 60 began several important programs, including the "Little School of the 400," considered to be a model for Project Head Start, and SER, which became Operation SER/Jobs For Progress. The group continues to provide leadership for the national organization. (2005)
Ancient Order of Pilgrims 1100 Bagby   After the Civil War, African Americans faced difficulties finding insurance or securing loans. In the 1870s, Jamaican immigrant Henry Cohen Hardy came to Houston, where he was an educator. Hardy established the Ancient Order of Pilgrims in 1882 to help solve economic problems faced by Houston's African American population. The fraternal organization provided burial insurance and real estate loans. It soon branched out with chapters called sanctuaries. Members came from all economic levels. Each year delegates met at conclaves to review finances and hold elections.

 By 1926, with about 60 sanctuaries, the order chose to build a headquarters and office building in Houston. Officers hired noted architect Alfred C. Finn. Located at Bagby Street and West Dallas Avenue, the four-story, brick Pilgrim Temple Building was triangular in shape and featured elaborate finishes and a rooftop garden. In addition to the order's headquarters, it housed the Houston Negro Chamber of Commerce, O.K. Manning and Roscoe Cavitt, executive secretaries; Madame N.A. Franklin Beauty School, Mr. and Mrs. J.H. Jemison, proprietors; the Houston Defender newspaper, C.F. Richardson, publisher; Askew Drug Store; and offices of physicians, attorneys and various businesses. Booker T. Washington High School, as well as sororities, fraternities and other social clubs used the ballroom and auditorium for functions. The temple was a focal point for Houston's black community for more than 40 years.

 The Ancient Order folded in 1931 but was revived as the Progressive Order of Pilgrims in 1932 by G.A. Kennedy. In the early 1960s, the group sold the building, later razed. Business owners who once occupied it now work to preserve its memory as a historic site. (2006)
Twentieth-Century Development of Freedman's Town 298 W. Gray Street  Founded on the south banks of Buffalo Bayou soon after the June 19, 1865 emancipation of enslaved blacks, Freedman's Town became the center of Houston's African American community. It originally stretched from Buffalo Bayou south to Sutton Street, and west from Milam and Travis streets to Taft Street.

 During its heyday in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Freedman's Town featured hundreds of houses, many of which were small "shotgun" frame dwellings, a common folk building type found along the Gulf Coast in Louisiana and Texas. Most often associated with African American neighborhoods, the shotgun form has been traced to black residents of Haiti, and through them to original homelands in Africa. The neighborhood also featured a number of larger homes built by community leaders, including the Rev. Jack Yates, his son Rutherford B. Yates, Alfred Smith, the Rev. Jeremiah Smith and the Rev. Ned P. Pullam. Churches and schools in Freedman's Town largely formed the basis for a strong and proud community identity. In addition, the neighborhood featured many businesses and institutions, including a high school, library, hostpial and newspapers.

 By the 1930s, Freedman's Town was the economic center for black Houston, the location of a high percentage of the city's black-owned businesses. From 1940 to the present, though, increased area development, including urban renewal programs and highway construction, has adversely affected Freedman's Town. Due to the perseverance of community residents, a large portion of the neighborhood was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. (2005)
The Houston Club 910 Louisiana Street Chartered in 1894, the Houston Club began as a gentlemen-only club for literary discourse. In the 1920s, it became more business oriented through association with the Houston Chamber of Commerce. Its membership has included such notable civic and professional leaders as William Marsh Rice, John Henry Kirby, Jesse H. Jones, M.D. Anderson, Hugh Roy Cullen, Tobias Sakowitz and Ben Taub, among many others. The club expanded its member base with the first African American member joining in 1981 and the first woman in 1982. The club, which moved to this site in 1955, remains a significant center of business, social, cultural and philanthropic influence within the city. (2006)
Galilee Missionary Baptist Church 6616 DS Bailey Ln  Galilee Missionary Baptist Church is located in the community of Acres (Acre) Homes, developed beginning in 1910 by the Wright Land Company. The company sold plots of land for low prices, making it affordable for many families. By the 1930s, a large majority of those living in the neighborhood were African American. In the following decades, Acres Homes experienced significant population and business growth.

 The Rev. D. Hartman organized Galilee Missionary Baptist Church in 1913, with services held under a brush arbor. By 1915, the Wright Land Company sold land located at the church’s current site to church trustees, and members began construction of a new building. In the following years, under the leadership of the Rev. Jack C. Smith, members formed many auxiliaries and held traditional events such as Juneteenth celebrations, homecoming and the church’s anniversary.

 The Rev. D.S. Bailey served as pastor of the church from 1947 until his death in 1977, and under his leadership the church experienced tremendous growth. Bailey worked with community, political, school and business leaders in Acres Homes during his tenure. In 1979, the city of Houston passed an ordinance changing the name of Sherwin Street, on which the church is located, to D.S. Bailey Lane.

 As membership grew over the years, the church rebuilt several times, including a large sanctuary constructed in 2003. Galilee Missionary Baptist Church remains an important community institution, unifying and serving the residents of Acres Homes and surrounding areas.

(2006)
Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church 3015 North MacGregor Way  Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church was established by the Rev. Samuel Grantham. The pastor first held services in his own backyard before members built a structure out of wooden boxes. Because of its appearance, this first building was called a baking box church. In 1872, members formally established the church and erected a more permanent sanctuary in Houston's Fourth Ward. The church became an important place of worship for African Americans in Houston, and early members included former slaves. Since that time, the church has developed into one of Houston's leading community and spiritual institutions.



 Several noteworthy Texans have been members of this church. The Rev. Albert Anderson Lucas is one of several prominent pastors in the church's history. He simultaneously pastored here and served as president of the local chapter of the NAACP. Dr. Lonnie Smith, another member, was the plaintiff in the significant U.S. Supreme Court case of Smith v. Allright, which led to minority voting rights in primary elections. Barbara Jordan, the first African American U.S. Congresswoman from the South, was also a member of the church.



 Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church has continued in its service to the community through a variety of outreach programs. Over the years, the church has become an essential part of Houston's progress. The contributions of its leaders and members have had a positive impact on African Americans in the city of Houston and on men and women throughout the nation. (2006)
Mallalieu United Methodist Church 1918 Hickory St Area residents organized First Ward Methodist Episcopal Church on June 23, 1885, and in November of that year, the Rev. I.D. Rose became the church's first pastor. The congregation soon bought this site on which to build a house of worship. In 1900, the church was renamed in honor of Bishop Willard F. Mallalieu. That same year, the Galveston Hurricane destroyed the sanctuary. The congregation rebuilt, and in 1926 built again, finishing the wood-frame Greek Revival structure that would serve them into the 21st century. Throughout its history, the church has served the community through a variety of educational, outreach and worship programs. (2006)
Angelo and Lillian Minella House 6328 Brookside Dr  By 1946, Angelo and Lillian Minella had moved to Houston, where Angelo operated a plumbing and heating supply company. The couple hired architect Allen R. Williams, Jr. to design this residence, finished in 1950. It was one of several "Century Built Homes" designed by Williams, who developed a standardized, all-masonry plan used in various iterations by other Houston families. Built of concrete tiles, the home features a complex roofline, dominant brick chimney and planter boxes, and the clean, asymmetrical lines typical of mid-20th century Ranch style houses.



Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2006
St. Paul's United Methodist Church 5501 S Main St  At the beginning of the 20th century, members of Houston’s Methodist community worked toward organizing a new congregation on what was then the burgeoning south end of town. In December 1905, individuals met at the J.O. Ross family home and held Christmas Eve services at the city auditorium. The congregation officially organized on January 14, 1906 with 153 charter members. Bishop Joseph Key preached the first sermon and suggested the congregation adopt St. Paul’s as its name. The Ross family gave lots at the corner of Milam and McGowen streets for a new building. Designed by R.D. Steele and consecrated in January 1909. The structure reflected a Grecian design with a dome reminiscent of Byzantine architecture.

 The church grew along with the city of Houston, and in the late 1920s, members launched a campaign to raise money for new facilities. Jesse H. Jones, Walter Fondren and J.M. West, Sr. each contributed $150,000, and the church hired noted architect Alfred C. Finn to design a new building at the corner of Main and Binz streets. The Neo-Gothic styling features a cruciform plan on a steel-frame structure with limestone cladding. Stained glass windows from the structure, and the impressive tower houses bells also brought from the church’s original sanctuary.

 St. Paul’s church members support an array of outreach, worship, education, mission, music and caring services to the community. At the turn of the 21st century, the church is a spiritual and social community center, as well as a long-standing Houston institution.

(2006)
St. Joseph Hospital 1919 La Branch St  St. Joseph Hospital, Houston’s first general hospital, opened in 1887 as St. Joseph’s Infirmary. Six sisters from the congregation of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, who came to Houston from St. Mary’s Infirmary in Galveston, established the facility. Two years after its opening, Harris County officials asked the sisters to care for the county’s indigent sick, which they continued to do until 1919. A new hospital built in 1894 accommodated the growing number of patients. Several months after opening, however, fire destroyed the new structure, killing two of the sisters. Another hospital, built on the present site, provided new facilities.

 During the twentieth century, St. Joseph Hospital established its reputation as a leader in Texas health care. As a pioneer in the medical field, the hospital was among the earliest in the county or the state to: introduce pathology laboratory and x-ray equipment (1912); build a facility devoted to care for women and infants (1936); open a premature infant nursery (1943), coronary intensive care unit (1965) and community mental health center 9196); provide a neonatal transport service (1984); and offer laser lithotripsy for removal of ureteral stones (1987). The hospital has also made important contributions to education by opening the city’s first school of nursing 91905) and a large surgical training laboratory (1980). The center was also noteworthy for its research and treatment of cancer.

 St. Joseph Hospital served as a leader in the medical field by providing quality treatment for its patients. It also served as an important reminder of Houston’s early role as a medical center.

(2006)
Bethany Baptist Church 7304 Homestead Rd  Bethany Baptist Church has played an important role as a spiritual and community leader in Houston. Though having strong connections with a separate Bethany Baptist Church founded in 1922, members organized this church as Houston Garden Baptist Church in 1935. It was structured by the Rev. Thomas W. White, the Rev. W.T. Turner and the Rev. M.M. Wolf. The Rev. Oscar E. Reifel served as its first pastor. The congregation erected a sanctuary in 1936, followed by a new house of worship in 1941. The church changed it name to Bethany Baptist in 1946.

 Members established the church in the Houston Gardens community. The federal government helped to create the neighborhood as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Resettlement Administration, which worked to resettle low-income rural families to urban areas.

 By the 1970s, demographics in the area changed from predominately Anglo American to African American. During that time, Bethany was the only one of four predominately black churches in the Union Baptist Association that began as an all-white congregation to survive the era of change without merging or facing foreclosure. Bethany Baptist Church became an example of positive, successful institutional integration when the Rev. Curley Edward Carr, an associate pastor, became the congregation’s first African American head pastor in 1971.

 Over the years, the Bethany Baptist congregation has experienced substantial growth and development. It continues to serve the surrounding area of northeast Houston as a spiritual, educational and community leader.

(2006)
Emmanuel Baptist Church 809 Northwood St  Emmanuel Baptist Church grew out of early worship services shared with local Methodists and Presbyterians. In 1907, under the support and guidance of Houston's First Baptist Church, eighteen charter members organized this congregation. Soon thereafter, members built a sanctuary. In 1908, the young church joned the Union Baptist Association.



 The congregation has a long history of outreach and community involvement. In 1952, it established the Prairie Gardens mission, which later became a fully organized church. By the 1970s, Emmanuel Baptist focused much of its energy on children and youth programs. The congregation has also contributed to many outreach efforts, particularly for churches and missions in New York, Indiana and New Jersey. Additionally, it has commissioned members for full time foreign missionary work.



 Emmanuel Baptist Church has changed its focus and programs through the years to serve the local community in new ways. By the late 20th century, it made plans to work closely with the area's Hispanic population. In 1993, members of Jezreel Baptist Church, a Hispanic congregation, voted to disband and join in service with Emmanuel Baptist Church.



 Today, Emmanuel Baptist Church remains a spiritual leader in Houston. Through community involvement and outreach to others with programs spanning two centuries, the historic institution continues to make lasting contributions to those it serves. (2006)
The Reverend Ned P. Pullum 1319 Andrews St  The Rev. Ned P. Pullum was an influential African American pastor in 19th and 20th century Houston. Born c. 1861 in Pickensville, Alabama, he was ordained a Baptist minister by 1889 and in 1895 accepted the pastorate of Antioch Baptist Church in Beaumont, Texas. In 1896, he moved to the Freedmen’s Town community, founded after emancipation in Houston’s fourth ward. Later, he was chosen as pastor of Bethel Baptist Church after the death of the Rev. John “Jackâ€? Yates. In 1898, the Rev. Pullum purchased land at this site and soon began building his family residence here.

 In 1903, the Rev. Pullum left the Bethel congregation to organize Friendship Missionary Baptist Church. He conveyed land and raised funds to build the church building. He pastured there 24 years until his health began to fail. The Rev. Pullum died on June 18, 1927 and was survived by his wife, Emma (Eddings) and their two children. He is buried in Houston’s College Park Cemetery.

 In addition to spiritual leadership, the Rev. Ned p. Pullum provided vital direction in local civic affairs. As a member of Magnolia Masonic Lodge No. 4, he helped establish Houston’s Carnegie Colored Library, as the institution was known during the era of segregation, and contributed to Union Hospital, an early medical facility founded and operated by African American doctors. A successful entrepreneur, he owned real estate, founded Pullum Standard Brick Work in 1904 and, shortly after, People’s Pride Shoe Repair and two drugstores.
Hugo Victor Neuhaus, Jr. House 2910 Lazy Ln  A significant example of the International style of architecture, the 1950 Neuhaus House has a strong horizontal emphasis and expression of private and public space, as well as an integration of living space and landscape. Architect and Houston native Hugo Victor Neuhaus, Jr. (1915-1987) designed the home for himself. He graduated from Yale University in 1938 and then attended the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University, where the faculty included noted European modernists Walter Gropius and Marcel Breuer. Following graduation in 1941, Neuhaus served in the U.S. Army Air Force, and he returned to Houston and wed Mary Wood Farish, widow of his cousin William Stamps Farish, Jr. Neuhaus joined the office of C. Herbert Cowell where he partnered from 1949 until the firm dissolved in 1962. During his early years with Cowell, he became the local associate architect to renowned designer Philip Johnson, who had strong ties to Mies van der Rohe, a preeminent innovator of the International style.

 Neuhaus' design for his own home shows a strong reflection of the modern styles he was exposed to at Harvard and to the work of van der Rohe. The house features planes of solid brick and glass walls. Through the large windows, the indoor rooms share visual space with a plunge pool and terraced outdoor living areas, designed in collaboration with Houston landscape architect C.C. "Pat" Fleming. The Neuhaus home, one of several celebrated Neuhaus designs, was frequently represented as a shining example of Houston's modern architecture, a legacy that continues today.



Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2005
Augustus Chapman Allen 1217 Dallas  Augustus Chapman Allen was born to Roland and Sarah (Chapman) Allen in Canaseraga, New York on July 4, 1806. He graduated from the Polytechnic Institute at Chittenango, New York, where he taught mathematics until 1827. That year, he became a bookkeeper for the H. and H. Canfield Company, in which he and his brother John Kirby Allen bought an interest. A.C. Allen married Charlotte M. Baldwin (1805-1895) on May 3, 1831. The next year, the brothers left the firm and moved to San Augustine, relocating to Nacogdoches the following year. From there, they worked with others in land speculation and provided, at their own expense, a ship called the Brutus for transporting troops and supplies during the Texas Revolution.

 After Texas won its independence in 1836, the Allen brothers purchased land along Buffalo Bayou not far from Harrisburg, which had been substantially damaged during the war. The Allens planned a new town named for Sam Houston, offering it to the fledgling Texas government as a capital. The Texas Congress accepted the proposal and held the first session in Houston in May 1837. That year, the Allens were joined by their parents, four brothers and a sister. On August 15, 1838, J.K. Allen died from a fever.

 In the 1840s, A.C. Allen moved to Mexico. There, he served as U.S. Consul for the ports of Tehuantepec and Minotitlán, and was engaged in various business enterprises. In 1863, Allen traveled to Washington, D.C., where he contracted pneumonia. He died there at the Willard Hotel on January 11, 1864. Unable to have his body returned to Houston, his widow Charlotte had him buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York. He is remembered today as a co-founder of the city of Houston. (2006)
Julia Ideson Building 500 McKinney  Early efforts by Houston's Lyceum, local women's organizations and Andrew Carnegie's national foundation led to the 1904 Houston Lyceum and Carnegie Library Building. Julia Bedford Ideson, hired in 1903, was the city's first librarian. Under her direction, the library's collection and services expanded until, by 1920, the 1904 building was too small. The city continued to use the building, known by the 1920s as the Houston Public Library, until 1926, when the new library building opened at this site.

 Ideson and the library building committee worked throughout the 1920s to formulate a plan and program for the new structure, visiting other U.S. cities and accepting proposals from several noted architects. They chose Ralph Adams Cram and his Boston firm, Cram and Ferguson, for the project. Cram worked with local architects William Ward Watkin and Louis A. Glover, coordinating also with the city's architect, W.A. Dowdy. The Southwestern Construction Company served as the builder.

 Noted for his design work throughout the Northeast, Cram chose the Spanish Renaissance Revival style for Houston's library. Details include tile roof, arched openings, cast stone window surrounds, finials lining the parapet wall, and ornate metalwork. The L-shaped building's materials are primarily brick, cast stone and limestone.

 After more than 40 years as Houston's librarian, Ideson died in 1945. The city renamed the library six years later to honor her contributions to Houston's library program, as well as her involvement in numerous civic groups and professional associations.

 Although the city's library facilities and services have continued to expand since the Ideson Building's construction in 1926, the structure continues to serve as a library and local landmark.



Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2003
Fourth Missionary Baptist Church 2701 Webster St Organized as Watts Chapel in 1877, Fourth Missionary Baptist Church was established by the Rev. Henry Watts, a native of South Carolina. Watts arrived in Houston that same year, and with the help of fellow Houston ministers and deacons, secured a place of worship on Commerce Street. In 1883, he and church trustees purchased land and moved the church to West Broadway, and the congregation changed its name to Fourth Missionary Baptist Church in 1884. The church moved again to a location at the corner of Dowling and Lamar, rebuilding after a storm destroyed their building in 1900, and again after a fire in 1910. Under the leadership of the Rev. Alex H. Branch, the church moved in 1927. When the Rev. Branch passed away in 1932, members elected his son, Elridge Stanley Branch, as pastor. During the Rev. Dr. E.S. Branch's pastorate, Fourth Missionary Baptist Church moved here (1946) and attained its status as a leading Christian institution. Members have helped Houston residents in a variety of ways, including a kindergarden (1941), well baby clinic, food clinics, programs to help the needy during Christmas and a low-income housing complex. The church has also focused on missions, working closely with a Baptist church in Panama, organizing Bella Vista Church on East 36th Street in Houston and ministering in Jamaica, Haiti, Trinidad and the Philippines. The church has hosted the Missionary Baptist General Convention of Texas several times and in 1968 became the first black church to join the Union Baptist Association, an important step in the integration of churches in the state. Today, Fourth Missionary Baptist Church continues as a vital spiritual and social leader in Houston. (2007) Marker is property of the state of Texas
Mt. Carmel Missionary Baptist Church 1407 Valentine St Mt. Carmel Missionary Baptist Church has served as a vital spiritual and community institution in the Fourth Ward since the congregation's organization in 1915. The church has always met in the historic Freedmen's Town District, founded by former slaves after emancipation. As the Freedmen's Town District grew, churches became vital institutions, serving as centers of social, educational, political, economic, cultural and religious life in the community. Mt. Carmel originally organized as Nelson's Chapel Baptist Church. The congregation changed it name to Zion Rock Baptist Church between 1918 and 1921 before first being called Mt. Carmel in response to a sermon in 1921. In 1937, members named the Rev. Robert T. Bingham as pastor. He ministered here until 1952, guiding the church through a time of growth and change. In 1940, members constructed a new building, largely through the pastor's efforts. He provided much of the new facility's lumber from his personal east Texas lumberyard. Since its organization, Mt. Carmel Missionary Baptist Church has aided the community in significant ways. Members started a food pantry, offered counseling to those in need and provided space for weddings, funerals and public meetings, as well as for worship services of other churches. Today, as one of few remaining historic churches in the Freedmen's Town District, Mt. Carmel Missionary Baptist Church continues to serve as an important spiritual and civic leader in Houston's Fourth Ward. (2007) Marker is property of the state of Texas
Prairie Grove Cemetery 13685 Renn Rd This site recalls a historic African American church, school and cemetery in Alief. Only a few African Americans lived in the area in the nineteenth century, working as farm laborers or tenant farmers. More families came in the early twentieth century, including the David and Parthenia Outley family from Fort Bend by 1910. S.B. (Shorter) Burleson, Eddie and Will Garmond, and others arrived soon after. Oral tradition tells that Prairie Grove Missionary Baptist Church first met in the Burleson home; Mamie Burleson was instrumental in naming the church. In October 1910, L.P. Scarborough sold this land to church trustees S.B. Burleson and Will and Eddie Garmond, in 1921-22, the congregation built a white frame sanctuary that also served as a schoolhouse from 1927 to 1937. The congregation dwindled in the 1940s, and the building was later razed. Early black families used other area cemeteries before establishing this burial ground adjacent to the church. About fifty known graves have been surveyed on the 1.35 acre property, along with several unmarked graves. The earliest known burials are those of Melissa Outley (1940), Leo Bryant, Jr. (1941), Lillian Garmond Jackson (1942) and Lucy Truitt (1943). Unmarked graves, however, may predate these. Pioneer families, Freemasons and military veterans from World War II and the Vietnam Conflict are buried here. Descendants of church founders formed Prairie Grove Cemetery Association in 1967 to maintain and preserve the burial ground. The once rural cemetery is still in use by descendants of early families and others. Historic Texas Cemetery â€ˇČ 2006 Marker is property of the state of Texas
George Washington Carver High School 2500 South Victory In 1915, Harris County Common School District #26 established White Oak (Colored) School to serve the Acres Homes Community. The Wright Land Company, which developed this historically African-American community earlier in the decade, deeded land at West Montgomery and Willow Streets for a new one-room school. By the 1930s, as attendance grew, the school taught seven grades, with grades one through three meeting for a time at Greater Zion Baptist Church. In 1937, the school became part of the Aldine School District and house seven teachers and more than 300 pupils. The school moved to Wheatley Road in 1941 and continued to grow under Archie Baldwin Anderson, who served as principal from 1941 to 1957. Under his direction, the school changed its name to George Washington Carver School, received accreditation, and separated into an elementary and high school. In the 1950s, a large number of African Americans migrated into Acres Homes, leading to construction of a new high school building at this location in 1954. The former campus was renamed Carver Elementary and later dedicated as A.B. Anderson Elementary. In 1978, Carver H.S. became Aldine Contemporary Education Center, implementing an innovative program to attract students who were not African American to the campus. The curriculum consisted of flexible hours and voluntary enrollment for students who worked or had special interests. In 1994, the school changed names again before becoming a magnet school. Many graduates have achieved personal and professional success, and today, George Washington Carver High School for Applied Technology, Engineering and the Arts continues to be a notable institution of learning in the community. (2007) Marker is property of the state of Texas
Gulf Building 711 Travis Prominent real estate developer, publisher, statesman and banker Jesse H. Jones opened the Gulf Building in 1929 with Gulf Oil, National Bank of Commerce, and Sakowitz Brothers as primary tenants. Alfred C. Finn designed the 430foot high Art Deco edifice with a six-story base topped by a tall tower that diminishes in size as it rises. The 37-floor, steel-frame structure remained Houston's tallest skyscraper for 34 years. In 1986, the building, then owned by a successor bank, underwent a $50 million restoration. It was renamed the JPMorgan Chase Building in 2000 and continues to be a monument to the city's growth, modernity and financial prosperity. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2007 Marker is property of the state of Texas
Acres Homes Community 8501 W. Montgomery Rd. In 1910, land developer Alfred A. Wright platted the first of several subdivisions that eventually became the African American community of Acres Homes. Wright sold parcels of varying sized to residents who were attracted to the rural area by the inexpensive land, low taxes, and the absense of building restrictions, as well as the slow-paced life and wide-open spaces of rural living. Despite the lack of common municipal services such as electricity, street lights, garbage disposal, sewer and water, Acres Homes flourished as a self-contained community. In 1957, Negro Life magazine described Acres Homes as the "largest all-negro community in the United States." By 1974, the community extended roughly from West Tidwell to Gulfbank and from North Shepherd to White Oak Bayou and DuBoise. The residents included farmers, laborers, factory workers, "waterfront" workers and domestics who commuted to work in other parts of town.The first Church, Galilee Missionary Baptist, was organized in 1913, and the first school, White Oak Colored, opened in 1915. From the 1930s through the 1950s, a large migration of settlers moved into the area, organizing civic clubs and building homes, churches, Masonic halls and businesses. The first dry goods store, drug store and post office opened in 1945. The first black-owned bus company in the south, the Acres Homes Transit Company, operated from 1959 until 1968.Integration and the gradual annexation of Acres Homes by the City of Houston from 1967 to 1974 brought population diversity and transformation to Acres Homes. However, Acres Homes continues to retain its strong community identity and civic pride. (2008)
St. Joseph's Catholic Church 1505 Kane Street A school, founded by the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament to serve Houston's Sixth Ward, opened near this site in 1879. St. Joseph's Parish, the third Catholic church organized in Houston, was founded in 1880 to serve the school and community. This Romanesque Revival structure, designed by Patrick S. Rabbit and built in 1901, replaced an earlier sanctuary destroyed in the 1900 storm. It features a basilica plan, extensive corbelled detailing, and decorative brickwork. Serving a multi-ethnic congregation, St. Joseph's is an integral part of the community.



Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1989
Matthews-Johnson House 1835 Cortlandt St William and Regina (Meyers) Matthews had this house built in 1915. William, a civil engineer and chief draftsman for the Sunset Central Lines, contracted with W. T. Carter Lumber and Building Co. to erect the house. The house is a well-preserved early Craftsman bungalow with late Victorian influences. Significant architectural elements include a hipped roof, gabled front entry, L-shaped porch with tapered square wood columns, tracery windows and exposed rafter ends. In 1930, the Matthews sold the house to Ernest and Gertrude Johnson. Ernest was a pumper and labor leader for the Sinclair Oil Co., and the Johnsons converted attic spaces to bedrooms with dormer windows for their five daughters. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2008
South Main Baptist Church 4100 Main Street  In 1903, state evangelist Livingston T. Mays of the Baptist General Convention of Texas held a tent revival meeting at the corner of Tuam and Fannin, with 32 local Baptists, including many from existing congregations, forming a new church and calling Mays to be pastor. They built a sanctuary at the site of the tent revival and in March of 1904, adopted the name Tuam Avenue Baptist Church.

 The church grew quickly and, with more than 300 members in 1920, purchased a new site for a temporary structure designed by architect Alfred Finn. Renaming themselves South Main Baptist Church, members hired the noted firm Sanguinet, Staats, Hedrick & Gottlieb as architects for a new campus in 1924. The design evolved, beginning with Spanish and Moorish influences, and was completed in 1930 with strong Northern Italian elements. The congregation, having grown to nearly 1,500, dedicated its new structure in March 1930 with week-long services led by Dr. George W. Truett, a prominent Baptist leader.

 The campus grew, along with the congregation, which expanded its outreach in 1955 with radio and television broadcasts of services. Following World War II, the congregation’s commitment to local and national mission churches increased, and the church worked in cooperation with the Union Baptist Association.

 South Main’s many outreach efforts have included ministries for non-English speaking immigrants, with services in Korean, Japanese, Cambodian and Chinese. With a library and extensive Sunday School and Bible study programs, the multicultural church has emphasized education throughout its history, with a continued commitment to independent religious thought and community service. (2003)
Gilmer-Cage-Cohn House 200 Westmoreland Street  The 1905 Gilmer-Cage-Cohn House is a stately, pillared, Classical Revival residence that reflects a respect for antiquity. It is a well-designed and early example of this style in Houston. Brian Brewster and Edna (Daffan) Gilmer were the first owners. B.B. Gilmer was secretary-treasurer of the Standard Milling Company when he bought this lot. He organized the Southern Drug Company and became a national leader in his industry. Gilmer also made significant civic contributions, including terms as president of the Houston Chamber of Commerce and the Houston Bankers, Wholesalers and Manufacturers Association. After a short time in the house the Gilmers sold the property to Elliott and Roene (Masterson) Cage. Elliott was a prominent Houston attorney and proprietor of the Cage Cotton Company, while Roene was president and longtime board member of DePelchin Faith Home. By 1920, the Cages sold the house to Harry Joseph Cohn, a native of Latvia, and his wife Etta Frieda, a native of Russia. Harry Cohn was a prosperous merchant in dry goods and furniture. The Cohn family lived in the house for 64 years. The history property includes a large main house and a detached two-story carriage house, with both structures clad in horizontal wood siding. Four monumental columns with Ionic capitals dominate the house's three bay main faÃˇřade. The house shows both Neoclassical and Arts and Crafts influences. Significant features include the main columns and inset porch, corner pilasters, low hipped roof with tympanum, window and door molding, off-center entrance and elliptical second floor balcony with balustrade. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2008
Houston Negro Chamber of Commerce 2808 Wheeler St.  In September 1935, several prominent community leaders organized the Houston Negro Chamber of Commerce (HNCC) to empower and promote African-American buinesses in the city. They focused on encouraging business within African-American communities, since Jim Crow laws prevented blacks from accessing opportunities outside of their neighborhoods. With J.E. Robinson, Sr. as its first president, it was the first successful group of this type in Houston's black community. The office was in the black-owned Pilgrim Temple Building from 1935 until moving here in 1963.

 The HNCC sought to promote the civic, ecnomic, industrial, agricultural and social welfare of Houston residents; encourage alrger patronacge of balc enterprises and practival educatino in the trades and arts to stimulate better business; and develop a more amicable relationship between racial groups. The organization also encouraged residents to pay their poll taxes in order to become eligible to vote, promoted fair housing and emplyment practives, contributed to international commerce, and held contests, better businessesformus, and baquets to motivate the African-American community. During World War II, their office served as a rations hedquarters. A junior chamber was organized in 1942. The chamger also provided platforms for national leaders and partnered with government programs.

 Women have been actively involved in the HNCC since its formation and hel d offices as early as 1957. In 1964, under the leadership of Mack H. Hannah, Jr., the chamber changed its name to the Houston Citizens Chamber of Commerce (HCCC). Today, the HCCC continues to represent the interests of and promote greater unity among the African-American business community. (2008)
Greater Zion Missionary Baptist Church 3202 Trulley St. Members of Greater Zion Missionary Baptist Church have served residents of Houston’s Greater Third Ward since the late 1800s. Tradition holds that the Rev. Gilbert Green and several area residents organized the church, which first met under a brush arbor at this location. The Rev. Green was the first pastor of what was then known as Little Zion Missionary Baptist Church.

Early pastors encouraged growth in the African American congregation, whose members often had to work in very low-paying jobs. Soon, the congregation turned toward serving the Greater Third Ward. Community programs flourished, particularly under the Rev. Moses Leonard Price, the longest serving pastor for the church (1938-1984). The Rev. Price was involved in numerous community, social and religious organizations. He focused the members’ time and resources especially toward educational programs. Under his pastorate, the church opened a kindergarten, started a scholarship fund and implemented the summer enrichment program to offer tutoring for area students. After building the current sanctuary on the adjacent block in 1958, the church opened an educational building on its former site. Members have also run a food pantry, offered donations to the needy and developed a program to build affordable homes in the neighborhood.

Besides the church’s pastors, a number of members have been vital community leaders. Several former members have also become pastors of other churches. Today, Greater Zion Missionary Baptist Church continues to serve as a spiritual, social, cultural and economic leader in Houston.
Frost Town 512 McKee St. The Frost Town community developed on the property of Jonathan Benson Frost, a veteran of the Texas War for Independence. After the Battle of San Jacinto in 1836, Frost returned to his Tennessee home and brought his family to Texas, establishing a blacksmith shop and homestead about one mile east of the new city of Houston. He died from cholera in 1837, and in 1838, his brothers, Samuel Miles Frost and James Coleman Frost, subdivided his property, creating one of Houston’s earliest additions, which remained in residential use until the early 1990s. German immigrants soon settled here, and by the 1850s, Frost Town was a thriving community which reflected its residents’ cultural heritage. Several prominent Houston-area german families lived in the settlement. Others in the area included Irish immigrants and employees of the Galveston, Houston & Henderson Railroad, which reached the area in 1853.

By the 1870s, Frost Town was a community in transition. Area railroads had contributed to industrial development between Houston and Frost Town, and freedmen moved into the community, which was now considered part of Houston’s Second Ward. By the early 20th century, unskilled workers began to move into Frost Town, which was now connected to industries on the north side of Buffalo Bayou by a steel truss swing bridge built in 1904. Mexican residents began to move into Frost Town, while Anglo-European residents left, further shifting the community’s demographics.

Between 1930 and 1950, Frost Town became increasingly isolated because of industrial development. Residents began relocating following World War II, when the Elysian Viaduct and U.S. Highway 59 were constructed through the area, eliminating Frost Town's residential buildings. Today, James Bute Park marks the former community, which existed for more than 100 years.
Jefferson Davis Hospital 1101 Elder St. This significant medical facility, completed in 1924 and operated jointly by the City of Houston and Harris County, was built atop the 1840 Houston City Cemetery, which was active until the 1880s. As there was no widespread removal of graves from the site, the building’s basement was erected above ground. At the request of Confederate veterans and their families, the hospital was named for the former President of the Confederate States of America, in honor of the many Confederate veterans buried here. Jefferson Davis Hospital marks the beginning of city-county cooperation in providing centralized medical care for indigent patients.

 City architect W.A. Dowdy presented his plans to the hospital board in 1923, with the main building designed to accommodate 150 patients. The physical plant also included a nurses’ home, isolation unit, garage and power house. The Neoclassical style building remains a prominent landmark in the First Ward neighborhood. The three-story structural concrete and clay tile building has a red brick and cast stone veneer. Notable elements include its central projecting portico with fluted columns and ionic capitals, cast stone detailing, pedimented entry doors and brick corner quoins.

 The hospital served its intended purpose for only thirteen years, as a rapidly growing population required new facilities. In 1937 a new hospital on Buffalo Drive (now Allen Parkway) took the name “Jefferson Davis Hospital.â€? This site, then called “Old Jefferson Davis Hospital,â€? served multiple purposes including a psychiatric hospital, juvenile detention ward, food stamp distribution center and records storage facility. After several years standing vacant, the historic building was rehabilitated into residential lofts in 2005.
Houston's First Sit-In 4100 - 4110 Almeda  From 1896 until the 1960s in the southern United States, Jim Crow Laws effectively banned African Americans from using public facilities and basic services that were used by whites. In March 1960, thirteen students from Texas Southern University (TSU) started a non-violent movement protesting these laws and changed Houston forever. These young architects of change formed the Progressive Youth Association (PYA), meeting at the South Central YMCA or in their apartments to plan strategies. These “War Roomâ€? meetings are where they organized Houston’s first sit-in.

 On March 4, 1960, the thirteen students met at a flagpole on TSU’s campus and marched in pairs one mile to Weingarten’s Supermarket (4110 Almeda Road) with the objective of being served at the lunch counter. Dozens more joined them as they marched, singing black spirituals. Though white employees refused to serve the students and patrons hurled insults at them, they sat there silently for hours, occupying all 30 counter stools in shifts. More sit-ins occurred over the following days and weeks.

 The sit-in at Weingarten’s Supermarket was the first in a series of non-violent demonstrations leading to the peaceful end of segregation in public places. Houston’s lunch counters quietly desegregated on August 25, 1960. Department stores, hotels and restaurants soon followed, and Houston’s Astrodome opened in 1965 as an integrated facility. The sit-ins ended with the signing of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Today, these thirteen unsung heroes are remembered for starting a movement that advanced civil rights and equality in Houston.

 (2009)
Houston Cemetery Company 2525 Washington Avenue The Houston Cemetery Company was one of several chartered and private associations promoted by Houston business leaders for the purpose of effecting civic, cultural and economic improvements following the Civil War. Houston Cemetery Company was chartered as a private cemetery company by the state of Texas on May 12, 1871, and the company set out to establish a rural cemetery with beauty and integrity. Several names for the new cemetery were considered, but stockholders and directors finally chose by ballot the name “Glenwood.� The first burial at Glenwood cCmetery occurred on june 19, 1872.

 Glenwood Cemetery is an early Texas example of the country cemetery plan first used in the eastern and northern United States in the 1830s. Directors selected property situated between Buffalo Bayou and Washington Avenue interspersed with springs and gullies to achieve the desired pastoral setting. The intended park-like landscape design is reflected in the rambling walks and drives that follow the curvilinear sections situated around a wooded glen and a bridge over a spring-fed gully. The beautiful setting drew Houstonians to Glenwood Cemetery as a place of relaxation and recreation prior to the 1899 establishment of Houston’s first public park, Sam Houston park.

 The Houston Cemetery Company reorganized as the Glenwood Cemetery Association in 1904, and the Association was succeeded by Glenwood Cemetery, Inc., in 1969. The Glenwood Cemetery Historic Preservation foundation was formed in 1999 to preserve the historic heritage of the monuments and grounds of this important Houston landmark.
Charlotte Marie Baldwin Allen 2525 Washington Avenue  
David Finney Stuart, M.D. 2525 Washington Avenue  
Asbury Memorial United Methodist Church 215 Medina  IN 1866, FORMER SLAVE WILLIAM BURLEY CAME TO HARRISBURG TO MINISTER TO NEWLY-EMANCIPATED AFRICAN AMERICANS. HE PURCHASED PROPERTY FOR A HOME AND A CHURCH AT THE INTERSECTION OF SYCAMORE AND FENNELL STREETS ALONG THE BANKS OF BRAYS BAYOU. THE CHURCH WAS NAMED THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF HARRISBURG. THE FREEDMEN’S BUREAU, A FEDERAL AGENCY DEDICATED TO HELPING FORMER SLAVES, SPONSORED A COMMUNITY SCHOOL ON THE CHURCH GROUNDS UNTIL 1870. THIS EARLY AFRICAN-AMERICAN PUBLIC SCHOOL WAS A PREDECESSOR OF A LATE 1800s HARRISBURG SCHOOL.

 THROUGHOUT THE 20TH CENTURY, THE CHURCH SERVED AS A FOCAL POINT FOR THE AREA’S BLACK COMMUNITY. THE LOVING BAND OF HOPE, A GROUP DEDICATED TO ASSISTING HARRISBURG’S AFRICAN-AMERICAN RESIDENTS, OFTEN CONVENED ON CHURCH GROUNDS. THE CONGREGATION MODIFIED ITS NAME SEVERAL TIMES, FIRST CHANGING TO TRINITY METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF HARRISBURG IN 1900 TO DISTINGUISH ITSELF FROM ANOTHER CONGREGATION. IN 1926, WHEN HOUSTON ANNEXED HARRISBURG, THE CHURCH BECAME ASBURY METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, IN HONOR OF NOTED BISHOP FRANCIS ASBURY. IN 1929, THE CHURCH MOVED TO 215 MEDINA STREET AND IN SUBSEQUENT YEARS ADDED ADDITIONAL PROPERTY. ADDITIONAL NAME CHANGES OCCURRED IN 1939 AND IN 1968, WHEN THE INSTITUTION BECAME KNOWN AS ASBURY MEMORIAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH. NOTED MEMBERS INCLUDED SAVANNAH GEORGIA KAY, A CIVIC LEADER WHO MADE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO EDUCATION IN HARRISBURG; TOM BLUE, WHO WAS A FORMER SLAVE OF SAM HOUSTON’S; AND WILSON BURLEY, WHO SERVED IN THE 84TH U.S. COLORED INFANTRY DURING THE CIVIL WAR. TODAY, ASBURY MEMORIAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH CONTINUES TO SERVE AS A SPIRITUAL LEADER IN HOUSTON.

 (2009)
Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church 2301 Nagle Street  Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church was one of three African American churches founded in Houston in 1866, the year after the end of the Civil War and the emancipation of enslaved Texans. The congregation was organized by the Rev. Henry Stewart, and first met in a tent on Commerce Street. In the fall of 1866, the Freedmen’s Bureau established a school on the church’s property for formerly enslaved children and adults, one of the first three such schools in Houston. After the closing of the Freedmen’s Bureau schools in 1870, the congregation continued to use their church as an educational facility as late as 1882.

 In 1872, Stewart, along with church trustees, purchased a small lot in the Second Ward, fronting German Street (later Canal Street). Church structures were destroyed by fire in 1873, by a great “northerâ€? in 1876, and by the great hurricane of 1900; each time, the church rebuilt. The congregation purchased property at 2301 Nagle Street in 1928, and a new edifice was constructed at this location in 1941. The property on Canal Street was sold in 1944. In 1963, the church was expanded, retaining the 1941 structure as the nucleus of the larger building. An adjacent parsonage was also added at this time.

 As one of Houston’s earliest African American churches, Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church has served as a mother church within its vicinity, aiding in the establishment of many churches throughout the years and fostering their growth. Today, Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church continues in this role as an important institution within Houston’s African American community.
Sam Houston Park 1100 Bagby Sam Houston Park began with Nathaniel Kelly Kellum’s purchase of 13 acres on the south bank of Buffalo Bayou in 1844 and 1845. Here Kellum built a brick factory, a tannery and his residence. The property was later sold to Zerviah Noble, who held it until it was purchased by the City of Houston in 1899 to become the first public park so designated by the City of Houston. The two-story brick house that had been built by Kellum in 1847 became the headquarters building for the Parks Department. The park was known as City Park until its name was officially changed to Sam Houston Park in 1903. By 1961, the park had expanded to nearly 21 acres, including property that had formerly been the Episcopal and Masonic Cemeteries, yet the popularity of the park as a leisure site had begun to wane. In 1959 almost two acres of land at the far western edge of the park had been taken for support piers and access ramps for the interstate 45 elevated roadway, possibly contributing to the park’s decline in attractiveness to the public. The Kellum-Noble House stood vacant on the park grounds for several years, and by 1954 the City of Houston announced plans to raze the building. A group of preservation-minded citizens banded together to save the important landmark. The resulting Harris County Heritage and Conservation Society (now known as "The Heritage Society") not only achieved the goal of stabilizing the building and opening it as a museum, but also revitalized the park by creating a home for many historic and replica structures. Other public sculptures and monuments have also found their home in the park. Sam Houston Park has once again become a popular cultural, educational and leisure site for Houston’s downtown residents.
Pilgrim Congregational United Church of Christ 3115 Blodgett The Reverend G. B. M. Turner and educator E. O. Smith organized Pilgrim Congregational Church, Houston's first African American Congregational church, in the Freedmen's Town community in 1904. Early services were held in Turner's home. Permanent structures were built on Matthews at Victor in 1907 and on Wilson at Cleveland in 1914. After a 1936 fire, the church met in temporary quarters for several years. Since most members then resided in the Third Ward, the congregation built a new church on Live Oak at Berry Street in 1942. The church's name was changed to Pilgrim Congregational United Church of Christ in 1957 as a result of the denominational merger of the Congregational Christian churches and the Evangelical and Reformed church. The growing church purchased property at 3115 Blodgett Street in 1965; the first services were held at this site on March 23, 1974. Several early members left their impact in the fields of education, labor and civil rights by establishing organizations such as the Colored Carnegie Library (1909) and the local chapter of the NAACP (1918). Houston Independent School District (HISD) schools were named for E. O. Smith, G. B. M. Turner and T. R. Chatham; the HISD administration building is named for Hattie Mae White, the first African American HISD board member. John D. Moore served as pastor from 1936 until 1973. Pilgrim Church has impacted the community through outreach programs such as scouting, food for the hungry, a thrift shop and a community center. Today, the church continues to honor the courageous African captives of the 1839 "Amistad event" and their Congregationalist defenders. (2009)
Trinity East United Methodist Church 2418 McGowen St.  
St. John Missionary Baptist Church 2702 Dowling St  
Rev. John "Jack" Henry Yates 3605 W. Dallas Street  
Sam Houston High School 9400 Irvington Blvd. This school’s lineage begins with one of the oldest schools in Houston. When Mayor James H. Stevens died in 1856, his bequest of $5,000 and matching contributions founded the Houston Academy, with a brick school built on block 77 (bordered by Capitol, Caroline, Austin and Rusk Streets). In Dec. 1860, Gov. Sam Houston spoke against secession at the school; during the Civil War, the building became a Confederate military hospital. The city operated Houston Academy after 1877 and added grades eight through eleven. In 1879, Lucy Williams Brown became the first high school graduate. During the 1880s, the school then called the Clopper Institute and Houston Normal and High School achieved accreditation and began the first high school newspaper in Texas, the Aegis (still in publication). A large new building replaced the original schoolhouse in 1895; the name was changed to Houston High School and later Central High. A 1919 fire razed the school and a third building was completed in 1921.

 Creation of the Houston I.S.D. and construction of three new high schools in the 1920s led to another name change to Sam Houston High School. In 1927, Verna Benton organized Texas’ first all-girls marching drum and bugle corps, the Black Battalion (later the Houstonettes and the Tigerettes). The downtown school closed in 1952 and the building became school district offices. In 1955, a new high school built on Irvington Boulevard revived the name and traditions of Sam Houston High. Lyndon B. Johnson, who taught debate and public speaking at Sam Houston in 1930-31, made an education speech here on Nov. 2, 1964, the day before being elected to a full term as U.S. President. Later renamed the Sam Houston Math, Science & Technology Center, this institution has produced thousands of esteemed graduates, military veterans and young citizens of Houston.
Edward K. T. Chen 3599 West Center  
Anson Jones 2525 Washington Avenue (January 20, 1798 - January 9, 1858) Anson Jones was born in great Barrington, Massachusetts. He earned his M.D. degree in Philadelphia in 1827; by October 1833, Jones had moved to Texas, establishing a successful medical practice in Brazoria. In 1835, he helped organize Holland Lodge No. 36, the first Masonic Lodge in Texas. In 1836, Jones joined in Texas' war for independence and served as Judge Advocate and surgeon of the Second Regiment. He fought as a private in the Battle of San Jacinto. After the war, Jones returned to his medical practice and in 1837 was elected to the House of Representatives. That year, he was also elected as the first Grand Master of Masons in Texas and was among the noted charter members who organized the Philosophical Society of Texas. In 1838, Sam Houston appointed Jones as Minister Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Texas. In this position, he began to stimulate American support for annexation by strengthening Texas' ties with Great Britain and France, playing at U.S. insecurities. Jones married Mary Smith McCrory in 1840; she was later elected the first president of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas. In 1841, President Houston appointed Jones as Secretary of State, where he further encouraged annexation. In 1844, Jones was elected president of the Republic of Texas; he became the country's last president when the U.S. annexed Texas on December 29, 1845. At a formal ceremony in Austin on February 19, 1846, Jones lowered the Lone Star flag and declared, "the Republic of Texas is no more." He retired to Barrington, his plantation near what is now Washington-on-the-Brazos, where he spent much of his time writing. Today, Anson Jones is remembered for his multitude of accomplishments, including those that earned him the nickname, "the architect of annexation." (2009)
St. James United Methodist Church 1217 Wilson Street  
Archibald Wynns 2525 Washington Avenue  
First United Methodist Church of Houston 1320 Main Street The foundation of Methodism in Houston began in 1837, when missionaries Martin Ruter and Littleton Fowler established a Sunday School Society. On April 14, 1839, the Rev. Jesse Hord received 14 members by transfer of letter, establishing the Methodist Church. In 1844, the Methodist Episcopal Church South opened its first building on the north side of Texas Avenue, between Travis and Milam streets, on land the Allen Brothers had reserved for a church when Houston was platted. From 1883 to 1909, the church was known as Charles Shearn Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church South.

 As Houston grew, the congregation prospered, and plans were developed to build a new church. In 1907, the Texas Avenue property was sold, and First Methodist Episcopal Church South opened its doors in 1910 at the corner of Main and Clay streets. In 1939, the name changed to First Methodist Church and in 1968 to First United Methodist Church. In 1992, the congregation approved a plan to establish a second campus. The Westchase Congregation began worship in 1993 and opened a worship center in 1999.

 This congregation’s commitment to local, national and worldwide programs and ministries led it to help start new churches and establish non-profit groups, including Wesley Community Center, Bluebird Circle, Quillian Memorial Center, Clarewood House, Wesley Academy and Christian Alliance. Together with the Texas Conference, the church helped to establish the Methodist Hospital. The church has furthered its outreach through televised worship services since 1955.
Lady Washington Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution Organizational Meeting 909 Texas Street  The Lady Washington Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) was organized on November 14, 1899, when 10 of the original 17 organizing members met in the western parlor of the Capitol Hotel (later known as the Rice Hotel) that occupied this site 1882-1911. The chapter was named in honor of Martha Dandridge Custis Washington, wife of George Washington. The chapter was the first established in Houston and the fifth in Texas. The first social function hosted by the chapter was a patriotic reception held in the western parlor of the Capitol Hotel on February 21, 1900.

 The Lady Washington Chapter founding officers were Regent Ella Hutchins Sydnor, Vice-Regent Lelia L. Crane, recording secretary Mary Botts Fitzgerald, corresponding secretary Margaret Hadley Foster, registrar Bettie Palmer Hutcheson, treasurer Bettie Heath Stuart, and historian Julia Hadley Franklin. These founding members organized and served on many of the social, patriotic, environmental, and educational organizations that helped form today’s Houston and Harris county, including the City Federation of Women’s Clubs, the Houston Public School Art League, and the Board of the Houston Lyceum and Carnegie Library.

 The NSDARr was founded in 1890 to promote patriotism, preserve American history, and secure America’s future through better education for children. Membership is open to women who descend from a man or woman who served as a sailor, soldier or civil officer, or was a recognized patriot who rendered material aid to the revolution.
1840 Houston City Cemetery 1101 Elder Street  
Chinese Texans and Civil Rights 6400 Bissonnet St.  Chinese immigrants arrived in Texas in the 1870s and 1880s, primarily to build railroads and work as laborers. These early immigrants faced harsh working conditions and racism from those fearing they would take away jobs. Chinese Texans were also met with violence, punctuated by Judge Roy Bean’s reported 1884 ruling that it was not illegal to kill a Chinese. With anti-Chinese sentiment spreading through the western and southern states, Congress restricted immigration through the Chinese Exclusion Act (1882), the only U.S. law to exclude a specific race from immigrating; it also denied citizenship to Chinese Americans.

 As was true throughout Texas, discrimination against Chinese Texans was common in Houston. However, the Houston Chinese Community, which numbered only 50 in 1930, began to grow as immigrants came here from other southern states. In Houston, Chinese students could attend public schools with whites, and soon, Chinese Texans began attending state universities.

 Through the efforts of American-born Chinese, economic and social injustices began to be righted. 1937 testimony by Edward K.T. Chen ( ) and Rose Don Wu ( ) helped defeat a proposed Texas law that would have prevented Chinese from owning urban property. In 1943, the Magnuson Act repealed the Chinese Exclusion Act. The Chinese American citizens alliance, including its Houston branch, under the direction of Albert C.B. Gee ( ), helped pass the immigration act of 1965, paving the way for large-scale Chinese immigration. Today, Chinese Texans continue to make a vital impact on politics and culture in Texas, standing as a tribute to the immigrants who withstood discrimination and thrived.
St. Andrew's Episcopal Church 1819 Heights Blvd. Organized in 1911 as a mission, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church has roots in St. Stephen’s Episcopal Mission, which served the Houston Heights community from 1896 to 1903. Many of the communicants of St. Stephen’s became charter members of St. Andrew’s, which was named for the earlier mission’s rector, Benjamin Andrew Rogers. Fifty-three Episcopalian Heights residents gathered in the home of the Rev. and Mrs. Henry Justus Brown to organize the mission; the Rev. Brown became its first rector.

 Members met in a hardware store before erecting a building on Allston Street on lots donated by the Rev. Rogers’ widow and her daughter. In 1921, construction began on a new, two-story building on property donated by O.M. Carter at 19th and Yale streets. A final move occurred in 1948, when a new church building was completed on Heights Boulevard.

 Under the leadership of the Rev. Haskin V. Little, St. Andrew’s experienced congregational growth and expanded its outreach programs. The Rev. Little served as rector from 1952 to 1977, and as rector emeritus until his death in 2000. From 1962-1965, the church participated in the Diocesan Cuban Refugee Resettlement Program, providing for a Cuban family. Other notable programs include St. Andrew’s co-sponsorship and support of Heights Towers (1975) and Heights House (1980), two high-rise apartment buildings providing housing for low-income elderly individuals. Church members have reached out extensively to those in need in the Heights community, and have supported local and international missions. Today, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church continues to have a positive impact on the Heights neighborhood and the city of Houston at large.
Reagan Masonic Lodge No. 1037 A. F. & A. M. 1606 Heights Boulevard Reagan Lodge, the first Masonic Lodge instituted in the Houston suburbs, marked the beginning of the second wave of Houston Masonic Lodges and accompanied a major surge in the growth of the city and the birth of its suburbs. The lodge was chartered in the municipality of Houston Heights on December 12, 1910; its first meeting was held on December 31, 1910. The lodge was named for Mason John Henninger Reagan (1818-1905), who served as a judge, Confederate Postmaster General, U.S. Congressman and Senator, framer of the 1876 Texas Constitution, and first chairman of the Texas Railroad Commission. Within its first twelve years, the lodge facilitated the formation of Chapters of the Order of the Eastern Star, Order of Demolay for Boys and Order of Rainbow for Girls. Three area schools have been named for lodge members.

 The lodge’s first regular meetings were held in a rented space in the 900 block of Yale St. An association was formed in 1912 to raise money for a new, permanent lodge building, which was constructed in 1930 at the northeast corner of Harvard St. and Eleventh Ave., but was taken over by a local bank in 1935 as a result of the Great Depression. The lodge met at a temporary site until the completion of the lodge building at the northeast corner of Heights Blvd. and Sixteenth Ave. in 1948. The building was designed by architect and Houston Heights resident L.R. Hayes, who was also Master of Reagan Lodge 1937-1938. Reagan Masonic Lodge has a long history of charitable work and philanthropic endeavors and continues to be a civic leader in the Houston Heights community.
Sam (Lightnin') Hopkins 3405 Dowling Street African American blues singer and guitarist Sam Hopkins was born in Centerville, Leon County, Texas in 1912, the youngest of five children of Abe and Frances (Washington) Hopkins. Sam learned to play guitar from John Henry and Joel Hopkins, two of his older brothers, and began his musical career in Central Texas under the guidance of Texas blues pioneers Alger “Texas� Alexander and Blind Lemon Jefferson.

 Hopkins traveled throughout the south for many years but ultimately settled in Houston in the mid-1940s. He became a mainstay of Houston’s Third Ward music clubs, especially those located on and around Dowling Street. Hopkins was “discoveredâ€? by an Aladdin Records talent scout in 1946 and was sent to Los Angeles for his first recording sessions. It was during these sessions that Hopkins picked up the nickname “Lightnin’â€? and recorded his first hit record, “Katy Mae.â€? After returning to Houston, Hopkins recorded for Gold Star, one of the earliest labels to record blues in Houston.

 Despite recording success, Hopkins continued to play and sing at Houston dance parties, street corners, and Dowling Street establishments. He also continued to record and tour, although he rarely played outside of Texas during the 1950s. The popularity of folk and blues music of the 1960s brought additional attention to Hopkins, and he performed to more integrated audiences, including several performances at New York’s Carnegie Hall. After a prolific career that included approximately 100 recorded albums, and over 600 songs, Hopkins died in 1982; he is buried in Houston’s Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery.
Peacock Records 4120 Lyons Ave.  DURING THE FIRST HALF OF THE 20th CENTURY, THE MASS-MARKET RECORDINGS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSICIANS WERE GROUPED UNDER THE TERM “RACE MUSIC,â€? REGARDLESS OF THEIR MUSICAL GENRE, AND THESE MUSICIANS WERE MARKETED STRICTLY TO AFRICAN AMERICAN LISTENERS. IN 1949, A DECADE BEFORE THE BIRTH OF MOTOWN RECORDS, NIGHTCLUB OWNER DON D. ROBEY (1903-1975) SIGNED BLUES MUSICIAN CLARENCE “GATEMOUTHâ€? BROWN TO A MANAGEMENT CONTRACT AND THEN DECIDED TO CREATE HIS OWN RECORD LABEL BECAUSE OF HIS DISSATISFACTION WITH THE TRADITIONAL “RACE MUSICâ€? MARKETING OFFERED BY THE MAJOR RECORD LABELS.

 ROBEY’S PEACOCK RECORDS SOON OUTGREW AN OFFICE LOCATED AT 4104 LYONS, SO HE CONVERTED HIS FORMER DINNER CLUB, THE BRONZE PEACOCK AT 2809 ERASTUS, INTO A LARGER RECORDING STUDIO AND RELOCATED IN 1953. DURING THAT SAME YEAR, ROBEY ADDED DUKE RECORDS IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE TO HIS HOLDINGS AND CREATED BACK BEAT RECORDS AS A PEACOCK SUBSIDIARY. THE ACQUISITION OF DUKE RECORDS BROUGHT ROBEY THE CONTRACTS OF SEVERAL WELL-KNOWN ARTISTS, INCLUDING WILLIE MAE “BIG MAMAâ€? THORNTON AND JOHNNY ACE. THE BELLS OF JOY AND THE FIVE BLIND BOYS OF MISSISSIPPI WERE AMONG MANY OF PEACOCK’S GOSPEL GROUPS.

 MUCH OF THE SUCCESS OF DUKE-PEACOCK RECORDS CAN BE CREDITED TO THE SYSTEM OF UTILIZING NUMEROUS RECORDING STUDIOS, PRODUCTION PLANTS, AND DISTRIBUTORS AROUND THE COUNTRY TO REACH THE GREATEST NUMBER OF ARTISTS AND CUSTOMERS. THE RESULTING PROMINENCE WITHIN THE RECORD BUSINESS LED TO THE PURCHASE OF THE PEACOCK, DUKE, BACK BEAT AND SURE SHOT LABELS BY ABC DUNHILL IN 1973, AND TODAY PEACOCK RECORDS IS REMEMBERED AS A PIONEERING MINORITY RECORDING FIRM.
Houston Infirmary 1002 Washington Avenue One of the most prominent hospital facilities established in Houston after the Civil War was the Houston Infirmary, founded in 1874 by two young physicians, Dr. David Finney Stuart and Dr. Joshua Larendon. These two former Confederate Army surgeons were soon joined in their practice by Dr. Thomas Joel Boyles. The infirmary played a prominent role in the organization of medical care for the many railroad companies that established operations in Houston during the 1870s and 1880s.

 Drs. Stuart, Larendon and Boyles operated the hospital for more than a decade before recruiting additional medical specialists to join the hospital staff. Three of the added physicians were relatives‡ÉDr. James Boyles, a nephew of Dr. Thomas Boyles, joined the staff in 1885; Dr. Samuel Clark Red, a nephew of Dr. David Stuart, began work at the infirmary in 1887; and Dr. Joseph R. Stuart, son of Dr. David Stuart, began his career at the infirmary after completing medical school in 1890.

 The Houston Infirmary was first located on the north side of the Houston and Texas Central Railway tracks and west of Oliver St., but was relocated to a two-story frame building on the northwest corner of Washington Ave. and 10th (now Elder St.) In 1883. The segregated hospital contained a separate building for African American patients, and a ward for Hispanic patients was added by 1907.

 The establishment of a separate hospital for the Southern Pacific Railway in 1911 and the death of Dr. Joseph R. Stuart in 1913 contributed to the closure of the Houston Infirmary in 1913, after nearly forty years of service to the city of Houston.
Hortense Sparks Malsch Ward 3506 N. Main St. Hortense Ward was born in 1872 in Matagorda County and was the eldest child of Frederick and M. Louise (Labauve) Sparks. As a child, Hortense attended the Catholic Academy of Nazareth in Victoria and later taught school for a time in Edna. While in Edna she married Albert Malsch; the couple had three daughters, but the marriage ended in divorce in 1906. In 1909, Hortense married William Henry Ward in Houston.

 in 1910, Hortense Ward passed the Texas State Bar Examination and became one of the first female attorneys in Texas. She joined with her husband to form the law firm of Ward & Ward, becoming the first female attorney to practice in Houston. Hortense led the campaign for passage of the 1913 “Married Woman’s Property Lawâ€? in the Texas Legislature. The law defined separate and community properties of a husband and wife and removed disabilities of a married woman to control her separate property. Ward achieved many firsts during her career, including being the first Texas female attorney admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court in 1915 and the first woman to register to vote in Harris County in 1918. In 1925, Gov. Pat Neff appointed Ward as Special Chief Justice of a special all-woman Texas Supreme Court to hear a case involving the Woodmen of the World, because qualified male attorneys without ties to the organization could not be found. It would be 57 years before another female served on the court.

 Ward retired from practicing law upon the 1939 death of her husband. She remained active in various ladies clubs and community organizations until her death in 1944.
James L. Autry House 5 Courtlandt Place MISSISSIPPI NATIVE JAMES L. AUTRY (1859-1920) MOVED TO CORSICANA IN 1876. THERE HE STUDIED LAW AND HELD CIVIC OFFICES AT THE TIME OF THE FIRST OIL DISCOVERIES IN TEXAS. HE WAS CHIEF COUNSEL FOR THE TEXAS CO. (LATER TEXACO) AND A PIONEER IN THE NEW FIELD OF PETROLEUM LAW. AUTRY COMMISSIONED SANGUINET AND STAATS TO DESIGN THIS HOME, WHICH WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1912. THE NEOCLASSICAL DESIGN FEATURES A DOUBLE BALUSTRADED GALLERY AND LARGE FLUTED DORIC COLUMNS. ALSO PROMINENT ARE A PORTE-COCHERE AND FERNERY (SUNROOM), AND A HIPPED LUDOWICI TILE ROOF. THE REAR GARAGE HAS UPSTAIRS SERVANTS QUARTERS.
Jones-Hunt House 24 Courtlandt Place Noted Houston architect Alfred C. Finn designed this home for Sarah (Brashear) Jones, widow of state senator James W. Jones. Finn melded the oak woodwork of the Jones’ 1893 home, including the windows, doors, wainscoting and grand staircase, into this post-WWI house. The tudor revival styling features a wide central gable, a two-story off-center parapeted entrance portico, an arched opening supported by pilasters, and a porte cochere. Sarah, her daughter Irma and son-in-law William C. Hunt moved into the house in 1921; five generations of this family lived here until 1989.
The Playhouse Theatre  4816 Main St.  The Playhouse Theatre, built in 1950 at 4816 Main Street, was the brainchild of stage manager Joanna Albus and attorney William Rozan. It was one of the first theatres in the country specifically constructed for “theatre in the round,â€? a concept that enables the audience to surround the players, who perform on a central stage. Architect Benjamin Greenwood’s unique design featured a circular space with 300 seats situated around a twenty-two foot circular stage with a revolving mechanism.

 Albus and Rozan were producers and managing directors, and also headed the investment group. The duo planned to operate the theatre year-round with performance runs tailored to public response. Performances included six weekly evening shows and matinees on Saturday and Sunday. Other uses included lectures, musicals and dance events on free evenings. The playhouse opened on February 21, 1951 with a performance of the comedy Candlelight. For the next three years, the company continued to turn out high quality productions. Distinguished American playwright and director Tennessee Williams directed Donald Windham’s The Starless Air in 1953.

 Despite good reviews, high overhead began to eat into profits, forcing Albus and Rozan to close the theatre in 1954. Several later owners kept it open as either a live performance venue or a movie house until 2004, when the National African American Museum was opened inside the space. The playhouse earned international recognition and sparked an evolution of arena-type venues and other theatres in Houston, some of which still exist today.
Married Ladies Social, Art and Charity Club 1814 Southmore Blvd  In the early 20th century, many black women became progressive leaders, investing themselves in social activities through clubs. On September 8, 1902, twelve ladies of Houston’s elite black society founded the Married Ladies Social, Art and Charity Club to improve the social welfare of its members and the community. The charter members included Nannie Murray, the club’s first president; Mrs. E.A. Hogan; Lilla Love, wife of Houston’s first African-American newspaper publisher, Charles N. Love; Melissa A. Price; Venora Bell; Chloe Woods; Effie Collins; Lula Anderson; Jennie Clarke; Eliza Scott; Luella Walker; and Mary Crawford.

 The club originally met twice a month in members’ homes. Membership was limited to 52 married women who were required to live up to the club’s moral, social and spiritual ideals. Early activities included decorating floats for juneteenth parades and aiding victims of the devastating Fifth Ward fire of 1912. Through the years, the club has made donations, provided goods for the needy, aided battered women and operated a scholarship program. Members also offered lodging for distinguished black visitors who were unable to stay in hotels due to Jim Crow laws.

 The club began to meet at their first clubhouse (1902 Berry Avenue) in 1953. In 1967, members purchased a new clubhouse at 1814 Southmore Boulevard. Noted members have included civic leader and social justice advocate Jennie Covington and civil rights activist Christia Adair. Today, the Married Ladies Social, Art and Charity Club of America, Inc. continues its mission of change through charitable, educational and social services to the community.
Dora B. Lantrip Elementary School 100 Telephone Road  Eastwood Elementary School was constructed in 1916 on land deeded by William A. Wilson, the developer of Eastwood, one of Houston’s first master-planned neighborhoods. Designed by city of Houston architect Maurice Sullivan in the mission architectural style, it was the first Houston school arranged on the “cottage plan,â€? featuring classrooms occupying a series of free-standing pavilions that were designed to be more “home-likeâ€? and less institutional.

 The school’s first principal, Dora B. Lantrip (1868-1951), served in the position for twenty-six years and was known for her innovative school administration. During World War I, she directed the students’ planting of flower and vegetable gardens at the school. Each year, Lantrip’s students elected a “city council,â€? “mayor,â€? and “health inspectorâ€? to introduce them to the government process and public participation. During the summers of the 1920s and 1930s, Lantrip traveled throughout the world, bringing back souvenirs and costumes that students could try on each fall. The souvenirs lined the halls of the school and helped to teach the students about world geography and culture. Lantrip retired in 1942, and the school was renamed in her honor in the early 1950s.

 Beginning in 1975, Lantrip Elementary instituted an ecology magnet program to encourage students from all backgrounds with an interest in the specialized subject matter to attend. Students now grow flowers and vegetables in the campus greenhouse, perpetuating the science and nature focus first initiated by Dora B. Lantrip.
Booker T. Washington High School 119 East 39th Street Booker T. Washington High School, the first high school in Houston open to African Americans, was founded in 1893 as Colored High School, and was located in the Fourth Ward on San Felipe Street (now West Dallas Street). It served as the only high school for African American students until Yates Colored High School (Now Jack Yates High School) opened in 1926.







Charles H. Atherton was the school's firs principal, a position he held until 1912. Courses taught at the school include English, Latin, mathematics, science and history. By 1896, Wright Mungin completed the coursework necessary to become the first graduate of Colored High School. The colored branch of the Carnegie Library was opened to the public inside the school in May 1909, establishing Houston's first library accessible to African Americans. Wiley College in Marshall, Texas established an extension branch at Colored High in 1925 and moved it to Yates High after one year. Houston based successors evolved into Texas State University for Negroes in 1947, then Texas Southern University in 1951.







A major campus renovation was completed in 1927, and in the same year the school was renamed in honor of African American Booker T. Washington, founder of Tuskegee Institute. Population shifts led to relocation of the school in 1959to a new campus at 39th and Yale Streets, in the historic African American Independence Heights community. During the process of integration Washington High School was awarded the Houston Independent School District's first Magnet program in 1974, and the "High School for Engineering Professions" continues today as an important part of the school's curriculum. (2010)
Hidalgo Park Quiosco 7000 Ave. Q  This unique structure was commissioned by the Mexican american community of Magnolia Park under the leadership of local physician A.G. Gonzales. Built at a cost of $2,300, it was dedicated at the opening of Hidalgo Park on September 16, 1934, the anniversary of Mexico’s independence from Spain. The city of Houston acquired the park property in 1926 when the city of Magnolia Park was annexed.

 Created in the style of faux bois (false wood) or el trabajo rustico (rustic work), the 25’ x 25’ quiosco is constructed of an iron frame covered entirely with hand-molded textured concrete, giving it the appearance of having been built from raw and processed tree products. The eight columns supporting the roof resemble tree trunks, each with a different bark texture. The hand railings appear to be made from branches fastened together to encircle the structure. The ceiling was designed to look like wood shingles, and the roof has a thatch-like covering. A unique parquetry design showing various wood finishes is apparent on the stage floor, and a flag pole atop the roof resembles a tree branch. An inscription on one of the quiosco steps reads “Houston Mexicans to their city, V. Lozano.â€? The structure was designed and constructed by Houston resident and Mexican native Vidal Lozano (1888-1936). Lozano was employed as an iron works molder and pipe fitter, and the Hidalgo Park Quiosco is the only known public example of his artwork.

 A common structure in public urban areas of Mexico, the gazebo-like quiosco continues to serve the Magnolia Park community as a venue for Mexican American presentations, entertainment and celebrations.
Houston Heights Woman's Club 1846 Harvard Street The Houston Heights Woman’s Club has remained a pillar in the community since its founding in 1900 and even constructed its own club building in 1912, still in use. The club gave women the opportunity to make an impact in their community and move away from traditional women’s roles. Members were active with such issues as the lack of women’s property rights, and opposition to their voting, holding office, or serving on juries. They also focused on education by establishing a library at Houston Heights High School in 1905, and being valued volunteers at the Heights Public Library.

 During World War I, the club volunteered to make surgical bandages for the Red Cross. When World War II erupted, the ladies again volunteered their time and clubhouse to the Red Cross, earning a special citation from the U. S. Secretary of the treasury for their service.

 The Houston Heights Woman’s Club has also been dedicated to helping those less fortunate within the community. Members donated time and money to various organizations such as the united fund, care international, and the veterans hospital. They also brought toys to sick children at Ben Taub and Jeff Davis hospitals.

 Today the club continues to volunteer in an effort to improve the Heights neighborhood. Members spend many hours mentoring students, assisting the elderly and providing quilts to children in protective custody. The Houston Heights woman’s club has grown to be an invaluable force in stimulating the intellectual pursuits of women and always striving to place the needs of others as their foremost concern.
Immaculate Conception Catholic Church 7250 Harrisburg Blvd. In October 1911, the Oblates of Mary Immaculate established their Roman Catholic society’s first parish in Harris County and named it Immaculate Conception. The site chosen was on Harrisburg Boulevard in the incorporated community of Magnolia Park, which was annexed by the city of Houston in 1926. For the parish’s first anniversary on October 6, 1912, a three building campus comprising a wood-frame church, rectory, and school and boarding house was dedicated. The school and boarding house were administered by the Sisters of Divine Providence. A consolidated school and auditorium brick building dedicated in September 1936 replaced these facilities, with the school auditorium serving as the church. The 1912 church building was relocated two miles away and converted into a brick building to serve another parish, Queen of Peace, which was originally a mission church of Immaculate Conception. In March 1957, a neo-romanesque style church was dedicated to complement the style of the 1936 school and auditorium. The boarding house ceased operating and in 1969 the school closed permanently.

 Adhering to their motto as Oblates of Mary Immaculate, the priests of Immaculate Conception ministered to the needy and conducted extensive missionary work in southeast and central Texas. For decades, the priests were assigned the ministry for the state penitentiary system in huntsville. Immaculate Conception was the mother church of the first predominantly hispanic catholic church in Houston, named Our Lady of Guadalupe. At least nine parishes in Harris and surrounding counties can trace their histories to the missionary efforts of Immaculate Conception. Entering its second century of existence, Immaculate Conception continues to be an influential institution in the Magnolia Park Community and beyond.
John and Bessie Parker House 2 Courtlandt Place JOHN & BESSIE PARKER HOUSE

 JOHN WILSON PARKER (1861-1930) AND BESSIE COELHITE SMITH (1865-1948) MARRIED IN TAYLOR IN 1881; THE COUPLE HAD TWO DAUGHTERS. JOHN WAS ADMITTED TO THE BAR IN 1881 AND APPOINTED AN ALTERNATE JUSTICE TO THE SUPREME COURT OF TEXAS IN 1899 AND 1902. THE FAMILY CAME TO HOUSTON IN 1903, WITH JOHN A PARTNER IN THE LAW FIRM OF BROWN, LANE, GARWOOD AND PARKER. BESSIE WAS A CHARTER MEMBER OF THE HOUSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL ART LEAGUE. ARCHITECT JOHN F. STAUB DESIGNED THEIR 1925 HOME, A TWO-STORY TUDOR REVIVAL STYLE HOUSE WITH A STEEPLY PITCHED ROOF, BRICK FAÃ˘řADE WITH RAISED PATTERNS, PAIRED CASEMENT WINDOWS, AND A TALL CHAMFERED CHIMNEY.



RECORDED TEXAS HISTORIC LANDMARK â€ˇČ 2011
Myer-Hall House 4 Courtlandt Place MYER-HALL HOUSE

 NOTED ARCHITECTURAL FIRM SANGUINET AND STAATS DESIGNED THIS 1910 HOUSE FOR PROMINENT HOUSTON ATTORNEY AND CIVIC LEADER, STERLING MYER, AND HIS WIFE ALICE (BENTLEY). IN THE 1920s, ENGINEER AND BUSINESSMAN JAMES DONALD HALL AND HIS WIFE, VIRGINIA (DORRANCE), PURCHASED THE HOME; THEY LIVED HERE FORTY YEARS. THE TWO-AND-ONE-HALF STORY TUDOR REVIVAL STRUCTURE FEATURES TWO STEEPLY PITCHED, FORWARD-FACING GABLES AND TWO WINGS: A SUNROOM TO THE EAST AND A PORTE-COCHERE TO THE WEST. THE HOME IS DETAILED WITH BRICK, PLASTER, AND HALF TIMBERING, AND INCLUDES A FULL WIDTH PORCH SUPPORTED BY SQUARE COLUMNS.



RECORDED TEXAS HISTORIC LANDMARK â€ˇČ 2011
W. T. Carter, Jr., House 18 Courtlandt Place W. T. CARTER, JR. HOUSE

 IN 1912, ARCHITECTS BIRDSALL BRISCOE AND OLLE LOREHN DESIGNED THIS HOME FOR W. T. CARTER, JR., (1887-1957) AND LILLIE AUGUSTE (NEUHAUS) CARTER (1890-1966). THE TWO-STORY PRAIRIE STYLE HOUSE HAS A HIPPED TERRA COTTA TILED ROOF WITH DORMERS, STUCCO VENEER, AND A WIDE FULL-WIDTH PORCH WHICH EXTENDS TO COVER A PORTE-COCHERE. A TWO-STORY GARAGE AND TWO CARRIAGE HITCHING POSTS AT THE FRONT CURB ARE ALSO HISTORIC. W. T., PROMINENT IN LUMBER AND REAL ESTATE, ALSO SERVED ON THE HOUSTON PORT COMMISSION AND CITY COUNCIL AND DEVELOPED HOUSTON’S FIRST PUBLIC AIRPORT (LATER WILLIAM P. HOBBY AIRPORT). THE CARTER FAMILY OWNED THE HOUSE UNTIL 1978.



RECORDED TEXAS HISTORIC LANDMARK â€ˇČ 2011
Grand Court Order of Calanthe of Texas 2411 Dowling Street  AFRICAN AMERICAN FRATERNAL BENEFIT SOCIETIES EXPERIENCED A “GOLDEN AGEâ€? FROM THE 1870s TO THE 1930s AS THEY WERE ONE OF THE FEW VENUES WHERE MEMBERS COULD EXERCISE INFLUENCE WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND ATTAIN NEEDS, SUCH AS SICK BENEFITS AND LIFE INSURANCE, WHICH WERE OTHERWISE NOT BEING MET. AS AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN ALSO STRUGGLED FOR AUTONOMY, FEMALE AUXILIARIES AROSE.

 ON MAY 14, 1883 IN MISSISSIPPI, THOMAS STRINGER, SUPREME CHANCELLOR OF THE COLORED KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS, APPROVED THE PLAN OF MATTIE A. WILLIAMS AND VIRGINIA C. GREEN FOR AN “INDEPENDENT ORDER OF CALANTHE.â€? NAMED FOR THE WIFE OF PYTHIAS AND FOUNDED ON THE PRINCIPLES OF “FIDELITY, HARMONY, AND LOVE,â€? IT AIMED TO UNITE FEMALE RELATIVES OF THE KNIGHTS, EDUCATE ITS MEMBERS, AND ESTABLISH A FUND FOR ITS SICK. BY 1888, THERE WERE 33 COURTS IN THE U.S.

 BY 1898 SUSIE H. NORRIS OF DALLAS HAD ORGANIZED THE “GRAND COURT INDEPENDENT ORDER OF CALANTHE OF TEXASâ€? IN HOUSTON. IN 1909 THE NAME WAS AMENDED TO “GRAND COURT ORDER OF CALANTHE OF TEXAS.â€? A SOURCE OF BENEFITS, TRAINING, AND EMPLOYMENT, THE ORDER ALSO WORKED WITH THE LOCAL N.A.A.C.P. CHAPTER TO GAIN VOTING AND CIVIL RIGHTS FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS. AMERICA D. KEY, GRAND WORTHY COUNSELLOR FROM 1902 TO 1925, MODERNIZED THE POPULAR INSURANCE FEATURE.

 THE GRAND COURT CONSTRUCTED ITS STATE HEADQUARTERS AT 2411 DOWLING STREET IN 1948, WHEN FEW MODERN BUILDINGS WERE BUILT AND OPERATED BY AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN. HERE THEY PROVIDED MEETING SPACE FOR LOCAL CIVIC ACTIVITIES, MANAGED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, AND MADE MORTGAGE LOANS TO LOCAL RESIDENTS. THE GRAND COURT, THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN ORDER TO JOIN THE TEXAS FRATERNAL CONGRESS, REMAINS ONE OF THE LARGEST AND MOST SUCCESSFUL FEMALE-LED GROUPS IN THE FRATERNAL INSURANCE INDUSTRY.
Maurice J. Sullivan 1112 Southmore Boulevard  MAURICE J. SULLIVAN, SON OF MAURICE AND MARGARET (FITZSIMONS) SULLIVAN, WAS BORN IN GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN. HE ATTENDED DETROIT COLLEGE (1901-1903) AND STUDIED STRUCTURAL AND CIVIL ENGINEERING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN (1904-1906). WHILE WORKING AT ENGINEERING FIRMS FROM 1909-1912, SULLIVAN TAUGHT HIMSELF ARCHITECTURE. HE MARRIED ANNE WINSTON AND THEY HAD FOUR SONS AND THREE DAUGHTERS.

 AFTER MOVING TO HOUSTON IN 1912, SULLIVAN WAS APPOINTED CITY ARCHITECT BY MAYOR H. BALDWIN RICE AND TOOK ON NUMEROUS PROJECTS, INCLUDING DORA B. LANTRIP ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (1916). KNOWN FOR BEING AN ECLECTIC ARCHITECT WHO FREQUENTLY WORKED IN POPULAR REVIVAL STYLES INCLUDING ROMANESQUE, MEDITERRANEAN, AND NEO-GOTHIC, SULLIVAN OPENED HIS OWN PRACTICE IN 1919, SHARING AN OFFICE WITH BIRDSALL P. BRISCOE FOR 35 YEARS. HIS ECCLESIASTICAL WORK IS CONSIDERED HIS MOST SIGNIFICANT AND INCLUDES THE VILLA DE MATEL CHAPEL (1923-28), HOLY ROSARY CHURCH (1933), ST. ANNE CATHOLIC CHURCH (1940) AND FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (1949). OTHER PROMINENT BUILDINGS INCLUDE THE PETROLEUM BUILDING (NOW THE GREAT SOUTHWEST BUILDING), WHICH INTRODUCED THE STEPPED-BACK SKYSCRAPER TO HOUSTON, HOUSTON NEGRO HOSPITAL (NOW RIVERSIDE HOSPITAL), ST. THOMAS HIGH SCHOOL, RIPLEY HOUSE, AND ST. MARY’S SEMINARY.

 IN 1922, SULLIVAN DESIGNED HIS FAMILY HOME AT THE CORNER OF SOUTHMORE BOULEVARD AND FANNIN STREET IN THE PICTURESQUE MANORIAL STYLE, EXEMPLIFYING THE HOUSES ASSOCIATED WITH 1920s AND 1930s ELITE TEXAS RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS. IN 1924 AND 1933, HE SERVED AS PRESIDENT OF THE SOUTH TEXAS CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS. SULLIVAN IS BURIED IN HOLY CROSS CEMETERY. IN 1992 PRIVATE CITIZENS PURCHASED THE HOME FOR USE AS A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY.
Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church 1401 Ruthven Street  IN THE LATE 1890s, MACEDONIA BAPTIST CHURCH ORGANIZED IN FREEDMANTOWN, AND WAS BRIEFLY KNOWN AS SHILOH MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH. IN 1907, THE CHURCH BOUGHT LAND AT 1216 RUTHVEN STREET AND BUILT A ONE-STORY WOOD STRUCTURE. THE CHURCH INCORPORATED IN 1912 AS MACEDONIA BAPTIST CHURCH. IN 1928, THE CHURCH SOLD THE PROPERTY AND PURCHASED LAND AT 1401 RUTHVEN STREET. A LARGE, ONE-STORY WOOD STRUCTURE WITH TWIN TOWERS WAS BUILT. OVER TWENTY YEARS LATER, A LARGER TWO-STORY STRUCTURE WAS ERECTED AND INCLUDED AN AUDITORIUM, CLASSROOMS, AND A KITCHEN. OVER THE YEARS, MACEDONIA MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH HAS CONTINUED TO ENRICH THE COMMUNITY THROUGH OUTREACH PROGRAMS AND ASSISTANCE.
Hollywood Cemetery 3506 North Main  ONE OF HOUSTON’S OLDEST AND LARGEST CEMETERIES, WITH OVER 30,000 GRAVES, HOLLYWOOD CEMETERY HAS SERVED AS THE FINAL RESTING PLACE FOR HOUSTON RESIDENTS FOR OVER A CENTURY. WILLIAM JAMES MOORE AND HIS BROTHER, SAMUEL B. MOORE, PURCHASED THE FIRST 55 ACRES IN THREE TRANSACTIONS IN THE SPRING OF 1895. THE ORIGINAL CHARTER OF THE HOLLYWOOD CEMETERY ASSOCIATION OF HARRIS COUNTY WAS FILED ON DECEMBER 23, 1902. THE ORIGINAL ENTRANCE VIA A BRIDGE CROSSING LITTLE WHITE OAK BAYOU BROUGHT CITIZENS INTO THE PROPERTY FROM FULTON AVENUE. WHEN THE TEXAS HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT CONSTRUCTED I-45, THE ENTRANCE WAS MOVED TO THE WEST SIDE OF THE PROPERTY.

 THE FIRST KNOWN BURIAL IS THAT OF TEN MONTH OLD BUCK HENRY WARNER WHO DIED OF CONGESTION IN JULY 1895. MANY BURIALS IN THIS CEMETERY MARK PROMINENT HOUSTON CITIZENS INCLUDING ACTORS, ARTISTS, MAYORS, JUDGES, THE FIRST HOUSTON LIBRARIAN, AND VETERANS FROM THE CIVIL WAR TO THE PRESENT. NATURALIST HENRY PHILEMON ATTWATER, NURSERYMAN SHINPEI MYKAWA, MAYORS RICHARD H. FONVILLE AND ANDREW LEE JACKSON, AND TEXAS HOUSE SPEAKER FRANKLIN O. FULLER ARE BURIED HERE.

 DURING THE CEMETERY’S FIRST ONE HUNDRED YEARS, IT WAS MAINTAINED AND OPERATED BY THREE MAJOR OWNERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT GROUPS, PLUS SOME SHORT PERIODS OF INTERIM MANAGEMENT. FRANK P. MOORE (NO RELATION TO THE MOORE BROTHERS) MANAGED THE CEMETERY FOR ITS FIRST 25 YEARS, UNTIL MOORE’S DEATH IN 1919. OWEN H. GATTON MANAGED THE SITE FROM 1919 TO 1926. THE HALL FAMILY, THOMAS C. HALL AND HIS HEIRS, OPERATED THE CEMETERY FOR ALMOST 70 YEARS, FROM 1926 THROUGH 1994. HISTORIC HOLLYWOOD CEMETERY, INC. CONTINUES TO CARE FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL HISTORIC CEMETERY.
Genoa United Methodist Church 12501 Palmsprings GENOA UNITED METHODIST CHURCH



 IN 1894, FOURTEEN PEOPLE MET IN THE TOWNSHIP OF GENOA UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF THE REV. J. R. MURRAY TO ORGANIZE THE COMMUNITY’S FIRST METHODIST CONGREGATION. ON FEBRUARY 10, 1895, THIRTY-THREE PEOPLE BECAME CHARTER MEMBERS OF THE GENOA METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH SOUTH. A LOCAL SAWMILL OWNER DONATED TWO LARGE PINE TREES TO THE CONGREGATION IN 1898, AND THE RESULTING LUMBER WAS USED TO BUILD THE CHURCH’S FIRST STRUCTURE. THE CONGREGATION FLOURISHED, AND A SECOND STRUCTURE WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1937. PROPERTY WAS ACQUIRED ACROSS THE STREET IN 1955 ON THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF PALMSPRINGS AND FREECROFT DRIVES FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW, LARGER FACILITY THAT WAS COMPLETED TWO YEARS LATER.

 WHEN THE TOWNSHIP OF GENOA WAS ANNEXED BY THE CITY OF HOUSTON DURING THE MID-1960s, GENOA METHODIST CHURCH HELPED TO RETAIN A SENSE OF COMMUNITY BY SPONSORING AND HOSTING SOCIAL EVENTS SUCH AS PICNICS AND EASTER EGG HUNTS FOR AREA RESIDENTS. BEGINNING IN 1965, THE METHODIST MEN’S CLUB ORGANIZED “RODEOâ€? AND CONSTRUCTED A LIGHTED ARENA ADJACENT TO THE CHURCH. WHEN THE ARENA WAS DISMANTLED IN THE 1980s, A CHURCH VEGETABLE GARDEN TOOK ITS PLACE. THE CHURCH BEGAN SPONSORING BOY SCOUT TROOP 171 DURING THE 1970s AND TROOP 854 DURING THE 1980s. THE YOUTH OF THE CHURCH BELONG TO UMARMY, A NATIONAL METHODIST ORGANIZATION WHICH ENABLES YOUTH TO TRAVEL TO DIFFERENT CITIES TO HELP THOSE WHO ARE LESS FORTUNATE. GENOA UNITED METHODIST CHURCH ALSO AWARDS SCHOLARSHIPS, SUPPORTS AN AREA FOOD PANTRY AND THRIFT STORE THROUGH THE INTERDENOMINATIONAL SOUTHEAST AREA MINISTRIES ORGANIZATION, AND REGULARLY HOSTS CIVIC CLUBS AND TOWN MEETINGS WITHIN ITS FACILITIES.



175 YEARS OF TEXAS INDEPENDENCE * 1836-2011
St. John Missionary Baptist Church 2222 Gray Street  ST. JOHN MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH, ORGANIZED IN 1899 BY REVERENDS GILBERT GREEN AND HILLIARD R. JOHNSON, FIRST MET IN A SMALL BUILDING NEAR CALHOUN AVENUE AND LIVE OAK STREET. IN 1901, REV. JAMES B. BOULDIN PURCHASED PROPERTY, LATER CONVEYED TO CHURCH TRUSTEES, IN THE 2100 BLOCK OF BROADWAY (NOW BASTROP STREET). A SMALL FRAME BUILDING WAS LATER ERECTED THERE, BUT AFTER A STORM DEMOLISHED IT, A TENT WAS USED TEMPORARILY FOR WORSHIP SERVICES. BETWEEN 1907 AND 1915, A NEW SANCTUARY WAS BUILT WITH A BAPTISMAL POOL, AUDITORIUM, PARTIAL BALCONY, ELEVATED CHOIR STAND, ADDITIONAL ROOMS, AND A BELL IN THE LEFT TOWER THAT CONTINUES TO BE USED TODAY IN THE RIGHT TOWER.

 IN 1917, THE CHURCH SPLIT DUE TO VARIOUS MISUNDERSTANDINGS, CREATING ANOTHER ST. JOHN BAPTIST CHURCH ON DOWLING STREET. AS MEMBERSHIP INCREASED WITH MORE PEOPLE MOVING TO THE CITY AFTER WORLD WAR II, A LARGER BUILDING WAS NEEDED. IN 1946, JAMES M. THOMAS, A LOCAL BLACK CONTRACTOR WHO BECAME HOUSTON’S MOST PROMINENT ARCHITECT FOR BLACK CONGREGATIONS, BUILT THE THREE-STORY GOTHIC REVIVAL MASONRY STRUCTURE WITH THE NAVE AND TWIN TOWERS EXEMPLIFYING 1930s TO 1950s LOCAL AFRICAN-AMERICAN CHURCH ARCHITECTURE.

 ALTHOUGH ST. JOHN HAD MANY STRUGGLES AND GREW SLOWLY, IT BECAME ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CHURCHES IN THE EARLY 1900s, NOTED FOR ITS ATTITUDE TOWARDS CIVIC AND BENEVOLENT MOVEMENTS. IT HAS PROGRESSED FROM A TRADITIONAL SERVICE TO A SPIRIT FILLED, PRAISE AND WORSHIP EXPERIENCE AND CONTINUES AS AN INFLUENTIAL AFRICAN-AMERICAN INSTITUTION.
Bethel Baptist Church 801 Andrews Street  IN 1890-91, REV. JACK YATES AND A GROUP OF WORSHIPPERS LEFT ANTIOCH BAPTIST CHURCH OVER A DISAGREEMENT ABOUT RENOVATION FUNDING. THEY NAMED THEIR NEW CONGREGATION BETHEL BAPTIST CHURCH, REFERRING TO “BETH-ELâ€? MEANING A “CENTERâ€? NEAR AN INDIVIDUAL’S HEART CALLED THE “HOUSE OF GODâ€?. IN OCTOBER 1891, THE CONGREGATION PURCHASED A LOT ON ANDREWS AT CROSBY UPON WHICH A SIMPLE BUILDING WAS SOON ERECTED. THE CHURCH WAS BLOWN DOWN IN THE 1900 STORM AND REBUILT WITH SALVAGEABLE MATERIAL FROM THE WRECKAGE.

 THE TWO LONGEST-SERVING PASTORS, REV. JAMES R. BURDETT (1917-1946) AND REV. W. H. DUDLEY (1948-1970), OVERSAW THE CONSTRUCTION OF A GOTHIC REVIVAL INFLUENCED STRUCTURE. THE FIRST PHASE, A ONE-STORY BUILDING, WAS DESIGNED BY JOHN L. BLOUNT IN 1923. THE CHURCH WAS EXPANDED TO THREE STORIES BY ARCHITECT JAMES M. THOMAS IN 1949-50. THE INTERIOR WAS DESTROYED BY A FIRE ON JANUARY 24, 2005, BUT THE EXTERIOR REMAINED. BETHEL’S DESIGN, WITH ITS AT-GRADE ENTRANCE AND OVERSIZED ARCHED ENTRY WITH A MODERN MINIMAL FAÃ˘řADE EMBELLISHMENT, IS UNUSUAL AND REPRESENTS ITS PROGRESSIVE AND AFFLUENT CONGREGATION.

 BETHEL WAS SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS THE “SILK STOCKINGâ€? CHURCH BECAUSE OF ITS WELL-TO-DO MEMBERS INCLUDING DR. B. J. COVINGTON, CO-FOUNDER OF THE HOUSTON NEGRO HOSPITAL; J. H. HARMON, DRY GOODS MERCHANT; ELDRIDGE “BUDâ€? JACKSON, FUNERAL HOME OWNER; ANDERSON LACEY, INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN VIOLINIST; CLIFTON F. RICHARDSON, SR., EDITOR AND FOUNDER OF THE HOUSTON INFORMER AND HOUSTON DEFENDER; AND RUTHERFORD B. H. YATES, SR., PRINTER AND EDUCATOR. BETHEL WAS ONE OF THE EARLIEST CONGREGATIONS IN FREEDMEN’S TOWN. ALTHOUGH THE BETHEL CONGREGATION NOW WORSHIPS IN ANOTHER COMMUNITY, IT HAS MAINTAINED A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE RESIDENTS OF FOURTH WARD SINCE ITS FOUNDING.
New Zion Temple Church - Worldwide Fellowship, Inc. 1601 Ruthven Street New Zion Temple Church Worldwide Fellowship, Inc. was founded as The Little

Church on Ruthven Street, a Church Of God In Christ congregation. Bishop

Hayward W. Falls fulfilled the communitys needs by using donated supplies to

erect a wood-framed storefront building in March 1933 at 1601 Ruthven, in the

historic Freedmens Town district of the fourth ward. He bought the property in

1938 and sold it to church trustees for one dollar. When the storefront

building was expanded and renovated in September 1941, the name was changed to

New Zion Temple Church Of God In Christ. The current edifice was erected and

opened in May 1946.



The congregation remained under Church Of God In Christ jurisdiction until May

1951, when Elder Falls heeded the call of God and established New Zion Temple

as Non-denominational. Elder Falls was an early disciple and later an overseer

of the Latter Rain Movement, which interprets the bible in a symbolic and

stylized manner. With the organization of the Worldwide Fellowship in 1952, New

Zion Temple became headquarters and host for its national meetings and

conventions. On May 26, 1983, its name officially changed to include Worldwide

Fellowship, Inc.



New Zion Temple has been committed to spreading the word of God. With its

assistance, other churches have been established in Texas, California,

Louisiana, Ohio, Jamaica, the Bahamas, and England. Today, the congregation

supports a food pantry and clothes closet, annual holiday donations, a prison

ministry, and Juneteenth celebrations. Known for its generosity, the church has

served as a nucleus for social, economic, educational, political, and cultural

life.



* 175 Years of Texas Independence * 1836-2011
Eldorado Ballroom 2310 Elgin Street  BETWEEN 1900 AND 1920, A RESIDENTIAL BUILDING BOOM FUELED THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A COMMERCIAL DISTRICT ON DOWLING STREET, THE THIRD WARD’S MAIN ARTERY. THE BUSTLING DISTRICT INCLUDED RESTAURANTS, SHOPS, CHURCHES, STORES, PROFESSIONAL OFFICES, MOVIE THEATERS AND NIGHTCLUBS. LOCATED AT THE CORNER OF ELGIN AND DOWLING STREETS, THE ELDORADO BALLROOM WAS DESIGNED BY ARCHITECT LENARD GEBART FOR THE PROMINENT PHILANTHROPISTS AND BUSINESS OWNERS CLARENCE ARNOLD DUPREE AND HIS WIFE ANNA JOHNSON DUPREE. THE BALLROOM OPENED IN 1939 AND WAS NAMED FOR ONE OF THE SOCIAL CLUBS TO WHICH THE BLACK COMMUNITY’S MOST PROMINENT PROFESSIONALS AND BUSINESS PEOPLE BELONGED.

 THE ELDORADO BALLROOM PROVIDED OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEMBERS OF THE BLACK MIDDLE AND UPPER CLASSES TO DEMONSTRATE THEIR WEALTH AND SOPHISTICATION. THE BALLROOM LAUNCHED THE CAREERS OF MUSICIANS AND BAND LEADERS SUCH AS MILTON LARKIN, ILLINOIS JACQUET AND ARNETT COBB. IN THE LATE 1950s, THE ELDORADO BALLROOM HOSTED POPULAR ENTERTAINMENT ACTS FROM NATIONALLY-KNOWN BLACK ARTISTS IN THE BLUES AND R&B GENRES.

 BY THE 1960s, MIGRATION OUT OF THE INNER CITY RESULTED IN THE RELOCATION OR CLOSURE OF MANY BUSINESSES IN THE AREA. IN ADDITION, THE DECLINING IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL CLUBS, INADEQUATE PARKING, AND COMPETITION FROM OTHER VENUES CUMULATIVELY LED TO THE BALLROOM’S CLOSURE IN THE 1970s. FOLLOWING THE DEATHS OF THE DUPREES, OILMAN HUBERT FINKELSTEIN PURCHASED THE PROPERTY IN 1984 AND 15 YEARS LATER DONATED IT TO PROJECT ROW HOUSES, A COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION. THE ELDORADO BALLROOM IS ONE OF THE FEW HISTORIC BUILDINGS REMAINING IN THE THIRD WARD’S FORMER COMMERCIAL DISTRICT.
Underwood and Clara Nazro House 25 Courtlandt Place  THIS HOUSE, THE ONLY ONE OF GEORGIAN REVIVAL STYLE IN COURTLANDT PLACE, IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY RESIDENTIAL WORK OF FORT WORTH FIRM SANGUINET AND STAATS. THE RED BRICK VENEERED HOUSE FEATURES A FRONT ENTRY PORTICO WITH FULL ENTABLATURE SUPPORTED BY SLENDER COLUMNS WITH COMPOSITE CAPITALS. UNDERWOOD NAZRO, HIS WIFE CLARA, AND THEIR TWO CHILDREN LIVED HERE FROM 1916-28. NAZRO WAS VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE GULF OIL COMPANY AND ALSO DID BUSINESS IN FINANCE AND COMMUNITY INVESTMENT. BANKER IKE McFARLAND AND HIS WIFE, PRESERVATIONIST MAE WYNN McFARLAND, LIVED HERE FROM 1940-69.
Gov. John B. Connally, Jr. Home 2411 River Oaks Blvd.  Houston architect Ernest L. Shult designed this mid-century modern house for his own residence in 1959. The home, sited on a triangular lot in the River Oaks neighborhood, is representative of the contemporary style popular in the post-war years. The house has had alterations over the years including a two-story addition on the north side. Prominent features of the house include its asymmetrical faÃˇřade, white stucco and unornamented exterior wall, multiple roof sections, portions of the front faÃˇřade extending forward and varying in height, and a large expanse of windowless walls. John Connally, Jr. (1917-1993) and his wife, Idanell “Nellieâ€? Connally (1919-2006), moved here in January 1969 after he served three terms as Governor of Texas. During his residence at this location, Connally was U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and campaigned for the U.S. presidency in 1980. The couple sold the house in 1984.

 John Connally, Jr. Is known for his extensive career in politics. He was secretary to congressman Lyndon B. Johnson in 1939, served for several years as Johnson’s aide, was Secretary of the Navy under President John F. Kennedy in 1961, and was elected Governor of Gexas in 1962. When President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas on November 22, 1963, Connally, a passenger in the car, was shot and seriously wounded. Among his accomplishments as governor were improvements in the areas of education, government reform, historic preservation and the state’s tourism industry. He joined Houston law firm Vinson, Elkins, Searls and Connally in February 1969 and became President Richard Nixon’s Secretary of the Treasury in 1971. Governor and Mrs. Connally are buried at the Texas State Cemetery in Austin.
John Thomas Biggers 3100 Cleburne JOHN THOMAS BIGGERS

(APRIL 13, 1924 â€ˇČ JANUARY 25, 2001)



 JOHN THOMAS BIGGERS WAS BORN TO PAUL AND CORA BIGGERS IN GASTONIA, NORTH CAROLINA. HIS ARTISTIC CREATIVITY EMERGED AT A YOUNG AGE WHEN HE AND HIS BROTHER, JOE, CRAWLED UNDER THEIR HOME AND USED CLAY TO MODEL THE ENTIRE TOWN OF GASTONIA. IN 1941, BIGGERS ENROLLED AT HAMPTON INSTITUTE (LATER HAMPTON UNIVERSITY) IN VIRGINIA, INTENDING TO BECOME A HEATING ENGINEER. INSTEAD HE CAME UNDER THE ARTISTIC INSTRUCTION OF VIKTOR LOWENFELD, AN AUSTRIAN JEW, AND BIGGERS CHANGED HIS MAJOR TO ART. HIS EDUCATION WAS INTERRUPTED BY SERVICE IN THE NAVY, 1943-1945. THE NEXT YEAR, HE FOLLOWED HIS TEACHER AND MENTOR, LOWENFELD, TO PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY, WHERE BIGGERS EARNED HIS BACHELOR’S, MASTER’S AND DOCTORATE DEGREES.

 IN 1949, BIGGERS AND HIS WIFE, HAZEL HALES BIGGERS, MOVED TO HOUSTON WHEN HE BECAME HEAD OF A NEW ART DEPARTMENT AT TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY FOR NEGROES (NOW TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY). BIGGERS NURTURED HIS STUDENTS’ ARTISTIC TALENTS AND REQUIRED THEM TO CREATE MURALS ON THE WALLS OF HANNAH HALL. IN 1957, THE UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION (UNESCO) GAVE HIM A GRANT TO STUDY AND TRAVEL IN AFRICA, AN AWARD THAT INSPIRED FUTURE ARTISTIC WORKS SUCH AS HIS RENOWNED WEB OF LIFE MURAL. THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER, BIGGERS WON NUMEROUS AWARDS FOR HIS OWN ART, WHICH PORTRAYED “THE SPIRIT AND STYLE OF THE NEGRO PEOPLE.â€? HOWEVER, JIM CROW LAWS EXCLUDING AFRICAN AMERICANS FROM MANY INSTITUTIONS SOMETIMES KEPT BIGGERS FROM RECEIVING HIS OWN ACCOLADES. ULTIMATELY, THE ARTIST WAS THE SUBJECT OF A MAJOR NATIONAL RETROSPECTIVE AND HIS ART IS INCLUDED IN MAJOR MUSEUM COLLECTIONS. ALTHOUGH BIGGERS PASSED AWAY IN 2001, HIS LEGACY LIVES ON THROUGH HIS ART AND HIS STUDENTS’ MURALS.
Dr. John H. Foster House 320 Branard Street  BORN IN AUSTIN COUNTY IN 1876, JOHN HOSKINS FOSTER EARNED HIS DEGREE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MEDICAL SCHOOL IN GALVESTON. THE FOSTER FAMILY MOVED TO HOUSTON BETWEEN 1909 AND 1910. DR. FOSTER PRACTICED MEDICINE AT SEVERAL HOSPITALS IN HOUSTON AND HELPED ORGANIZE THE HOUSTON EYE, EAR AND THROAT HOSPITAL IN 1923. LOCATED IN THE BUTE ADDITION OF THE FIRST MONTROSE COMMONS NEIGHBORHOOD, THIS HOME WAS BUILT IN 1912. DESIGNED BY HOUSTON ARCHITECT BIRDSALL P. BRISCOE, THE STRUCTURE IS A UNIQUE EXAMPLE OF PRAIRIE STYLE AND FEATURES SUBSTANTIAL COVERED PORCHES AND BROAD, OVERHANGING EAVES.
Barbara Charline Jordan 3100 Cleburne BARBARA CHARLINE JORDAN

(FEBRUARY 21, 1936 â€ˇČ JANUARY 17, 1996)



 BARBARA CHARLINE JORDAN, ONE OF THE NATION’S PREEMINENT AFRICAN-AMERICAN ORATORS AND POLITICIANS OF THE 20TH CENTURY, WAS BORN IN HOUSTON TO BENJAMIN MEREDITH AND ARLYNE PATTEN JORDAN. HER CLOSE-KNIT FAMILY GREATLY INFLUENCED HER RELIGIOUS AND MORAL ATTITUDES, AS WELL AS THE ACADEMIC AMBITIONS THAT WOULD PROPEL HER TO SUCCESS. SHE EXCELLED IN ORATORY COMPETITIONS AT WHEATLEY HIGH SCHOOL AND TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY. IN 1956, JORDAN GRADUATED MAGNA CUM LAUDE FROM TEXAS SOUTHERN WITH A DEGREE IN GOVERNMENT STUDIES. SHE ENROLLED AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL AND WAS ONE OF TWO FEMALES, BOTH BLACK, TO GRADUATE IN 1959.

 HER POLITICAL CAREER BEGAN IN 1966, WHEN SHE BECAME THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN TO WIN A SEAT IN THE TEXAS SENATE. JORDAN’S INTELLIGENCE AND ORATORY SKILLS HELPED HER NAVIGATE “GOOD OLE BOYâ€? POLITICS TO EARN THE RESPECT OF HER PEERS. ON MARCH 28, 1972, SHE BECAME THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN TO BE ELECTED PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE TEXAS SENATE. THE SAME YEAR, SHE WON A SEAT IN THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS. JORDAN GAINED NATIONAL FAME WHEN SHE SERVED ON THE HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE PRESIDENT RICHARD NIXON’S PARTICIPATION IN THE 1972 WATERGATE SCANDAL.

 IN 1979, JORDAN, THEN SUFFERING FROM HEALTH PROBLEMS, MOVED TO AUSTIN, WHERE SHE ACCEPTED A PROFESSORSHIP AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS. ALTHOUGH SHE WAS RETIRED FROM PUBLIC OFFICE, SHE CONTINUED TO SERVE AS A POLITICAL ADVISOR AND NATIONAL FIGURE UNTIL HER DEATH. BARBARA JORDAN ONCE SAID, “I NEVER WANTED TO BE RUN-OF-THE-MILL,â€? AND IN AVOIDING THAT CHARACTERIZATION, SHE BROKE DOWN RACIAL AND GENDER BARRIERS IN STATE AND NATIONAL POLITICS.
KUHT-TV, Channel 8 4343 Elgin  Following the vision and leadership of University of Houston Board of Regents chair Hugh Roy Cullen (1881-1957), UH President W. W. Kemmerer (1903-1993), and Station Manager John C. Schwarzwalder (1918-1992), KUHT-TV, Houston’s Channel 8, sent out its first broadcast on May 25, 1953. In doing so, KUHT-TV became the first non-commercial educational television station in the United States and only the second television station in the city of Houston.

 The event was acknowledged across the nation as a trailblazing moment in both the television and educational fields. Its primary focus was on education, a significant contribution to the foundation of televised “distance education,â€? which before consisted mainly of correspondence courses and satellite colleges. KUHT-TV helped Pioneer Instructional Television with nationally distributed film presentations on biology and psychology. In the early years, Channel 8 also brought an understanding of space travel to audiences. It expanded cultural understanding, provided insight in local educational issues with its broadcasts of Houston ISD school board meetings, and showcased local cultural organizations and artists with live television broadcasts of the arts in Houston.

 KUHT-TV/Channel 8, licensed to UH, continues to provide life-long learning through educational, cultural, and technological programming for children and adults. Year after year, the community shows its belief and trust in this organization by providing the much needed funding that allows it to provide its services. Now housed in the Melcher Center for public broadcasting, a facility for the twenty-first century, KUHT-TV continues to offer educational, informative, and enlightening services for the people of the southeast coast of Texas.
The Frenchtown Community Quitman Street A distinct ethnic cultural group, “Creoles of Color,� developed in Louisiana in the 18th and 19th centuries. With roots in French, Spanish, African and Native American cultures, they spoke standard or Creole French and practiced Catholicism. Free persons before the Civil War, they lost their special status with the onset of Jim Crow laws, and many turned to sharecropping to survive but suffered further with declining agricultural prices and drought. Escaping the devastating 1927 Mississippi River flood, many fled west via highways and rail lines.

In Houston, they took jobs in industries related to oil, construction and railroads. They established a tight-knit, culturally unique community called Frenchtown, today bounded by Collingsworth Street, Russell Street, Liberty Road, Quitman Street and Jensen Drive. In 1929, residents built Our Mother of Mercy Catholic Church, which later established a parochial school. Families maintained their cultural identity by marrying within the community and closely supporting their neighbors. They held la-las, social gatherings centered on food and music, to raise funds for building new homes. Zydeco music, a blending of Creole la-la and the blues, also played a vital role in distinguishing this community.

Frenchtown began to lose its identity as a Creole enclave after World War II as segregation ended, U.S. Highway 59 expanded and more non-creole families moved here. Later, the popularity of Zydeco music and a renewed interest in Creole culture brought attention to this unique community and led to various preservation efforts. The Frenchtown community association has aided in the reclaiming of this vibrant, distinctive area of Houston.
Louis Wiltz Kemp 214 Westmoreland Avenue (September 4, 1881 â€ˇČ November 15, 1956) A native of Cameron, Texas, Lou Kemp had a long career as an asphalt salesman and executive of the Texas Company (Texaco), but his passionate avocation, starting in 1920, was historical research. During the extensive travel required by his work, Kemp investigated and documented the facts of early Texas history in great detail. Upon discovering that the graves of many notable Texans were unmarked or neglected, he arranged for the reinterment of more than 100 Texas heroes and statesmen in the Texas State Cemetery, where the roads were dedicated to Kemp in 1932. Kemp became a Texas history expert, a tireless speaker, and a prolific writer of books, articles and biographies (notably The Heroes of San Jacinto and The Signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence). He was president of the Texas State Historical Association and an original member of the Texas State Historical Survey Committee (now Texas Historical Commission). He chaired the Advisory Board of Texas Historians for the 1936 Texas Centennial, directing placement of more than 1,100 markers, monuments, and buildings across Texas. An organizing trustee and long-time president of the San Jacinto Museum of History Association, he was instrumental in creating the San Jacinto Museum and Monument, on which is carved Kemp's summary of the Battle of San Jacinto. Kemp married Violet Volz in 1925, and they had three sons. He lived at 214 Westmoreland Avenue in Houston from 1919 until his death, amassing an extensive collection of books and records on Texas History. Kemp is buried in the Texas State Cemetery. Governor Price Daniel wrote, "Louis Wiltz Kemp ranks with the immortals of Texas history. To my knowledge, no other person did more during his lifetime to preserve the great heritage of Texas." (2013)
A. M. Armand House 110 Stratford  New Orleans native Albert M. Armand was a clerk for Ahrens & Ott, a Houston plumbing supply company, by 1910. On Sep. 15, 1911, he bought block 6 lot 5 in the Avondale neighborhood from the greater Houston land and improvement company for $2,000. Armand lived here for only two years before selling the house, which had several owners and residents in its early history. The two-story, asymmetrical, side gabled house exhibits arts & crafts styling in its wraparound porch with full-height square wood columns, gabled portico highlighting the entry, and knee brackets on the eaves of the main house and porch.
Houston's Deep-Water Port Wayside & Clinton Drive  AS EARLY AS THE 1820s, SHIPS BEGAN USING BUFFALO BAYOU TO CONNECT HARRISBURG, NOW PART OF HOUSTON, TO GALVESTON BAY AND THE GULF OF MEXICO. AS MORE PEOPLE CAME TO HOUSTON, TRAFFIC AND COMMERCE ALONG THE BAYOU GREW AND THE NEED FOR A DEEPER WATERWAY BECAME APPARENT. AFTER CHARLES STEWART, U.S. CONGRESSMAN FROM HOUSTON, BROUGHT ATTENTION TO THE NEED FOR WORK ALONG THE BAYOU IN THE 1880s, U.S. REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPH C. HUTCHESON CHAMPIONED A BILL ALLOWING FOR THE COMMITTEE ON RIVERS AND HARBORS TO SURVEY THE WATERWAY. CONGRESSMAN THOMAS BALL LED THE DELEGATION ON THE SURVEY TOUR AND THEY AGREED THAT HOUSTON WAS DESTINED TO BE A SEAPORT. THE DESTRUCTION OF GALVESTON’S PORT DURING THE GREAT STORM OF 1900 CREATED INCREASED PRESSURE FOR A LARGER AND SAFER INLAND DEEP-WATER PORT.

 DURING THE EARLY 1900s, THOMAS BALL TRIED TO CONVINCE CONGRESS TO SUPPORT FULLY A DEEP-WATER PORT FOR HOUSTON. BUSINESS AND CIVIC LEADERS JOINED FORCES IN 1909, ALLOWING BALL TO PROPOSE THE “HOUSTON PLAN,â€? IN WHICH LOCAL CONSTITUENTS OFFERED TO PAY HALF THE COST OF THE DEEP-WATER DREDGING. CONGRESS ACCEPTED THE OFFER AND THIS COST-SHARING AGREEMENT SET A PRECEDENT FOR FUNDING OF FUTURE FEDERAL PROJECTS. WORK BEGAN IN 1912 AND THE 52-MILE-LONG DEEP-WATER CHANNEL OFFICIALLY OPENED ON NOVEMBER 10, 1914. BY 1919, HOUSTON WAS THE SECOND-LARGEST SPOT COTTON EXPORT PORT IN THE U.S., WITH EXPORTS GROWING EXPONENTIALLY EACH YEAR DURING THE 1920s. BUSINESS ALONG THE PORT GREW, BRINGING NEW INDUSTRIES SUCH AS PAPER MILLS, MOTOR FUEL REFINERIES AND THE FIRST CONTAINER TERMINAL ALONG THE TEXAS GULF COAST. HOUSTON’S DEEP-WATER PORT TRANSFORMED A FLEDGLING COMMUNITY INTO AN INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED CENTER OF COMMERCE.
El Barrio del Alacrán 1900 Runnels Between 1910 and 1920, Houston attracted a large number of Mexican immigrants and Mexican Americans to the Second Ward where the Old Frost Town and Schrimpf's Field neighborhoods offered inexpensive housing for industrial workers. In the 1930s, the Spanish-speaking residents gave the area a new name - El Alacran, The Scorpion. Churches, the Rusk Settlement House, Rusk School and sports leagues provided social and educational services for the community. Urban renewal and highway construction in the 1950s demolished El Alacran. Once a notoriously impoverished neighborhood, El Alacran gave many residents a working start toward full integration into American society. (2013)
Cooley School 300 West 17th Street Soon after Houston Heights (The Heights) was founded in 1891, the new neighborhood's leaders turned their sights to providing schools for the children of the area. Community leaders Daniel Denton Cooley (1850-1933), affectionately known as the "Father of Houston Heights," and Helen Grace Winfield Cooley (1860-1916) believed in education's importance and financed the construction of The Heights' first school. Cooley School opened in the fall of 1894 as a one-room school with an unfinished upstairs room, which was completed in 1896. Due to The Heights' remarkable growth, Cooley school was expanded to a six-room school in 1906 and to a sixteen-room school in 1912. Olle J. Lorehn (1864-1939), a prominent Houston architect who designed Houston's first skyscraper and first apartment building, designed the 1912 expansion, enveloping the earlier construction in the new Georgian-style structure. Cooley School began as a common school in County School District No. 25. In 1898, the municipality of Houston Heights and its Independent School District took charge of the school. Eventually, the financial needs of the several Heights schools became too pressing for the community, leading to the consolidation of Houston Heights with the City of Houston in 1918; Cooley and the other Heights schools then became part of the Houston Independent School District (HISD). The 1912 school building was destroyed by fire in 1961. The school was rebuilt and opened the next year. Cooley School continued to operate as an elementary school until 1980, when it became an HISD administrative building. In 2010, the property was sold for residential development. (2013)
St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church 714 Detering Street St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church This African American congregation predates the purchase of this lot in 1902. The first known pastor was Rev. Elijah Crooms. Members met under a brush arbor until the first wooden church, featuring twin bell towers and a special seating area for children, was built in 1918. Baptisms took place in nearby Buffalo Bayou until a baptismal pool was added to the church in the 1950s, along with other improvements. The original building was demolished and a new church was dedicated in 1965. New programs, such as a radio show and a bus to bring members to church, attracted new membership. St. Luke Missionary Baptist church has been a beacon in the community through more than a century of social and economic change. (2013)
Murals of Hannah Hall Texas Southern University  The student murals of Hannah Hall, located on the campus of Texas Southern University, embody the culminating experiences of a people as seen through the eyes of student artists. Almost from the beginning of the Art Department in 1950, it became a ritual for art students to paint murals on the walls of their temporary building. By 1952, the Art Department moved to the third floor of the newly built Hannah Hall. Under the direction of distinguished muralist and artist Dr. John T. Biggers, the murals were to be a catalyst for pride in the artists’ heritage and the self-identity of a people. They became the art students’ theses and dissertations, and when a mural was deemed superior based on the professor’s judgment, the mural was allowed to remain.

 The murals, some dating to 1950, cover several eras and themes. They depict mostly the lives of African Americans, portraying the brutality committed against them and the hurt and injustice they endured during their history. Some murals depict the artists’ feelings toward hope, faith and religion, while others are defiant, bold and striking depictions of oppressive police, brutal slave masters and even unforgiving nature. Overall, a theme of survival amidst insurmountable odds is apparent. The murals are a beautiful, historic monument to the spirit of the university imparted through its students. They tell the story of the struggle of a people through color, texture and time, and are a cultural treasure of Texas Southern University, Houston and the state of Texas.
W. T. Carter, Sr. House 14 Courtlandt Place  Designed by Houston architect Birdsall Briscoe for William T. Carter, Sr. And his wife, Maude, this house was built in 1920. The Carters moved from a mansion on Main Street to be closer to three of their grown children, who lived in 16, 18 and 20 Courtlandt Place, forming a continuous row of family houses. Carter was an influential Houston businessman with a large timber operation based in Camden, Texas. The house’s Georgian revival style incorporates Tudor and Classical Revival elements, including the gabled dormers, the slate roof and the flemish bond pattern in the brick veneer.
Roy and Lillie Cullen Building One Baylor Plaza  
Edwin and Daphne Neville House 11 Courtlandt Place  This 1914 Birdsall P. Briscoe house is a two-and-a-half story brick Tudor revival style residence. Retaining its original floor plan and interior finishes, it features half-timbered gables, a steeply-pitched hipped roofline, and four brick chimneys. Briscoe’s design includes one-story brick loggias, topped with brick balustrades. Edwin L. Neville, partner at Dorrance & Company, and his wife, Daphne Palmer, were active in civic affairs, including the Houston community chest, the Junior League of Houston, inc., the Edward Palmer Memorial Chapel and Jefferson Davis Hospital. The house remained in the Neville family until 1949.
First Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church 4420 Lyons Avenue  
Mulcahy House 1046 Harvard  
Washington Cemetery 2911 Washington Avenue The Deutsche Gesellschaft von Houston, founded in 1875, established the German Society Cemetery in February 1887 by purchasing this property, then located outside the city limits, from the heirs of John Lawrence and Thomas Hart. Twelve-space family lots were sold to Society members for $10 and to the public for $25. It was renamed Washington Cemetery in 1918 due to anti-German sentiment during World War I. Though headstones of reinterred persons show birth dates as early as 1800 and death rates as early as 1855, the earliest known burial is that of three-year-old Pauline Ottilie Zeitler, on March 31, 1887. As least 15 citizens of the Republic of Texas and immigrants from no more than 20 nations lie at rest here. Eighteen lots are owned by Fraternal, labor, or veteran groups. More than 7600 persons are interred here, with more added each year. Also buried here are more than 300 veterans of nine wars, from the Black Hawk War of 1832 to Vietnam, including more than 135 Confederate and Union veterans. Sarah Emma Evelyn (Edmonds) Seelye, aka Franklin Thompson, is noted for writing a book about her service as a man in the Federal Army, 1861-63. After the last Charter expired in 1947, the Superintendent's widow and her housekeeper tried to maintain the cemetery, but they did not have the resources needed. By the 1970s, it was badly overgrown. Concerned citizens for Washington Cemetery Care (CCWCC) was founded in 1977, cleared away the jungle-like growth, and cared for the cemetery over the next 22 years. In 1997, CCWCC became the first group in Texas legally granted the authority to "restore, operate, and maintain a historic cemetery" under a 1995 Texas law; that authority was transferred to adjacent Glenwood Cemetery in 1999. Historic Texas Cemetery - 2012
Fair Grounds Base Ball Park Corner of Mc Gowen Street at Milam Street Semi-professional baseball was a major attraction at the first annual state fair held in Houston in May of 1870. One year later, the fairgrounds moved to a new location near where Main Street ended onto the prairie at Houston's south edge. The fairgrounds had a racetrack, grandstand, and permanent exhibit hall that sat on eighty acres. The fair offered competitions, livestock shows, dancing, and baseball. The earliest multi-city baseball competitions in Texas were played at the Houston Fair Grounds Ball Field until the state fair left Houston forever in 1878. The fair grounds were rented as a city park, and the ball field at Travis and McGowen streets remained vibrant. The professional Texas Association, the first intercity baseball league in the state, played games at the field in 1884. Even as the old fair grounds were being developed, the six square blocks between McGowen, Main, Drew, and Milam remained open for baseball. On April 1, 1888, the inaugural game for the Texas League was played at Fair Grounds Park, with Houston defeating Galveston 4-1. In 1896, the grandstands were rebuilt with enough seats for 2,500 spectators. It continued to hold games for the Texas League, major league exhibitions and top African American teams in Texas until 1904, when the six blocks where the field sat were developed. Less than a year after baseball moved away, the blocks were subdivided and sold as residential and commercial properties. (2014)
Greater Ward A.M.E. Church 6822 Arabella St.  
Howard Cottonseed Oil Company 1200 National St.  
Edward & Katharine Jackson House 112 Stratford  Built in the Avondale neighborhood, the Edward and Katharine Jackson house was originally constructed by local lumber manager James Carroll in 1913. The home changed hands several times before the Jacksons purchased the property in 1918. It was kept in the family until 1970. This home is an excellent example of early 20th century craftsman architecture. The roof features scalloped cresting with outward-facing scroll ends. The symmetrical front faÃˇřade contains two palladian windows, while multiple ornamental knee brackets rest under the roof eaves. Indoor elements include pine floors, mantel and molding.



RECORDED TEXAS HISTORIC LANDMARK â€ˇČ 2016


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