Eastwood, Houston facts for kids
Eastwood is a cool old neighborhood in the East End part of Houston, Texas. It's known for having the biggest collection of special house styles like Craftsman, Arts & Crafts, Foursquare, and Mission. These homes give Eastwood a unique and historic feel.
Contents
History
How Eastwood Started
Eastwood was one of the first neighborhoods in Houston that was planned out from the very beginning. A man named William A. Wilson designed it in 1911. He also created another neighborhood called Woodland Heights. The first plots of land in Eastwood went on sale in June 1912. The neighborhood officially opened in September 1913. A few homes were even built before 1911.
The plans for Eastwood were very modern for its time. It had wide streets, sidewalks, city water, gas, electricity, and phones. It also had a good sewage system. The lots were designed to drain water naturally. A special feature of Eastwood is the many live oak and sycamore trees planted in neat rows. Wilson wanted Eastwood to be even nicer than his Woodland Heights project. Utility lines were placed behind the houses so they wouldn't spoil the look of the streets.
A special road called a boulevard was built through the middle of the neighborhood. It followed a natural dip in the land that had lots of green plants. This dip also helped drain extra water into Brays Bayou. Later, this area was filled in and planted with cypress trees. Today, it's the grassy area that divides Park Drive.
In October 1913, a newspaper called The Houston Daily Post praised Eastwood. They called it a "model suburb" and one of the most "convenient, attractive and beautiful" places to live in Houston.
Famous Early Residents
The first people to live in Eastwood were often young business owners and managers. Because it was becoming a popular and fancy neighborhood, it attracted some important people. These included:
- Howard Tellepsen, who used to be the head of Tellepsen Builders
- Charles L. Bering, who owned Bering's Hardware store
- Ira G. Bond
- March Culmore, who was the President of the Sam Houston Trust Co.
It's also thought that Howard Hughes lived in Eastwood for a short time. He stayed with his aunt on McKinney Street. During this time, he was building an airplane in a garage on Eastwood Street. His company, the Hughes Tool Company, which made oil-drilling machines, moved nearby in the 1940s.
House Styles
The houses in Eastwood were custom-built. They showed off the popular styles of the early 1900s. These styles included Craftsman, Arts & Crafts, American Foursquare, and Mission architecture. Even today, Eastwood has the largest collection of these types of homes in Houston. You can also see some influences from the Prairie-style, which is related to the Arts and Crafts movement, in some houses.
Cityscape
Eastwood is very close to Minute Maid Park, where the Houston Astros play baseball. It's also near Downtown Houston. An author named YuShan Chang said that Eastwood is close to "the city's major sports venues, fine arts district, and nightlife."
At one point, Eastwood had some problems like graffiti and empty buildings. But in 1997, a newspaper called the Houston Chronicle said it was a good example of a planned community. In 1998, people started working to make the area much nicer.
Eastwood's Growth (1998–2017)
Between 1998 and 2013, the cost of homes in Eastwood more than doubled. This shows how much the neighborhood was improving and becoming more popular. The prices have continued to go up each year.
Eastwood is still becoming a "lovely neighborhood." It now looks as nice as some of Houston's other well-known areas. Young families, single people, and couples are moving in. Many of them are fixing up the older houses. People who find homes in places like the Houston Heights and Montrose too expensive often choose Eastwood. It offers the charm and history of the Heights but at a better price. Because it's so popular, Eastwood is now sometimes called "the new Heights."
Landmarks
- The Tellepsen home at 4518 Park Drive was built in 1916. It was built by Tom and Ingeborg Tellepsen, who owned Tellepsen Builders. This house is special because it's an "airplane bungalow" or "hangar craftsman" style. It has big windows and deep roof overhangs, which are common in Craftsman homes.
- Church of the Redeemer (Houston, Texas)
- The former Maxwell House coffee factory on Harrisburg Boulevard has been a big part of Houston's East End for over 50 years. This factory used to be a Ford Motor Company plant where Model T cars were made. General Foods bought the old Ford plant in 1947 and opened the Maxwell House Coffee factory. Kraft Foods bought the factory in 1988. It still makes coffee today. The factory has a tall tower and a bright neon sign. It shows that three of America’s biggest coffee companies are in the East End. These are Maxwell House, Cadeco Industries, Inc., and Sara Lee Coffee & Tea. Today, Atlantic Coffee Solutions runs the plant. A huge mural made entirely from coffee beans was built in 1959 and is still there.
- Eastwood is home to Tlaquepaque Plaza. This shopping center opened in 1929 as the Eastwood Shopping Center. It got its current name in 2004.
- Cage Elementary School, built in 1910.
- The former Morse Candy Factory. This building was bought by a war history museum from Navasota, TX. In 2011, they started fixing up the old factory to move the World War II museum to Houston's East End. The old candy factory has sometimes offered tours during the Annual Eastwood Historic Home Tour.
- The former Stewart & Stevenson manufacturing plant. In the 1940s, this plant helped the U.S. Government during World War II. Women factory workers there rebuilt 2,200 green U.S. Army Jeeps and 4,000 Sherman tank engines. People think the building was first built in the 1920s as a wagon factory.
- The former Hughes Tool Company headquarters were at 5425 Polk in the 1940s. This company made oil-drilling machines. It was led by the famous Howard Hughes, who was also known for his airplanes and movies. Today, the building holds offices for several state government groups.
Transportation
The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO) provides public transportation. This includes buses and the METRORail tram service. The METRORail Green Line has a station for this area called Lockwood/Eastwood. The METRORail Purple Line has a station called Leeland/Third Ward. These two tram lines meet at the EADO/Stadium station. This station connects to the Downtown and Second Ward neighborhoods.
Parks and recreation
Eastwood Park is run by the City of Houston. It's located at 5000 Harrisburg Boulevard. The Eastwood Community Center is nearby at 5020 Harrisburg Boulevard. The center has a skate park, a swimming pool, an outdoor basketball court, a lighted sports field, and a playground. It also has a walking and biking trail and lighted tennis courts.
Education
Schools in Eastwood
Public Schools
Eastwood is part of the Houston Independent School District. Some students go to Cage Elementary School, and others go to Lantrip Elementary School. Both of these schools are in Eastwood. Some students also go to Carrillo Elementary School, which is just outside Eastwood. All students in Eastwood go to Yolanda Black Navarro Middle School of Excellence (formerly Stonewall Jackson Middle School) and Austin High School. Both of these are in Eastwood. Eastwood Academy, which is an alternative school, is also in Eastwood. Any student who can go to Austin High School can also attend Eastwood Academy. Project Chrysalis Middle School is on the same grounds as Cage Elementary.
The Kirby School opened in 1902. In 1906, a new building opened across the street. Lantrip, which was first called Eastwood Elementary School, opened in 1916. In 1923, Kirby was renamed Cage Elementary School. This was to honor Rufus Cage, who helped schools and was a school board president. Jackson Middle School opened in 1925. Austin High School opened in 1936. In 1983, Cage Elementary moved to a new location. Carrillo Elementary opened in 1993. Lantrip Elementary got a new building in 2007.
In 2012, Richard Connelly from the Houston Press said that Austin High School had the most beautiful school building in Greater Houston.
Gallery of Schools
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Lantrip Elementary School
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Cage Elementary School
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Jackson Middle School
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Austin High School
Public Libraries
Eastwood is close to the Flores Branch of the Houston Public Library.
Community Information
Eastwood Civic Association
The Eastwood Civic Association helps many neighborhoods, including Eastwood, Broadmoor, and others.
This group is made up of volunteers. They give their time and help to "improve the quality of life for our residents." They also work to "protect the value and beauty of our homes and neighborhood." They team up with local government and police to keep citizens safe.
Since 1996, the association has held an Annual Historic Home Tour. This happens on the third weekend of October. It shows off special homes and other old landmarks in Eastwood.
Super Neighborhoods
Eastwood is part of a larger area called Super Neighborhood 64 - Greater Eastwood. A council of residents and other people from the area is elected. They meet to talk about issues and decide on important projects for the community.
