Afton Oaks, Houston facts for kids
Afton Oaks is a special neighborhood in Houston, Texas, United States. It's known for its nice homes and is located inside the main highway loop called Interstate 610. This area is often called the "Inner Loop." About 525 homes are in Afton Oaks.
The neighborhood is close to popular places like the Galleria and Highland Village. It's bordered by Westheimer Road to the north, railroad tracks to the east, Interstate 69/U.S. Highway 59 (Southwest Freeway) to the south, and Interstate 610 to the west.
Afton Oaks is in a central spot in Houston. This means it's near other well-known neighborhoods like River Oaks, Lynn Park, and West University Place, Texas. Besides shopping at The Galleria and Highland Village, residents can easily reach the Greenway Plaza business area.
The main roads in Afton Oaks are Kettering Drive, Newcastle Drive, Richmond Avenue, and West Alabama Street. The neighborhood has pretty features like a wide, tree-lined path (called an esplanade) along Newcastle Drive. You'll also see many old, tall trees, unique street markers, and small triangle-shaped parks. Some long-standing restaurants, like Nielsen's Delicatessen (opened in 1952), are still popular along Richmond Avenue, giving the area an old-school feel.
Many homes in Afton Oaks are single-story ranch houses built in the 1950s. Because the neighborhood is in a great location, new, larger homes are now being built. These new houses often cost over a million dollars. The Afton Oaks Civic Club, started in 1955, helps keep the neighborhood nice. They take care of common areas, arrange services like security and trash pickup, and make sure neighborhood rules are followed.
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History of Afton Oaks
In the early 1950s, the land where Afton Oaks now stands was used for farming and ranching. It belonged to the O'Meara and Stahlman families. The neighborhood was built in different stages, mostly between 1951 and 1959.
Later, in the 1980s, newer two-story brick and stucco homes started to appear. By the year 2000, many of the older homes were either updated or taken down to build new ones.
What Afton Oaks Looks Like
Afton Oaks is located near where the 610 Loop West Loop and Richmond Avenue meet. This makes it easy to get to places like The Galleria, Greenway Plaza, and even Downtown Houston. Other nearby neighborhoods include Kettering Oaks, Oak Estates, and Royden Oaks.
Most building lots in Afton Oaks are about 8,000 to 10,000 square feet. Many houses have three bedrooms and two bathrooms. Some have two or four bedrooms. In 2001, many homes were still the original ranch-style houses from the 1950s.
Even though some new houses were built, many homeowners chose to remodel their existing homes. This was because the older houses were in good shape and quite large. These remodels often included new granite counters, fancy tile floors, and updated kitchens and bathrooms. Katherine Feser from the Houston Chronicle said these updates made the older homes look as good as newly built ones.
Education in Afton Oaks
Public Schools for Students
Students in Afton Oaks attend schools in the Houston Independent School District. The area is part of Trustee District VII.
Afton Oaks is zoned to these schools:
- St. George Place Elementary School
- Lanier Middle School
- Lamar High School
Before St. George Place Elementary opened, students went to Will Rogers Elementary. When Will Rogers closed in 2006, students temporarily went to Briargrove Elementary. Then, in 2007, Afton Oaks was officially assigned to St. George Place.
Private School Options
There are also several private schools near Afton Oaks. Some private high schools close by include Episcopal High School, St. John's School, and St. Thomas High School.
Public Libraries
The community uses the Adele B. Looscan Neighborhood Library, which is part of the Houston Public Library system. The current library building opened in September 2007.
The old Looscan Library, built in 1956, closed in 2005 and was taken down in 2006. It wasn't accessible for everyone, as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act. The new library cost $6.2 million and is much larger than the old one. A group called Friends for Neighborhood Libraries helped raise money for the new building.
Getting Around Afton Oaks
The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas (METRO) provides bus services in Afton Oaks.
There was a plan to extend the METRORail University Line through the neighborhood. However, residents of Afton Oaks were against this idea. Another neighborhood leader, Gary Baumgartner, suggested the city should focus on larger areas for the rail line. In the end, METRO changed its plans, and the rail line does not go through Afton Oaks.
Local News
The main newspaper for the area is the Houston Chronicle.
A local newspaper called the River Oaks Examiner is also given out in the community.
See Also
- River Oaks, Houston
Images for kids
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A sign at the entrance to Afton Oaks
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St. George Place Elementary School
