Hey history buffs! I’m excited to announce our new section all about Houston history. While I was a reporter for the Houston Chronicle, I enjoyed diving into our city’s rich and complex history. I hope this section can be a place for interesting facts, historical photos, and other eye-opening stories about our city.
To kick things off, let’s learn a little bit about Westheimer, one of Houston’s most iconic streets. Westheimer stretches about 19 miles from downtown Bagby Street to the Westpark Tollway on the edge of George Bush Park. It’s named after Mitchell Louis Westheimer, a German immigrant who bought 640 acres to farm.
He built a large house right about where Lamar High School currently stands. A country road leading to his farm was informally called Westheimer Road, but the name became official once he donated some of his land for a new road that would connect Houston with nearby Columbus, Texas. As the years went by, Westheimer became one of Houston's busiest streets.
Above is a photo of a Westheimer building you may know: the historic Hollyfield Laundry. Built in 1939, it was designed by J.W. Northrup, Jr., the same architect who designed the base of the Sam Houston statue in Hermann Park. The building is now the home of Empire Cafe.
If you’re interested in learning more about the architectural history of Lower Westheimer, check out Preservation Houston’s video series here. Shout-out to David Bush, Executive Director of Preservation Houston, who first sent me information on Hollyfield Laundry!
