William Ward Watkin

[dbigtex56]

Thanks to sevfiv for posting the link to the .pdf BROCHURE OF THE WORK OF WM WARD WATKIN ARCHITECT

The brochure includes photographs/drawings of the following:

Museum of Fine Arts (4)

Laboratory of Chemistry, Rice Institute (3)

Ralston Memorial Tower, Trinity Church

Mr. Watkin's General Plan for Texas Technological College (6)

Entrance, Kinkaid School

Y.W.C.A. Building, Galveston

Houston Public Library (3)

South Texas Commercial National Bank

A Design For Houston Cotton Exchange

Residence of Wm. Ward Watkin (2)

Residence of F. A. Heitman (2)

Residence of H. C. Wiess

Residence of Dr. E. M. Armstrong (3)

Residence of Howard Hughes

Residence of E. W. Gruendler

Residence of J. Virgil Scott

Residence of John G. Logue

Residence of M. L. Hurwitz

Windward Court Apartments

Residence of W. A. Priddie

Residence of N. T. Masterson (2)

Assorted advertisments

___________________________________

Where were these structures located, and which are still in existence?

Obviously, the museum, library and Rice Institute (University) buildings are still standing, but I'm curious as to the fates of the various residences.

Wm. Ward Watkin's name initially came up in reference to the Windward Court Apartments; however, after viewing a partial list of his designs it's apparent that his influence on early Houston was greater than is commonly recognized.

[dbigtex56]

Checking the residential properties against the Houston city directory for 1922 yields... not much. Unfortunately, the brochure lacks a publication date, so I'm unsure which of these residences would have been completed in time to be included in the directory. Here's what I've found so far:

Residence of Wm. Ward Watkin (2) Listed at 5009 Caroline. According to Google Street, that places it squarely in the middle of the Southwest Freeway. We'll assume it's demolished.

Residence of F. A. Heitman (2)'Heitmann' listed at 3910 Garrott St. Site currently occupied by 1970s townhomes.

Residence of H. C. Weiss No listing found.

Residence of Dr. E. M. Armstrong (3) Listed at Burlington Apts (2116-20 Fannin)

Residence of Howard Hughes Listed at 3921 Yoakum - still standing and part of University of St. Thomas campus.

Residence of E. W. Gruendler Listed at 1100 Milam -site of Centerpoint Energy Plaza

Residence of J. Virgil Scott Listed at Garden Court Apartments (2204 Fannin)

Residence of John G. Logue Listed at 219 Hathaway Av. (now Westheimer)

Residence of M. L. Hurwitz (Max L. Hurvitz) Listed at 509 Hathaway Av.

Residence of W. A. Priddie No listing found

Residence of N. T. Masterson (2) (Neill T. Masterson) Listed at 3918 Day

In other words, the only one found was the Howard Hughes house - which we all knew about anyway. Unfortunately, the 1922 city directory is the most recent available online, and the only addresses which seem likely are Watkin's and Hughes's.

[marmer]

In your list above, the "Residence of H.C. Weiss" (sic, it's WIEss) is the Rice President's House at 2 Sunset (corner of Sunset and Main.)

Built for Harry Carothers and Olga Wiess by Watkin in 1920 and later altered by Harrie C. Lindeberg in 1926 and John F. Staub in 1935, it was rehabilitated for use by the Rice President in the early part of this decade. Harry C. Wiess was one of the founders of Humble Oil and Refining Company and built Humble's Baytown Refinery along the Ship Channel.

You can see some pictures here.

[dbigtex56]

In your list above, the "Residence of H.C. Weiss" (sic, it's WIEss) is the Rice President's House at 2 Sunset (corner of Sunset and Main.)

Built for Harry Carothers and Olga Wiess by Watkin in 1920 and later altered by Harrie C. Lindeberg in 1926 and John F. Staub in 1935, it was rehabilitated for use by the Rice President in the early part of this decade. Harry C. Wiess was one of the founders of Humble Oil and Refining Company and built Humble's Baytown Refinery along the Ship Channel.

You can see some pictures here.

Oops.

You are, of course, correct. Thanks for the additional info.

[FilioScotia]

Oops.

You are, of course, correct. Thanks for the additional info.

Glad to see you're open for more info. As a former member of Trinity Church, I can tell you that WW Watkin designed more than the bell tower. He designed the entire church from top to bottom. The off-set bell tower is in keeping with the traditional design of Anglican churches in England.

Designing this wonderful building wasn't enough for Watkin. His crowning achievement at Trinity was the high altar, complete with Biblically themed statuary from one side to the other.

Here's a link to it: http://trinitychurchhouston.net/index.php?page=historic-church

[FilioScotia]

Glad to see you're open for more info. As a former member of Trinity Church, I can tell you that WW Watkin designed more than the bell tower. He designed the entire church from top to bottom. The off-set bell tower is in keeping with the traditional design of Anglican churches in England. Designing this wonderful building wasn't enough for Watkin. His crowning achievement at Trinity was the high altar, complete with Biblically themed statuary from one side to the other. Here's a link to it: http://trinitychurchhouston.net/index.php?page=historic-church

One of the benefits of being wrong a lot is that you get very good at apologizing and issuing corrections. Since I made the previous posting, I have learned that Watkin didn't design the whole structure. He only designed the bell tower and the high altar inside the church.

Please forgive me for being so gushy about Trinity Church. Places as beautiful as Trinity exert a powerful spiritual and emotional pull on me. If I lived anywhere near Houston I would make it my church home again.

[bachanon]

i've always admired this building but never been inside. can anyone just "pop in", or do you have to attend a service, i wonder?

[FilioScotia]

i've always admired this building but never been inside. can anyone just "pop in", or do you have to attend a service, i wonder?

When I was there in the 80s and 90s, it was possible to come in the daytime during the week, and get a guided tour of the church's collection of historic stained glass windows in the main sanctuary, and the artwork in the Morrow Chapel. I don't know if they still do that. Pop in some time and ask. Or call the Church office. 713-528-4100

If you do get in, make a point of going into the adjoining parish hall off the sanctuary. There's a collection of parish photographs that have always enthralled me. They are the annual big outdoor group shot of everybody in the parish taken on Easter Sunday. Like your old high school class picture. It's taken with one of those old long exposure wide-lens cameras the photographer has to pan from one side of the group to the other.

What's fascinating about these pictures lining the walls is that they start in the early 1920s and come forward, year by year to the current year. Look at them and watch the children grow up, and the adults get older. Then in the war years, the only men in the group are the old men, too old to fight in the war. Then after the war the young men who survived are back. By the 70s, 80s and 90s there are old people who were children in the earlier photos. A number of Trinity's senior members today were baptized there many decades ago.

Watch the fashions change over the years, and in the background you can see the the area around Trinity changing. Photos like these provide a visual history of that spot in mid-town, and they reveal a continuity of community one almost doesn't find anywhere anymore.

[bachanon]

When I was there in the 80s and 90s, it was possible to come in the daytime during the week, and get a guided tour of the church's collection of historic stained glass windows in the main sanctuary, and the artwork in the Morrow Chapel. I don't know if they still do that. Pop in some time and ask. Or call the Church office. 713-528-4100

If you do get in, make a point of going into the adjoining parish hall off the sanctuary. There's a collection of parish photographs that have always enthralled me. They are the annual big outdoor group shot of everybody in the parish taken on Easter Sunday. Like your old high school class picture. It's taken with one of those old long exposure wide-lens cameras the photographer has to pan from one side of the group to the other.

What's fascinating about these pictures lining the walls is that they start in the early 1920s and come forward, year by year to the current year. Look at them and watch the children grow up, and the adults get older. Then in the war years, the only men in the group are the old men, too old to fight in the war. Then after the war the young men who survived are back. By the 70s, 80s and 90s there are old people who were children in the earlier photos. A number of Trinity's senior members today were baptized there many decades ago.

Watch the fashions change over the years, and in the background you can see the the area around Trinity changing. Photos like these provide a visual history of that spot in mid-town, and they reveal a continuity of community one almost doesn't find anywhere anymore.

excellent information. thank you.

[NenaE]

In your list above, the "Residence of H.C. Weiss" (sic, it's WIEss) is the Rice President's House at 2 Sunset (corner of Sunset and Main.)

Built for Harry Carothers and Olga Wiess by Watkin in 1920 and later altered by Harrie C. Lindeberg in 1926 and John F. Staub in 1935, it was rehabilitated for use by the Rice President in the early part of this decade. Harry C. Wiess was one of the founders of Humble Oil and Refining Company and built Humble's Baytown Refinery along the Ship Channel.

You can see some pictures here.

What a beauty that one is...I love all the rectangles in the formal home and yard design.

[dbigtex56]

According to an article by Craig Farrell (Montrose Gem, issue #151), the Central Church of Christ (4100 Montrose Blvd) was designed by William Ward Watkin.

Completed in 1940,the property was sold to developer John Hansen, and the sanctuary was converted to the Eleanor Freed (Montrose) Library.