Pauline Sterne-Wolff Home At 1300 Kenwood St.

[gnu]

Okay so the property on Graustark at 59 seems to be the Pauline Sterne Wolff Memorial Home for Widows and Orphans.

A google search says the home was the first Jewish orphanage in Texas and her fund still seems to be around according to this post from 2015

http://jhvonline.com/jfs-senior-adult-service-wing-to-carry-benefactors-name-p19236-109.htm

 

"Pauline Sterne Wolff’s name is known through the many programs and facilities made possible by the foundation, a legacy that has profoundly impacted the city of Houston. Pauline Sterne Wolff died in 1921. The Wolff Memorial Foundation began with a $600,000-plus estate; $100,000 of the estate was used to buy land and build the Pauline Sterne Wolff Memorial Home in 1930. For decades, the home provided a safe and nurturing place for Jewish orphans to grow and flourish."

[Ross]

The Wolff Home was at 1300 Kenwood, which is now under 59, according to the City Directory. So, one mystery solved.

[gmac]

2 hours ago, Ross said:

The Wolff Home was at 1300 Kenwood, which is now under 59, according to the City Directory. So, one mystery solved.

 

That's gotta limit the walkability somewhat

[IronTiger]

14 hours ago, gmac said:

 

That's gotta limit the walkability somewhat

It was next to a railroad, which is going to limit walkability in some regards. But really, I suppose one way to back up what the building was is tracing back the land history of the apartments north of the freeway. If the entire property was condemned and then split off and sold, then probably not, but if part of the land was condemned and the original owners sold out then it might be traceable. From what I found, the address of the apartments, legally, isn't on Castle Court but rather 4508 Graustark, but I can't find anything on that property prior to 2016.

[Ross]

The State took the freeway land in 1956. The Pauline Sterne Wolff Memorial Foundation sold the land in the 60's to a harry Reed, who then sold it to John Jamail, who sold to John Jamail Builders. That happened in 1973 or so. The property then went to  Lomas and Nettleton, then to Lincoln Properties, etc. The apartment on the site now were built in 2016 or so.

[Highrise Tower]

The Texas Jewish Herald dated December 4, 1930:

Pauline Sterne Wolfe Home Is Dedicated

The project of erecting the Pauline Stern Wolff Home, for indigent widows and orphans, is practically finished.

The dedication ceremony was held on Thanksgiving Day with I. Friedlander, Houston business executive, presiding.

Construction of this structure was made possible by Mrs. Pauline Stern Wolff, who before her death made provisions for such an institution by stating that she wishes to pass the residue of her estate to the endowment for the care of indigent widows and orphans.

Thus far, three buildings have been erected.  The center one is Wolffe Hall, which will include an open air veranda, reception rooms, and the business offices.  To the south is the cottage which will accommodate fourteen widows.  The orphans’ cottage, which will provide sixteen children, is located to the north of Wolff Hall.

The Texas Jewish Herald dated April 23, 1931:

Pauline Sterne Wolff Home is Now Open

Without pomp or ceremony, the portals of the Pauline Sterne Wolff Memorial Home were thrown open Friday morning to receive the first beneficiaries of the institution.

Two widows in the even ride of life were the first to enter its doors. To them it will be a home—a place where they can spend their declining years in peace and contentment.

Shortly after three youngers, laughing with glee, where ushered in –to them it will be home – a place to grow and learn.

Thus the will of the late Pauline Sterne Wolff, Houston philanthropist, reached its fulfilment Friday, 10 years after her death.

Endowed by the late Mrs. Wolff, who died in 1921, the home was erected on a six and one-half acre tract on Castle Court Boulevard. Its quarters were dedicated to the use of widows and orphans of Texas Jewish families—

People and Companies involved with the 3-building campus:

Architect – Joseph Finger
Landscape Architect – Mason C. Coney
General Contractor – Jas. Roberts
General Contractor Company – Tellepsen Construction Co.
Ornamental Iron & Wire Works – A.A. Berger & Co., Inc.
Millwork – Houston Co-Operative Manufacturing Co.
Leaded Stained Glass – Texas Art Glass Co.
Lumber – South Texas Lumber Co.
Brick – Southern Brick & Tile Co.
Wiring – J.S. Copeland Electric Company, Inc.
Painting and Decorating – Barney N. Smith
Heating and Plumbing – Dixie Heating & Ventilating Co.

The Texas Jewish Herald dated September 21, 1933:

Two and a Half Year's Work of the Pauline Sterne-Wolff Home

Founded by the late Pauline Sterne Wolff, the Home which bears her name is located at Kenwood and Graustark Streets, Houston, Texas and has been functioning since April 17, 1931

Mrs. Wolff, born at Witkover, Germany, in 1842, the daughter of Alexander and Libbie Fox, was brought to Houston when a young girl by her brother, the late Henry S. Fox, Sr. She was married in 1858 to Samuel Sterne, a successful merchant of the City of Houston, who died in 1891, leaving an estate which was the aucleds of the Endowment Fund for the building and maintenance of the Home. In 1896, she was the married to Gustav A. Wolff, always a women of frugal habits, thrifty, a keen knowledge of business, died on February 8, 1921, at the age of 79 years, childless leaving a large estate, which was to be used for the creation of an endowment with which there was to be erected "a Home for the care of indigent widows and minor orphans of the Jewish faith, who are residents of Texas."

A.B. Chon, President Pauline Sterne-Wolff Home.

[Highrise Tower]

HAIF users @almadenmike and @Ross found the 3-builing campus a few years ago.  They were not certain it was the campus, but I would put money on it.

The December 1944 aerial photograph from Google Earth shows 3 buildings.  To map it, I used the current address of the Encore Montrose Apartments located at 4508 Graustark Street. I believe the road "Kenwood" no longer exists?  According to the newspaper article, the 6-1/2 acre parcel was located on Castle Court.

Edit: The oval road in front of the main building might have been called Kenwood.

The large, main, building is called Wolffe Hall.

South cottage is for widows.

North cottage is for orphans.

 

 

[Highrise Tower]

Found in the newspaper The Texas Jewish Herald dated September 18, 1930.

The Wolff Memorial Home

Rising from the ground in the strength of its fabricated concrete, steel and brick, the Pauline Sterne Wolff Memorial Home, at Castle Court Boulevard, Graustark and Yupon Streets, is well on the way to the fulfillment of its physical beauty and practical design, to house and maintain “indigent” widows and minor orphans of Jewish parentage, who are residents of Texas.” So the read the will of the late Pauline Sterne Wolff, through whose beneficence this organization is fully endowed to give comfort to the aged in their declining years, and to serve youth its rightful heritage to place among the people.

Under the careful direction and supervision of the board of trustees, Mr. Arthur B. Cohn, president; Mrs. Fannie Fox, Messrs. I. Friedlander, Rene Levy and Sidney Strauss, the development of the buildings has continued steadily, with the co-operation of the architect, Joseph Finger. With equipment and furnishings for utility, and giving an atmosphere of warmth and homeliness, the completed units of Wolff Hall (administration and hospital) the widows' cottage and the children's cottage, will meet every requirement for an efficient standard and proper administration.

Beautiful buildings, however, while an asset, must have within their walls that feeling of peace and contentment which bespeaks harmony and happiness for those who dwell within them. Therefor, the social life of the children, using this term in the broadest interpretation will be planned as to give full security to each of them in their on contact with others and their own place in the community. Their home life will be the some total of each one's contribution to the group and guided by the “mothers” with keen understanding of the child and its problems, the opportunity in the schools, social organizations and religion affiliation in the community should assure a hopefully future for each of the children adopted into the family of the Wolff Memorial Home.

The executive director, Mr. Aaron D. Faber, with these thoughts in mind, is preparing a program base d on the experience that with love and understanding as the means of approach, childhood will respond the full measure of its possibilities.