A legendary lawn in Houston

Houston, Texas just might be the Pretty Lawn capital of the nation.  Its semi-tropical climate and lush suburban neighborhoods combine to create some truly stunning residential landscapes.  St. Augustine grass spreads a glorious carpet of green on almost everybody’s yard, the scents of gardenias and magnolia blossoms abound, and springtime is always a riot of color.

The Houston area is peppered with its share of rich and/or famous residents, of course.  George and Barbara Bush, many NASA astronauts, baseball legends Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio, entertainer Mickey Gilley, and the infamous R. Allen Stanford all have lovely homes and gardens in the area.

Photo by Corky Ballas

There is, however, one Houston lawn that holds a special fascination.  Its current owners are not particularly rich or famous, but their three-acre home site is notable.  It is located in Rivercrest Estates, an upscale neighborhood near the Beltway and Westheimer.  Its claim to fame?  It is home to the first grass ever trimmed with a Weed Eater. 

The Garage Where the Weed-Eater Was Born

Photo by Marie Brannon

Dance instructor, college professor and real estate developer George C. Ballas was a busy man, but he had a yard to mow just like everyone else.  He was frustrated that his lawnmower couldn’t handle fence corners, areas around trees and other hard-to-reach spots in his large yard.  Sitting in a car wash one day in 1971, watching bristles spin against his vehicle, he had a “light bulb moment”, and the Weed Eater was soon born in his garage.

Photo by Marie Brannon

To see images of Mr. Ballas and his original spinning tin-can, click here. 

An overlooked mansion in the Museum District

Many hundreds, if not thousands, of vehicles pass through the intersection of Bissonnet and Montrose every day.  The Contemporary Arts Museum, the Cullen Sculpture Garden and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston are highly visible here and serve as anchors for the entire Museum District. 

But wait!  Intersections have four corners.  What’s on that other corner?  The southwest corner, behind all those bushes and trees and that lovely wrought iron gate?  Another museum?  Headquarters for some non-profit arts foundation?  Wrong.

Much to the surprise of many, it is a private residence.

Photo by William T. Cannady

At 6,180 square feet, it probably qualifies as a mansion.  It sits on half an acre, facing Bayard Street.  It is L-shaped, has five balconies, two fireplaces and 5½ bathrooms.  It was built by noted architect William Cannady in 1990, and is surely worth the $5.2 million price tag it carries.

So, the next time you find yourself in the area of Bissonnet at Montrose, take a moment and enjoy the beauty of a contemporary showplace hiding in plain sight.  If you want to see the real estate photos taken by Markley Crosswell, click here.

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Jesse H. Jones must have loved Main Street

If Jesse Holman Jones were still alive, he would celebrate his 137^th birthday this week, and I’m sure he would still be living somewhere on Main Street in Houston.  From the time he arrived in our fair city in 1898, until the time of his death in 1956, he always lived on Main. 

Local history buffs might recall that he lived at the Rice Hotel for several decades, but he also lived in two other homes on Main Street.

At the age of 24, young Jesse arrived in Houston to stay with his aunt, Mrs. Martin T. Jones.  They lived at 2908 Main Street in a large house with four resident servants: a cook, a coachman, a maid and a gardener.  Jesse’s uncle Martin had passed away and his Aunt Louisa needed help in operating the M.T. Jones Lumber Company.  This house, which was near the corner of Main and Tuam, is long gone.  The property is now an empty lot.

from 1905-06 city directory

In the 1900 census he was living at the Capitol Hotel (Main at Texas).  Interestingly, two other residents of the Capitol at that time were William and John Foley, who were selling groceries and liquor.

Capitol Hotel
photo courtesy UH Libraries

In 1911, when Jesse was 37 years old, he bought the Rice Hotel and demolished it.  He rebuilt it on the same site, took up residence there in 1913 and stayed for the rest of his life.  In the 1926 city directory he is listed there, with a phone number of 2278.  This number was later CA-2278 and presumably became CA2-2278.  But I digress.

When World War I started, Jesse filled out his papers and gave his address as 2908 Main Street, Houston.  So he probably used both addresses as long as his aunt was living. 

By 1946, he was so famous that he was featured in Life Magazine, with a photo of him at home.  We think this was his Rice Hotel home, but who knows for sure?

Life magazine, October 1, 1946

Happy birthday, Jesse Jones.  The next time I visit Jones Hall I’ll think of you and your illustrious life.  Thanks for sharing your talents and wisdom with Houston. 

The Bob Lanier residences in Houston

Houston’s own Mayorbob is observing his 86^th birthday this week, and we are taking the occasion as an opportunity to remember a couple of fabulous places where he lived.  He first moved to Houston after World War II, after growing up in Baytown and serving his country.  He became a successful attorney, working for Baker Botts during the 1950s and establishing his own practice on Washington Avenue in the 1960s.  In 1968, he bought a mansion on River Oaks Boulevard and lived there approximately two decades with his wife Mary Elizabeth and their children. 

The house has eight bedrooms, eight baths, and more than 13,000 square feet of living space.  The exterior brick is from the Walker County Court House, built in 1881 in Huntsville. During the 1980s, the house and gardens were often opened for public view during the Azalea Trail Home Tour.  The entryway had a white marble floor and a grand staircase, decked out with fresh flowers from Bob’s beloved gardens.  The living-dining room had red walls before it was trendy to have red walls.

After leaving the Mayor’s Office, Bob and his new wife (Mary Elizabeth passed away in 1984) moved to a luxury high-rise penthouse in the Upper Kirby area of Houston.  According to Madeleine McDermott Hamm of the Houston Chronicle, Elyse insisted “it had to be comfortable and beautiful, and everything had to be bought in Houston”.

Their new digs had almost 6,300 square feet of living space but only one bedroom, leaving scads of room for entertaining Texas-style.  Elyse’s penchant for a red and gold contemporary style was carried out all through the house.  You can read Ms. Hamm’s detailed 1995 article about the interior decorating here.

Happy birthday, Mayorbob.  We hope you have 86 more. 

A personal note to my readers

Friends, my heart is broken tonight as I report the passing of my wonderful husband, Jim Brannon.  Here is a glimpse into his amazing life.

James G. Brannon, JD, CPA

James G. (Jim) Brannon, 77, of Pearland, passed away peacefully at home on February 11, 2011.  A proud native Texan, Jim was born March 9, 1933 in Laredo, Texas, the 4^th child of Rev. R. Bruce Brannon and Margaret Sanders Brannon.  He graduated from high school in Marshall, Texas in 1948 and received his B.A. from Austin College in 1953.  After graduation, Jim joined the U.S. Navy.  He was proud to serve his country as an OED officer, where his job as a diver was to disable live underwater mines. 

After discharge, Jim moved to Houston, where he would remain for the rest of his life.  He was a CPA for more than 50 years, and an attorney for more than 35 years.  He first worked for Shell Pipeline Corporation and Texas Eastern Transmission, becoming an expert in tax planning and tax shelters.  While working at Texas Eastern, he was Comptroller for the development of One and Two Houston Center in downtown Houston. 

In 1974, he graduated from South Texas College of Law.  His career took another turn and he worked for Peat Marwick Mitchell in Taxation and then for Underwood-Neuhaus in equity financing.

Jim became an alcoholic during the 1980’s but by the grace of God and with the help of Alcoholics Anonymous, he took the last drink of his life on May 4, 1987.  One of Jim’s greatest desires was to die sober and he accomplished that, celebrating 23 years of sobriety in 2010.  Jim led a Friday Night AA Meeting at the Last Chance Recovery Center for more than twenty years, becoming affectionately known as “Mr. ABC”.  He also participated in an AA Prison Ministry and was one of the founding members of the Peer Assistance Committee of the Texas State Society of CPA’s. 

He served the Exchange Club of Pearland, the Downtown Exchange Club, Youth and Family Counseling of Brazoria County, CASA and Unity Church of Christianity in various capacities through the years.

For the past two decades, Jim had a private practice as an Attorney/CPA.  He started with four clients in 1988 and built a successful practice.  Jim loved his work and he never retired.  In fact, he was still working on a tax return during the last day of his life.  His final act of service to others was to donate his body to the University of Texas Health Science Center Medical School. 

He had a beautiful basso profundo singing voice, enjoyed singing, jigsaw puzzles, Sudoku puzzles, and sailing.  He was an ardent Houston Astros fan and followed the Rockets and Texans as well.  He voted Republican and was a member of Unity Church.

The family would like to express their gratitude to the nurses and staff at Altus Harbor Hospice, to Dr. Percy Howard, Dr. Timothy Doyle and Dr. Victor Salcedo for their unflagging support during Jim's long and difficult struggle with COPD, and to Karen Kirkgard and Kay Pilgrim for their nurturing spirits.

Jim is survived by his loving wife, Marie, of Pearland, and his sister, Evelyn Brannon Gray and her husband Hal of Irvine, California.  His children are Jonathan Bartran of Redondo Beach, CA, Claire Lee of St. Louis, MO and Bethany Le Sager of Utrecht, Netherlands.  He leaves eight nieces, two nephews and two grandchildren.  A memorial service will be held in the Chapel at Unity Church of Christianity, 2929 Unity Drive on Saturday February 19^th at 2:00 pm. 

When Farrah Fawcett lived in Houston

It’s hard to believe that Farrah Fawcett would have turned 64 years old this past week, but the Texas Birth Index shows she was born February 2^nd, 1947 in Corpus Christi.  It has been more than fifty years since she attended school here in Houston. 

She lived in the Linkwood neighborhood off South Braeswood and attended Pershing Jr. High School in the early 1960’s.  The house is still standing but the original school building has been replaced by a bigger and better facility.  

Photo by Marie Brannon

About a year ago this house was on the market, and we were fortunate enough to find some photos of the interior.  It appears that little has changed since Farrah walked through this very living room.  

Photo by Kris Holt

The house has three bedrooms, two baths, a two-car garage and the fireplace you see in the picture.  Other than that, it is just like thousands of other middle-class homes all over America.

More about the Fondren family homes

One year ago Walter W. Fondren III passed away, leaving his wife and six children.  Walter’s father, W.W. Fondren, Jr., grew up on Westmoreland Street here in Houston.  Click here to read our article and see photos of that house, which was built in 1905 at the corner of Westmoreland and Emerson.

We had planned to have some pictures of the houses where Walter III lived, but the weather has caused a delay.  It's 20 degrees in Houston, Texas and honestly, I just don't go out and tempt the fates that way.  I'll get the photos and add them here in a few days.

Thanks for your interest in my project.

The Bernard and Ann Sakowitz residences in Houston

One year ago this week Houstonians mourned the loss of 96-year-old socialite Ann Baum Sakowitz.  Her husband Bernard, who grew up on West Main Street here and inherited his dad’s clothing store, died thirty years ago at the age of seventy-four. They are both buried in the Beth Israel Cemetery on West Dallas Street.

Bernard and Ann were married in 1933 and made their home near Rice Institute, in the 2100 block of Sunset Boulevard.  That house was demolished and replaced in 2002, and we were not able to find any photos of it.

Photo by PaperCity Magazine

Shortly after their first child was born in 1935, they moved to a 10,000 square foot Colonial mansion on six acres in the Riverside Terrace area.  Their address was 3533 North MacGregor Way.  Today that site is occupied by the North MacGregor Arms Apartments.

3533 North MacGregor Way, 1940s
photo by PaperCity Magazine

They raised their two children, Lynn and Bobby, in Riverside Terrace.  In those days, Jewish families were not allowed in River Oaks so many of the wealthy ones built their mansions along the “other” bayou on the other side of town. After the kids grew up and left home, the Sakowitzes moved again, this time to a 5,300 square foot condo at 5050 Woodway.  This property is currently for sale, listed at nearly half a million dollars. 

Sakowitz living room at 5050 Woodway
photo by Jack Thompson

Bernard, Ann, Lynn and Bobby all made their mark on Houston, each in his/her own way.  We take this opportunity to honor the elder couple and send our best wishes to their descendants. 

The Henderson mansion on West 11th Place

Way out Main Street in the 1920s, near Rice Institute, impressive homes were built for many of Houston’s movers and shakers.  One such neighborhood consisted of six houses on a cul-de-sac christened West 11^th Place.  By 1926, it was home to Ross Stewart of Stewart & Stevenson fame, Rice Civics professor J.W. Slaughter, oilman William V. Bowles, lumberman Thomas W. Blake, oil engineer Willard C. Averill Jr. and cotton baron Robert Wilson Henderson.

Photos by Joe Lucia

Henderson was a native Texan from Navarro County who married Loise Jackson in 1916.  They lived on Hathaway Street for a few years until their home was built.  Robert was president of Henderson Cotton Company, which was located at 2800 Roanoke Street in the Fifth Ward.  They joined a local Methodist church and were active for decades, eventually donating their hunting lodge property in Montgomery County to be used as a retreat center. 

He and Loise had one daughter, a cook, a chauffeur, and a nurse who lived on the premises.  We couldn’t locate a photo of Robert or Loise, but here is the obituary of their daughter (also named Loise) who probably grew up in this house. 

And such a lovely place it is!  Henderson’s two-story traditional home was built at #5 West 11^th in 1920.  It has more than 4,000 square feet with four bedrooms, 3 ½ baths, a two-car detached garage with quarters, two staircases and a wood-burning fireplace.  It is valued at $2.2 million and is currently on the market with plans to subdivide the lot.

Please leave a comment if you know anything further about this family or the Henderson Cotton Company.  Thanks. 

When George Foreman lived in Houston

One of Houston’s notable former residents is venerable George Foreman, who grew up in the Bloody Fifth Ward in the 1950s.  Since he’s having a birthday on Monday, we decided to do a little research on the actual house or houses where he lived.

Any simple Google search will reveal the names of George’s parents, (J.D. and Nancy) so we searched through city directories, real estate records, voter registrations and other public records to find any addresses in the Fifth Ward.

In 1955, when George was six years old, Mrs. Nancy R. Foreman was listed as an employee of Jean’s Café, living in a rented house on Erastus Street.  This house has apparently been torn down to make room for expansion of the Southern Pacific railroad yard off Liberty Road.  There was another listing in this same year for J.D. and Nancy a few blocks away on Rawley Street.  This address is now a vacant lot.

                                                         Photo courtesy of George Foreman

By the time George was twelve, Nancy was working at the OST Café and living on King Street a couple of blocks south of Lyons Avenue.  That location is now part of the feeder road for Interstate 10 between Lockwood and Waco. 

We wish we could have found a house to photograph, but unfortunately all three addresses are now defunct.  Suffice it to say that George Foreman grew up in a neighborhood that has gone through many changes in the decades since he left.  Nancy passed away in 1998, and there are few traces of this Foreman family left in the Houston area.

Happy Birthday George.  We hope you have 60-odd more!

Welcome

Welcome to Hovels to Haciendas: Homes of Historic Houstonians.  Here you will find articles about the houses and personal lives of selected residents and former residents of Houston, Texas.  These are not necessarily historic homes; nor are they always large and fancy.  They range from shabby apartments to mansions, but they were all home to at least one famous or infamous individual.

Houston has its share of politicians, celebrities, renowned scholars, prominent businessmen, historic characters, infamous criminals and leading citizens.  Our aim is to document where they lived and reminisce about their family lives.

Browse around, enjoy the site as it grows, and e-mail the author at goodsearch@aol.com if you have suggestions. 

About the Author

Marie Brannon grew up in the Houston area in the 1950s and has been interested in its history “forever”.  She writes a local history column for Examiner.com, where you can find articles about such topics as the Foley’s Christmas windows, the establishment of Westmoreland Farms in the 1920s, the Astrodome scoreboard, and the Weingarten mansion on South McGregor.  Click here to browse around over there.

In her other life, Marie is a self-employed bookbinder.  She repairs and restores old books, including Bibles, yearbooks, children’s books, etc.  She is married and currently lives in west Pearland.