Courtlandt Place will celebrate its 104 year history with a home tour on Saturday and Sunday, October 16 and 17. Guests are invited to tour seven historic homes, completed c.1910-1926, and two gardens, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. A self-guided walking tour of the neighborhood, including an architectural description and history of the 18 original homes, will also be available.
Early Courtlandt Place photographs will be on display as well as a collection of vintage clothing, antique musical instruments, antique cars and carriages. Signed copies of the recently published book, Houston’s Courtlandt Place, will be available for purchase, and the authors will be present to answer questions about Courtlandt Place history.
Modern Houston was taking shape when Courtlandt Place was developed in 1906 as a private compound for members of the city’s business and social elite. The neighborhood is an example of the Private Place concept initiated in St. Louis, Missouri, in the last quarter of the 19th century. The finest architects of the period, including Birdsall Briscoe, Sanguinet and Staats, Alfred Finn, and John Staub, executed commissions in Courtlandt Place. All of the neighborhood’s original homes have been preserved and collectively offer a rare opportunity to experience life in Houston in the first years of the 20th century.
Tickets for the Courtlandt Place Home Tour 2010 are $25.00 in advance or $30.00 if purchased at the gate. Proceeds benefit Courtlandt Place Historic Foundation and the Hermann Park Conservancy. For advance ticket sales and more information, visit http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/100369.