GHPA April Walking Tour

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Join us Sunday, April 9, as we explore Houston's birthplace and original commercial district as part of the American Institute of Architects Houston's Architecture Month celebration.

This tour begins at Market Square Park, the site of City Hall from 1841 to 1939, and explores Houston's early commercial and financial districts, now the home of many residential and entertainment projects. Among the highlights of the tour are the 1861 Kennedy bakery (now La Carafe), Houston's oldest commercial structure; the 300 block of Main Street, an intact row of late 19th century buildings; the storied Rice Hotel; and the little-known story of "Catfish Reef," a colorful section of downtown Houston in the early 20th century. The tour highlights the numerous preservation victories in the Main Street/Market Square National Register historic district and illustrates the methods and value of preservation versus demolition.

Tickets will be sold from 1:30 to 2 p.m. in Market Square Park at the corner of Travis and Congress. [map] Street parking downtown is free on Sundays, and parking is available for a fee in the Market Square Garage, Milam at Congress. Rest rooms will not be available.

Arriving by MetroRail: From the Preston station, walk west one block along Preston Avenue, then walk north on Travis one block to the corner of Congress Avenue. Trains run every 12 minutes on Sundays. MetroRail maps and schedule information >

Days may be cloudy or sunny ...

In the event of inclement weather on the day of a tour, watch this page for the up-to-the-minute status of the tour and any changes dictated by the weather. Remember: GHPA walks, rain or shine!

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beautiful day and interesting information, but since the crawfish festival was going on, we didn't actually get to go into the market "square"