Houston: 1860 to 1900

Images of America: Texas

by Ann Dunphy Becker

In an area that was little more than a thick forest lining Buffalo Bayou, Houston was founded in 1836 by the Allen brothers and named after the Republic of Texas's beloved general Sam Houston. By 1860, there were 5,000 residents in Houston, wooden sidewalks, a few shell-paved roads, and five railroads. Out of the mud and mayhem of Houston's humble frontier beginnings arose men like Thomas W. House, Alexander P. Root, Edward Hopkins Cushing, Thomas Bagby, and William S. Swilley. The sleepy little bayou that wound from Main Street and emptied into Galveston Bay would soon become one of the largest ports in the south. By 1900, the founders' grandchildren were ready to strike out on their own and would play their part in building a great Texas city, a railroad nexus for the Gulf Coast, and an international port of call.

Genres: History

128 pages, Paperback

First published September 18, 2012

Reviews

[Eboni Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like the "Houston in the 1920s and 1930s" title of the same series, this book clearly omits Black and Latino Houstonians.

I own the book and enjoy the historical photos and tidbits, but it does this city a disservice by omitting such a large portion of the population. I know there are plenty of photos featuring Black and Latino Houstonians between 1860 - 1900, I have plenty, but for some reason the writer didn't put much effort into finding any.

Disappointing, but hey, it looks great on my shelf.

[Davy Bennett]

Colonel House was a criminal, but he rarely got caught. Some say, the power behind the Woodrow Wilson throne. Look up Phillip Dru.