Houston Heights
Houston, Harris County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Representatives of the American Loan and Trust Company of Omaha, Nebraska, came to Houston in 1890 to scout locations for land development. Under the leadership of O. M. Carter, D. D. Cooley, and others, company directors purchased 1,756 acres of land northwest of Houston. They led efforts to electrify Houston's streetcar system in 1891 and extended the lines to their new community, named Houston Heights due to its elevation 23 feet above that of downtown Houston. Directors of the Omaha and South Texas Land Company, formed by American Loan and Trust n 1892, developed streets, sidewalks, and utility systems; built and marketed homes; and encouraged the establishment of business and industry in Houston Heights. The city of Houston Heights was incorporated in 1896, and W. G. Love served as first mayor. He was followed in that office by John A. Milroy, David Barker, Robert F. Isbell, and J. B. Marmion. Seeking a broader tax base with which to support their public schools, voters of Houston Heights agreed to annexation by the city of Houston in 1918. Houston Heights grew rapidly in the 20th century, but continued to maintain its unique identity. It remains a distinctive neighborhood with many historic structures.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
In 1890 investors from an Omaha loan and trust company came to Houston, bought some 1,756 acres northwest of downtown, and set out to build a model suburb. Named Houston Heights for its elevation about 23 feet above the city, the development came with electrified streetcar lines, laid-out streets, sidewalks, and utilities — an early planned community. Incorporated in 1896, it grew into a distinct town before residents voted for annexation by Houston in 1918 to broaden the tax base for their schools.
Why it matters
Houston Heights is a textbook example of the streetcar suburb that reshaped American cities around 1900, and its enduring identity shows how such planned neighborhoods survived absorption into the metropolis.
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Related people
- · O.M. Carter
- · D.D. Cooley
- · W.G. Love
Themes & tags
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