Houston in 1891

Feature 8: Magnolia Park

The Magnolia Park development was laid out in 1890 on 1,374 acres of land across Bray’s Bayou (shown at the top of the detail) from Harrisburg and seven miles down Buffalo Bayou from Houston. The Houston Belt and Magnolia Park Railway connected the area to the city. Photographs, such as Buffalo Bayou at Magnolia Park, 1894, emphasized the bucolic nature of the surroundings, which, with the good rail service, made a good picnic area for Houstonians. After the turn of the century, the area became one of the oldest Hispanic neighborhoods in Houston. Photograph courtesy of the Houston Metropolitan Research Center, Houston Public Library.