PasadenaTexan Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 Why have so many of you never spoken of the Magnificent Mansions of River Oaks and surrounding Suburbs. One Christmas Lighting drive years ago I was driving through River Oaks and came across a Beautiful Home being built along a Street there I assume was along the Bayou. The Home in question was on a very long lot and was French inspired five or more garage and servants quarters over them. Visited in later years to see a finished Mansion, very well appointed and Elegant. Anyone else in here love the Homes of the Movers and Shakers of Houston? Don't get me wrong Imma Hoggs Mansion is beautifull as are many of the of Oaks neighbors. Old Money in Houston has moved into highrises and new money or baby boomers are building everywhere else. Share photos of your Choice Mansions or Homes of Houston worth a mention.I hope to get by there once more with a camera to show you all a Mansion in River Oaks I fell in Love with. I went over to mapquest and I found the Mansion I referred to on Wllowick Rd. @ Knollwood, the ariel view is awe inspiring the pool is massive and the home sits on several acres. also I saw a very well manicured lawn surrounding a home right in front of the River Oaks Country Club.Know the Mansion? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbigtex56 Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 Good point. We've never started a thread specifically dealing with mansions (TTBOMK)In the "too little, too late" category, I submit 2950 Lazy Lane, a John Staub design which was stupidly demolished by some inconsequential arrogant ninny."The Hogg brothers, their sister Ima, and Hugh Potter, their associate in the development of River Oaks, understood that architectural excellence was essential if they were to establish River Oaks as Houston’s finest neighborhood. They used design excellence as an instrument to promote the community’s reputation, not just locally but nationally. And it worked. The tragedy of the destruction of this legacy is that most often it is replaced with new buildings inferior to those that have been lost, irrespective of their size and cost. Houston is trading its irreplaceable historic patrimony for substitutes that are ostentatious, mediocre, and grotesque." -Stephen Fox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jm1fd Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 Magnificent Mansions of River Oaks and surrounding Suburbs. One Christmas LightingOkay...either you need a new keyboard, Or yOu neED to lEArn wHen to use the sHIFt keY..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vertigo58 Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 When we were teenagers we used to drive around River Oaks just to gawk at the mansions. We honestly didn't feel as if we were in Houston more like Beverly Hills or Brentwood, Ca. I passed through the other day and it took me back to those carefree days. We used to say "Hey that one looks like an old movie star lives in it! The area never ceases to amaze me. One of a kind in our nation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jm1fd Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 The simple answer is to look for a copy of Howard Barnstone's book _The Architecture of John F. Staub_. That will get you aWow. That book is going for $150+ online. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marmer Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 Wow. That book is going for $150+ online.Houston Public Library has it in their reference section. Rice University's library has it, as does the Lake Jackson branch of the Brazoria County Library.marmer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nativehou Posted April 27, 2007 Share Posted April 27, 2007 When we were teenagers we used to drive around River Oaks just to gawk at the mansions.We did, too. One time in the early 80s several of my friends and I were driving down RO Boulevard, near the country club, and we saw donkeys in someone's yard. We stopped the car, rang the doorbell, and told the older man who answered the door that he had donkeys in his yard. He laughed and said that yes, he knew that. Supposedly he and his donkeys were well known -- but we didn't know, we were just hayseeds from the southeast side. Does anybody know who that man was? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NenaE Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 Good point. We've never started a thread specifically dealing with mansions (TTBOMK)In the "too little, too late" category, I submit 2950 Lazy Lane, a John Staub design which was stupidly demolished by some inconsequential arrogant ninny. "The Hogg brothers, their sister Ima, and Hugh Potter, their associate in the development of River Oaks, understood that architectural excellence was essential if they were to establish River Oaks as Houston’s finest neighborhood. They used design excellence as an instrument to promote the community’s reputation, not just locally but nationally. And it worked. The tragedy of the destruction of this legacy is that most often it is replaced with new buildings inferior to those that have been lost, irrespective of their size and cost. Houston is trading its irreplaceable historic patrimony for substitutes that are ostentatious, mediocre, and grotesque." -Stephen Fox Just ran across this story on the web, unbelievable, what some people do. Tear done a John Staub home. And the gardens were designed by Hare & Hare. Shear Stupidity! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 According to HCAD, the property is owned by Northern Trust, and does not have a structure on it. What a waste. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Porchman Posted November 28, 2008 Share Posted November 28, 2008 I have an idea, HAIF. How about we create an official, native, thread to discuss all of the old Historic Houston Residential Mansions? We can catalog all of the famous Houstonians, where they once lived back in the day. Where did the founders of Houston, the Allen brothers live? Where did the founder of Hermann Hospital/Herman Park, George Hermann Live? Where did the first Mayor of Houston live? Where did all the famous oil barons live, such as Roy Cullen, Glenn McCarthy, and Walter Fondren? I assume there will be a lot of River Oaks locations here LOL. Probably some residences located in Downtown in the turn of the century as well. Those huge estates. I'll start. I heard the Weingarten Mansion was located at 4000 South MacGregor Way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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