Eastwood, Houston
Eastwood is one of Houston’s first master-planned subdivisions.[2] It was designed and developed in 1911 by William A. Wilson, who also developed Eastwood's sister neighborhood, Woodland Heights.[3] The first lots went on sale in June 1912 and Eastwood was officially opened in September 1913.[2][3] A few of the homes were built between 1900 and 1909, prior to the official platting of the neighborhood.[4]
The development was planned with shelled streets[5] that were sixty to eighty feet in width,[6] cement curbs and sidewalks, city water, gas, electricity, telephones and sanitary sewerage as well as terraced lots designed for natural drainage.[2] One of the unique features of the neighborhood is the symmetrically planned placement of live oak trees and sycamore trees.[3] Wilson envisioned Eastwood to be a more upscale counterpart to his Woodland Heights subdivision.[1] The utilities were placed at the rear of the lots to avoid marring the landscape of the community.[4]
A boulevard driveway was built through the center of the neighborhood, which skirted a natural ravine.[4] The ravine provided lush greenery and a drainage route for surplus water to empty into Brays Bayou.[4] Today, the ravine has been filled and is now the esplanade dividing Park Drive.[4]
By October 1913, Eastwood was hailed by The Houston Daily Post as “A model suburb. . .one of the most convenient, attractive and beautiful homesite additions in the city of Houston."[4]
Notable early residents[edit]The first residents were young entrepreneurs in the city, business owners and management.[2] By October 1913, Eastwood was hailed by The Houston Daily Post as a “model suburb, one of the most convenient, attractive and beautiful homesite additions in the city of Houston."[3] Its reputation as one of Houston's rising preeminent suburban neighborhoods attracted wealthy and notable residents, including:
The development was planned with shelled streets[5] that were sixty to eighty feet in width,[6] cement curbs and sidewalks, city water, gas, electricity, telephones and sanitary sewerage as well as terraced lots designed for natural drainage.[2] One of the unique features of the neighborhood is the symmetrically planned placement of live oak trees and sycamore trees.[3] Wilson envisioned Eastwood to be a more upscale counterpart to his Woodland Heights subdivision.[1] The utilities were placed at the rear of the lots to avoid marring the landscape of the community.[4]
A boulevard driveway was built through the center of the neighborhood, which skirted a natural ravine.[4] The ravine provided lush greenery and a drainage route for surplus water to empty into Brays Bayou.[4] Today, the ravine has been filled and is now the esplanade dividing Park Drive.[4]
By October 1913, Eastwood was hailed by The Houston Daily Post as “A model suburb. . .one of the most convenient, attractive and beautiful homesite additions in the city of Houston."[4]
Notable early residents[edit]The first residents were young entrepreneurs in the city, business owners and management.[2] By October 1913, Eastwood was hailed by The Houston Daily Post as a “model suburb, one of the most convenient, attractive and beautiful homesite additions in the city of Houston."[3] Its reputation as one of Houston's rising preeminent suburban neighborhoods attracted wealthy and notable residents, including:
- Howard Tellepsen, former president of Tellepsen Builders[3]
- Charles L. Bering, owner of Bering's Hardware[3]
- Ira G. Bond[3]
- March Culmore, President of the Sam Houston Trust Co.[3]