Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Bayou Bend
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 Location in Texas
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1 Westcott St., Houston, Texas |
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| Area | 15 acres (6.1 ha) |
| Built | 1927 |
| Architect | John F. Staub |
| Architectural style | Neoclassical Revival, English Regency |
| NRHP reference No. | 79002954 |
| Added to NRHP | December 6, 1979 |
Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens is a special place in Houston, Texas, United States. It's part of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH). This 14-acre (57,000 m2) area has beautiful gardens and a house filled with amazing art, furniture, and other decorative items. It used to be the home of a kind lady named Ima Hogg. Bayou Bend became a Texas Historical Commission landmark in 1973. It was also added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.
Contents
Exploring the Mansion and Gardens
The main house at Bayou Bend was built between 1927 and 1928. It was designed by a famous architect named John F. Staub. The house was made for Ima Hogg and her brothers, William C. and Michael Hogg.
How the Gardens Were Created
When Ima Hogg first saw the land, it was a "dense thicket" of trees. She wanted to keep as many trees as possible. Only one tree was moved to make space for the house. The beautiful gardens were then designed around the existing trees.
Ima Hogg chose the name "Bayou Bend" for her home. Her brother Will thought the name sounded "muddy." But Ima believed it was perfect because not everyone had a bayou (a slow-moving stream) on their property.
Outdoor Rooms for Fun
Miss Hogg designed the gardens like outdoor rooms. They were perfect for living and entertaining guests. In 1957, she gave her home and its amazing collection to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Bayou Bend first opened to the public in 1966.
Unique House Design
The house design mixes different styles. It combines 18th-century Georgian architecture with Southern and Spanish Creole touches. Some parts of the design are like old Southern plantation houses.
Inside, the house has a more Northern American style. For example, Miss Hogg's bedroom and sitting room use old floorboards and wood panels from 18th-century houses in Massachusetts. In 1999, the city of Houston officially named Bayou Bend a city landmark.
The Eight Formal Gardens
The 14 acres (5.7 ha) property along Buffalo Bayou has eight special gardens. Three gardens are named after statues of goddesses or muses. These are the Clio, Diana, and Euterpe gardens. Other gardens include the White, East, Butterfly, and Carla gardens.
Hurricane Ike's Impact
In September 2008, Hurricane Ike caused a lot of damage to the gardens. The statues were safe, but many pine trees fell. An American holly tree, which was 55 feet (17 m) tall, also fell. It was the tallest of its kind in Harris County, Texas. Experts worked for months to clear the mess. It took years to bring the gardens back to their original beauty.
Amazing Art Collection
The Bayou Bend collection has about 4,700 objects. These items show art and styles from 1620 to 1870. They are displayed in 28 rooms, each set up to look like a different historical period. The collection focuses on American decorative arts from 1620 to 1870.
How the Collection Started
Miss Hogg started collecting these important American decorative arts in 1920. To show off these old treasures, the architect Staub designed simple but grand rooms. These rooms looked like colonial American homes.
In 1920, Miss Hogg saw a simple armchair in an artist's studio. It was made in colonial America. She loved it so much that she bought a similar Queen Anne chair for herself. Years later, she even bought the exact chair she first saw in the artist's studio! She felt a strong desire to create an American collection for a Texas museum. The collection also includes some English ceramics that were used in Colonial America.
See also
In Spanish: Jardines y Colección de Bayou Bend para niños
