Wanderlust World Wanderlust World As a relatively young city, Houston’s past seems shallow compared with those of cities like Boston or New York, and the lack of depth is emphasized by the sparse number of preserved historical sites locally. But visitors who take the time to investigate Houston’s offerings will find its brief history encompasses warring nations, the struggle to create an inland port, world-renowned art collections, and space travel.
Sam Houston's victory at the Battle of San Jacinto secured independence for Texas and opened the door to the West for the United States. Today, the San Jacinto Monument and Museum commemorates the battle and provides a glimpse into history with the production "Texas Forever!"
Constructed by Nathaniel Lynch in 1822, this ferry was used by the troops and retreating Texans during the Texas Revolution. The ferry still provides free service for pedestrians, automobiles and bicycles connecting Crosby-Lynchburg Road to Highway 134.
Allen's Landing is the site of Houston’s first port and where the Allen brothers, Houston’s founders, reputedly stepped ashore. Barges still bring freight up the bayou to this point, and efforts to redevelop the area to replicate its original wharf were completed in 2001.
As the second largest port in the United States, Houston has made the development of the Houston Ship Channel an integral part of the city's past and present. The Allen Brothers chose Houston’s location with an eye toward the sea, and to this day, barges take freight up the Houston Ship Channel to Buffalo Bayou. Free tours of the Ship Channel are available through the Port of Houston Authority aboard the Sam Houston.
Another interesting aspect of Houston’s history is its rail system. The construction of the state’s first railroad, the Buffalo Bayou, Brazos and Colorado Railroad, began at Buffalo Bayou, and the rail line went into service in 1853. Although Houston's Union Station was demolished in the 1960s, the Houston Railroad Museum has amassed a collection preserving the area’s rail history.
Houston’s Market Square, bounded by Travis, Milam, Congress and Preston streets, was the area where the first business district of Houston was developed. It began as an open-air market, with capitol buildings dotting the landscape throughout the city’s development. It currently exists as an entertainment district filled with nightclubs and restaurants, with 19th-century architecture still a part of the scene.
Founded in 1899, Sam Houston Park is home to nine historic structures that date from 1823 to 1905, including the 1847 Kellum-Noble House, Houston's oldest standing brick structure on its original foundation. The structures make up a "lifestyle exhibit" demonstrating how ordinary people lived, which is operated by the Heritage Society. A 10th building, an 1890s playhouse, was moved to the site in 2010.
Bayou Bend was built for the Hogg family between 1927 and 1928. The family's noted philanthropist and civic leader, Ima, created the gardens surrounding the mansion and collected the pieces of American decorative art dating from 1620 to 1870 housed within it. Bayou Bend and its resident collection were donated to the Museum of Fine Arts in 1957.
No visit to Houston would be complete without a trip to Space Center Houston, which mixes the historic with the futuristic. The behind-the-scenes NASA Tour takes you to the Apollo Mission Control Center, as well as NASA's current Mission Control Center, Rocket Park and other facilities as available.