W. L. Foley Building
Houston, Harris County, Texas
Marker Inscription
John Kennedy (d. 1878), who had a trading post for frontiersmen and Indians in Houston as early as 1841, built the oldest part of this structure as investment property in 1860. After half of the building burned, his son-in-law, W. L. Foley (d. 1925), rebuilt the lost portion in 1889, giving old and new parts a Romanesque revival design. His architect was Eugene T. Heiner. In this building Foley tutored his nephews who founded the Foley Brothers' store. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1977 Marker Sponsor: Harris County Historical Commission
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
The oldest part of this Houston structure rose in 1860 as investment property for John Kennedy, a merchant who had run a trading post for frontiersmen and Indians in the city as early as 1841. After fire claimed half the building, Kennedy's son-in-law W. L. Foley rebuilt the lost portion in 1889 in a Romanesque Revival style by architect Eugene T. Heiner, uniting old and new. Within these walls Foley tutored the nephews who went on to found the well-known Foley Brothers' store.
Why it matters
The building traces Houston's growth from a frontier trading post into a commercial city, and the mercantile family whose name became a Texas retail institution.
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Related people
- · John Kennedy
- · W. L. Foley
- · Eugene T. Heiner
Themes & tags
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