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I was researching the William Hutchins Mansion located in the Quality Hill neighborhood of Houston. I first started reading the Houstonhistorymagazine's article about Quality Hill. That gave me: In 1850 Hutchins built one of the earliest and what was considered one of the finest houses in Quality Hill. It stood on the corner of Franklin Avenue and La Branch Street, near Hutchins’s place of business on the corner of Franklin Avenue and Main Street. I then came to a City of Houston Landmark Designation Report for the Palace Hotel located at 216 LaBranch Street. In that report, I saw: Sanborn insurance maps from 1885 show Block 25 with the Globe Hotel down the street on the corner of Congress and Austin. The present location of the Palace Hotel building is vacant land. The large house on Block 25 that faces Franklin was the Hutchins house, one of the large houses that were once common in this area known as Quality Hill. Ownership by the Hutchins family of the lots of Block 25 can be traced back to 1853. I then went to the Library of Congress to look at the 1885 Sanborn insurance map. I then located the mansion on Block 25: Old photograph of the house:

I couldn't find information on the old Charles Longcope Mansion located at 109 Chenevert Street in the Quality Hill neighborhood of Houston. The Houston Daily Post dated April 25, 1898: Unfolding the flag. The Lords' Bicycle Club the Scene of a Gallant Event. Yesterday morning at 10 o'clock the old Longscope building on Chenevert street, now the Lord's Cycle club headquarters, was the scene of a jolly, enthusiastic and most patriotic crowed of member and friends of the bicycle club-- Houstonhistorymagazine.org: The Southwestern Historical Quarterly dated July 1967 - April, 1968:

I noticed this awesome home the other day. Owned by the Henke and Pillot team member C.G. Pillot. This was featured in the Standard Blue Book of Texas Houston Edition dated 1907-1908. I wonder where this was. The Heights? Downtown?

http://www.old-picture.com/united-states-1930s-1940s/pictures/Houston-Home.jpg Found this on a web site called [link removed]. Says it was taken in 1943. Any ideas?

I was researching the Quality Hill neighborhood and came across the home of Cornelius Ennis located at 216 Congress at the corner of Jackson. Houston city directory for 1882-83:

One of the founders of Kelsey Seybold lived in a fancy River Oaks estate at 2136 Brentwood Drive. It's now a City of Houston protected landmark. https://www.houstontx.gov/planning/HistoricPres/landmarks/07L174_Dr_Mavis_P_Kelsey_Sr_House_2136_Brentwood.pdf The Dr. Mavis P. Kelsey , Sr., House at 2136 Brentwood Drive was built in 1940. It is an impressive example of the Greek Revival style home, built as a speculative house by C. C. Rouse in River Oaks. It was first occupied by the Wollmer family. The home was later owned and inhabited by Dr. Mavis P. Kelsey, Sr., for many years. Dr. Kelsey is most notable as the founder of Kelsey-Seybold Clinic. The original cost summary prepared by C. C. Rouse and dated October 9, 1940 estimated the cost of building at $11,486. Records show that the actual cost was $12,241. The home’s first owners, the Wollmar family, purchased the home for $24,500. The sale was made by George P. Wright of the River Oaks Corporation. https://spencerhoward.net/portfolio_item/brentwood-residence

I was browsing the newspaper Jewish Herald-Voice dated December 12, 1940 and came across an article about a lady hosting an open house. The address is an historic, cool, address so I wanted to post it. She lived at 6926 Old Main Street Road, which puts this at modern-day 6926 Fannin Street, which is now the current-day TECO power plant across from the UTHealth BioMedical Tower. Mrs. Emmy Levy Golden will hold Open House on December 17, 3 to 6 p.m. at her home, 6926 Old Main Street Road; honoring her children, Mr. and Mrs. Leon C. Levy. No other invitations are being issued except through the press. Mrs. Golden recently returned from an extended trip to California.

Meritage Homes is working on a 243-lot community on the AMC site on Dunvale. I know I'm a little vacant in the head sometimes, but I thought there was an Uptown/West/Energy Corridor subforum? I didn't see it today. 🤷‍♂️ DunvaleVillage.pdf

I was looking at the Standard Blue Book of Texas Houston Edition dated 1907-1908 and came across a few cool, old, homes. I found the Residences of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph F. Meyer. Very cool! I wonder where this was located?

This is the Hermann Hospital Cullen Nurses Home located at 6411 Fannin Street. I was browsing the Houston Public Library Digital Archives and noticed a Hermann Hospital building that I was unfamiliar with. Thought I would share. November 1941.

They put up a new awning on the south/Prairie side of the Hogg Palace yesterday. It's black with zebra print trim, with a fancy R printed on it. It does not appear to be in the same, larger space where a restaurant was most recently, but another smaller space on the side. 'R' anybody in the know?

I was browsing the newspaper The Jewish Herald-Voice dated September 22, 1938 and came across a Happy New Year ad from Mr. and Mrs. Joe Levit and Family - 2612 Wheeler. I assume this was where Joe Levit lived back in 1938. Back then, they used to include a residential address to go a long with the news article, or photograph. The Hines Life Science development called Levit Green is named after Joe Levit and his family. Very cool!

http://www.loopnet.com/Listing/20224122/500-600-Blocks-of-West-19th-20th-Houston-TX/ Ohhhh the potential for that block! I have always wondered what in the world Chase was thinking holding on to that giant retail drive through and oversized bank building in the age of the internet.

Given all the excitement about the new 500-Acre TMC BioPort Campus I wanted to research Holmes Road and see who it was named after. Harry H. Holmes was born in North Henderson, Illinois on 8/12/1879. He died of a kidney infection on 3/3/1951 at Memorial Hospital (which was on Lamar Street downtown at the time.) At the time of his death, he lived at 2624 Arbor Street, in the Riverside area. For many years, he lived at 1112 Leeland. I assume that was a nice house, the 1930 Census lists the value at $35,000. Harry Holmes was a real estate developer who developed the Sunnyside neighborhood in South Houston. I also read, at one time, he was a City of Houston councilman. I wonder if there are any pictures of the home at 1112 Leeland Street? Or of his home at 2624 Arbor Street? If anyone has any additional information about Harry H. Holmes I'd love to hear it.

Anyone know if this one is currently under construction? Exact address is not listed. Edit: Here's the site. Guess they'll have to wait until construction on Campus Vue wraps up. http://www.domusstudiogroup.com/#!the-annex/c1xea

Does anyone remember a big house that used to sit on Old Galveston Rd by the name of Milby Mansion? It was about a mile from Broadway. It was torn down some time back and an industrial plant was built on that site. The trees that lined the front of the street are still there. Would appreciate any info.

August Mod of the Month Houston Mod invites you to join us Sunday, August 21, 2022 for a Mod of the Month open house event from 2 - 4 PM. Please help find new preservation minded owners for these outstanding vintage modern houses located in Memorial, about 9 miles west of downtown Houston. Thanks to Houston MODern Market for sponsoring this FREE event. 503 Timber Terrace Road, Houston, TX 77024 HAR Link | Google Map Clean lines and flowing spaces are found in this well designed and constructed vintage modern house by architect Philip Willard, located in an idyllic Memorial area setting. Expansive window walls provide views in every direction making it a perfect place to experience nature. Other notable features are the dramatic extended fireplace, spiral staircase, interior stone walls, nifty display areas, built in refrigerator and freezer and roof deck overlooking the wooded ravine and setting sun. Willard constructed the house of extremely durable brick and masonry materials. Even the roof is concrete. The house was expanded by the addition of several well-integrated rooms by talented designer Adrian Flake. Philip Gordon Willard (1913-1993) was from San Antonio and a 1934 graduate of the University of Texas. He was first registered to practice architecture in Texas in 1937. He moved to Houston from Ft. Worth around 1945 and opened a successful firm where he employed many of the top students from the UH College of Architecture. He developed a masonry construction system called ceramic construction; buildings constructed using the technique are highly acclaimed. He designed and built houses, office buildings and retail centers. Willard developed the Timber Terrace neighborhood, designing and building many of its houses. Houston Mod's latest publication details more of his work. Adrian Flake (1915-2005) was an artist and designer. He began his career at Texas Neon Sign Company where he designed such landmarks as the Houston Shoe Hospital sign and the neon fronts of the Alabama, Tower, and other theaters. Later he designed and constructed custom homes. 11406 Memorial Drive, Houston, TX 77024 (Drive-by only) HAR Link | Google Map This is a significant and prominently sited vintage modern house by architect Wylie Vale which appears to still have many of its interesting original details. The house is in Piney Point Village, a community Vale helped organize. Wylie Vale (1916-2013) was a Rice graduate who designed over 400 mostly upscale houses, 100 plus schools, almost 50 churches plus other buildings. His work is detailed on the Houston Mod forum here. If you have information about this house or other vintage mod designs, please share it with Houston Mod so it can be included in the Modern in Houston archive. News & Upcoming Events Houston Mod has reactivated and now hosts the valuable Memorial Bend Architecture website on our website. Visit to learn more about Houston's most mod neighborhood. What's next for Astrodome? Please visit our friends at the Astrodome Conservancy to learn more about preserving and redeveloping the eighth wonder of the world. Their shop has many fun new items to support the cause. Mission, Membership and Publications: Houston Mod is dedicated to promoting knowledge and appreciation of modern architecture and design in Houston and Texas and advocates the preservation of this cultural legacy, seeking support from its members and the general public in achieving this goal. Houston Mod is a friend organization of Docomomo US, a national non-profit organization dedicated to the Documentation and Conservation of the Modern Movement. Docomomo US has been dedicated to this mission for nearly 25 years as a chapter of Docomomo International. A single US domestic membership may be added to any Houston Mod membership for the 50% discounted Friend Organization rate of $45.00. Houston Mod memberships and publications are available at most events.

Now that South Main and The Citadel are nearing completion, Allen Harrison will soon move forward with their next project which is planned for the Museum District. https://www.museumparkna.org/event-3361584

July Mod of the Month Houston Mod invites you to join us this Sunday, July 25, 2021 for a Mod of the Month open house event from 2 - 4 PM. Please help us find a new preservation-minded owner for this outstanding vintage modern home located in Riverside Terrace, about five miles southeast of downtown Houston. Thanks to Houston MODern Market for sponsoring this FREE event. 4505 N. Roseneath Drive, Riverside Terrace, Section 15, Houston, TX 77021 HAR Link | Google Map Boldly contrasting horizontal and vertical elements make the P. R. Daniel house, 4505 North Roseneath Drive, one of the most memorable in the Riverside Terrace area. Henry MacGregor developed Riverside Terrace starting in 1924 on picturesque rolling terrain along the banks of Braes Bayou between Hermann and MacGregor Parks. Architect Bailey Swenson designed the Daniel house in 1949 and construction began in early 1950 situated on a half-acre plus site. Swenson is known for his uniquely inventive combination of organic and international styles of architecture. Even though one story spreading houses were desired in the 1950s, the neighborhood deed restrictions required houses to have two stories so the mother-in-law pop-up room was created. The house is composed of stone, brick and redwood and features an impressive array of built-in furnishings and a large abstract mural by prominent artist Jacques de la Marre who worked with Swenson on several projects. Bailey Allen Swenson (1907-1979) was from Houston and graduated from Rice University in 1932 with a BA in Architecture. He married Kathryn Thomas in 1949. She operated the first art gallery in Houston and he had an architectural office, both at their live/work home at 3106 Brazos Street. Swenson designed KSOX (1950) in Harlingen and KNUZ TV 39 (1953) which became KTRK 13 and later KUHT 8 located at 4513 Cullen Boulevard in Houston. He designed the Western Skies Motel (1952, demolished) at 2806 Old Spanish Trail described as opulent, luxurious and Houston's swankiest motel. Two of his earlier residential designs, 2330 Dryden Road (1936, demolished) and 2506 Riverside Drive (1936) had art deco styling. The heaviest concentration of his known work is more modern and located in the Riverside Terrace area including: 3934 Roseneath Drive (1949, especially fantastic), 4619 N. Roseneath Drive (1953), 3315 N. MacGregor Way (1948, demolished), 3126 S. MacGregor Way (1952), 3448 S. MacGregor Way (1952), 3819 S. MacGregor Way (1954, demolished, built for motel developer Leon Green), 3403 Charleston Street (1954), 3417 Charleston Street (1950) and 4216 Fernwood Drive (1948, endangered). In Galveston, Swenson designed 4402 Caduceus Place which is similar to the July Mod of the Month. For his church, St. Matthew Lutheran, he designed the parish hall (1942) located at 5315 Main Street. The AIA Houston Architectural Guide by Stephen Fox has more information about this area. Take the Riverside Terrace and Environs Architectural Tour by Stephen Fox for Cite Magazine here. If you have more information about these, or other vintage modern houses and/or architects, please contact Houston Mod so we can include it in our Modern Houston Index on our new website. The Mod Squad will be on hand at Sunday's event to assist with membership and publication purchases. After Alden: Midcentury Architecture in Brazosport, Texas, Houston Mod's new publication by Marty Merritt with a forward by Stephen Fox and photography by Benjamin Hill, will be available at Sunday's event along with our other publications. Or, you may purchase a copy online at our website. News & Upcoming Events A handsome mod for sale in Galveston, 59 minutes southeast of downtown Houston: 124 Strand Street. Sadly, the Rice Media Center (1970), given to Houston by John and Dominique de Menil and designed by architects Howard Barnstone and Gene Aubry has been demolished this week. How should the Astrodome be reused? Please help our friends at the Astrodome Conservancy by taking their Future Dome survey. The AIA 2021 Silent Auction is open for bidding on some wonderful items including a Houston Mod Family Membership and complete collection of Houston Mod publications. Bid now. Houston Mod is a friend organization of Docomomo US, a national non-profit organization dedicated to the Documentation and Conservation of the Modern Movement. Docomomo US has been dedicated to this mission for nearly 25 years as a chapter of Docomomo International. A single Docomomo US Domestic membership may be added to any Houston Mod membership for the 50% discounted Friend Organization rate of $45.00. Houston Mod is a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) membership organization dedicated to promoting knowledge and appreciation of modern architecture and design in Houston and Texas. Houston Mod advocates the preservation of this cultural legacy and seeks support from its members and the general public in achieving this goal.

https://www.chron.com/homes/article/karl-kamrath-frank-lloyd-wright-houston-house-17354766.php

The area in question The other day I was driving around exploring the neighborhood near the old Jeff Davis Hospital. An errant turn took me onto Dart Street, which curves around, ducks under I-45, and becomes the tail end of Girard. I pulled into the dead end to find a few warehouse-looking buildings, and a man standing in front of them giving me a dirty look. Does anyone know what the heck is here, in the heart of the city but so isolated from it??

It is the Magnificat House. They are the ones that plan to be a part of the housing that is proposed at 3300 Caroline St. http://mhihouston.org

I recently bought a home. Last night talking to some local families they let me know the home was designed by Wylie Vale (not who I had previously thought). After googling Wylie's name I discovered this site -- and a picture of my home on the "Brief History of Wylie Vale" sticky above. I was quite surprised. It is the last home listed there, called the "Short House" -- and just for everyone's information. It was built in 1955 for Richard Woods a local rice farmer, his family is one of the actively farming families. As most of you know, a lot of the homes in the Brookshire-Katy area which were built by Vale are all from related families, who were mostly rice farmers. The Jordan home for instance (on Woods Road) is from a closely related family (to the Woods, shockingly). In any case, I love the home. Before we moved in a lot of updating was done. About 1/2 of the wood floors are still exposed (the remainder under carpet) what is exposed is in great shape. We removed the (original?) stove and cooktop and replaced. It still has the original kitchen pink tile. The only major project left is for me to painstakingly strip, clean, de-rust, prime, glaze and paint the exterior steel and there is a lot. 125 panes of glass and they are not small. In any case, if anyone has questions, I'd be happy to answer. But, I'm much more interested in learning from similar homeowners. I asked my wife to contact Mr. Vale to see if the original plans were available, those would be a huge help especially since much of the attic is totally inaccessible. The rear elevation to the house is quite nice. I'll attach a picture if I can figure it out.

I'll never forget the Halloween in the mid 70's in Houston because a guy named O'Bryan had laced some candy with poison and gave it to both of his kids for the insurance money. Luckily the daughter did not consume the fatal treat, but the son did. I think he was from Deer Park or Pasadena (Houston Area). All of this sucked because of the unrightiousness of O'Bryan, the death of his son, the marks for life for his daughter and family, the fact that O'Bryan received the glorious nickname "the candyman," and the fact that O'Bryan was The Man who killed halloween that way it used to be. What hit me the hardest was O'Bryan's son was one year younger than myself.

Are there any firms in the Houston area that have experience with designing and constructing shipping container homes? I have looked at Numen's mod's, so I am familiar with them. Any other firms you could point me towards?