Places along the run that caught my eye
Some historic, some new, all unique
The deLuxe Theater
The DeLUXE Theater is a historic cornerstone of Lyons Avenue’s cultural heritage and the 5th Ward community.
The DeLUXE Theater opened in April 1941 as the premiere Black movie theater and is located at 3303 Lyons Avenue in the heart of Houston’s 5th Ward. In the early 20th-century, the 3300 block of Lyons Avenue was predominantly residential with a smattering of small commercial enterprises such as a blacksmith shop and drug store.
After the Civil Rights Act passed in 1964, the days of segregated movie theaters came to an end and the DeLUXE closed in 1969. The Theater sat empty until 2015. In 2014, an official groundbreaking ceremony was held and renovation on the historic DeLUXE Theater began. The theater now includes a 125 seat proscenium theater, property room, dressing rooms, box office, concession area, lobby, state-of-the-art lighting and sound equipment, administrative offices, multipurpose space, wet bar, and outdoor patio. The theater now offers dance and music programming, event space and community initiatives.
Rufus Cage Elementary
Rufus Cage, a long time Houston school board president, donated the land upon which Cage was established in 1894. The name of the school, however, was not changed to Cage Elementary until the school relocated from the one room schoolhouse, to the newly built 4 room brick building in 1910. In 1914, Cage along with other district 21 schools was added to the Houston Independent School District.
Between 1914 and 1925, Cage closed its doors as a public school so that it could serve as a housing facility to families in the agricultural community and cattle were kept on the land as well. Petitioning mothers were responsible for the reopening of the school and it served that purpose for almost 70 years. It relocated to its final destination in 1983. The school was reserved for whites only (Hispanics being categorized as white prior to 1970). Cage Elementary school was desegregated in 1970.
The building was used as a warehouse by HISD for school supplies until it was purchased by the City of Houston for $100,00 in credits for right-of-way purchases in 2012.
1417 Telephone Rd.
Cullen sculpture garden
Located outside the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, this is a family favorite. It’s a great place for a picnic and just to get outside and hang out. There are more than 25 pieces of art in the garden, some of which are interactive. The family favorite is pictured here, Anish Kapoor’s Cloud Column. It’s always fun to see how walking around it, the sun going behind some clouds or the time of day completely change your perspective on things.
We usually grab coffee and a snack at Cafe Leonelli, located adjacent to the garden, to enjoy as we walk around outside. If you get the chance you can go inside and enjoy the incredible pieces of art in one of Houston’s many world class museums.
101 Bissonnet St.
POST Houston
Formerly the Barbara Jordan Post Office and the site of Grand Central Station before that, POST Houston is the city’s go to spot for food, art, culture, music and work.
POST Houston has nearly 30 restaurant options, from fresh seafood to burgers, unique cocktails and ice cream and cotton candy. There is a rooftop sky lawn that offers incredible views of the skyline, yard games and a concert venue. There is also a rooftop garden, water features and at night, the sky lawn is beautifully lit to add to the experience.
The architecture of the space draws you in and keep you guessing and is a fun spot for photo shoots. Rotating art and culture exhibits always offer something new to see and learn from. From date nights, to family outings, POST Houston is worth checking out when you get the chance.
401 Franklin St.
Mother nature reclaims
This is one of my favorite spots in the city to watch the sun set. I’ve been a few times to watch the glow of the sunset dance between the trees, illuminate the train tracks and reflect off the glass facades of downtown in the distance.
I’ve taken my daughters for photoshoots here and they images always come out brilliantly. The environment just takes you to a different place in your mind.
Seeing the way nature has reclaimed what mankind took gives me hope and a sense of how small I am in this great big city, great big world. If you get the chance, stop by one evening and experience it for yourself.
801 N Everton St.
James Turrell Twilight Epiphany Skyspace
Built in 2012, the pyramidal structure accommodates 120 people between two levels. Twilight Epiphany is acoustically engineered to host musical performances and to act as a laboratory for Shepherd School of Music students. Constructed of grass, concrete, stone, and composite steel, the structure is equipped with an LED light sequence that projects onto the ceiling and through an aperture in the 72-foot square knife-edge roof during sunrise and at sunset. Turrell's composition of light complements the natural light present at twilight and transforms the Skyspace into a locale for experiencing beauty and reflecting on the surrounding campus and the natural world.
The Twilight Epiphany light sequence can be viewed every day at sunrise and sunset. The sunrise light sequence begins approximately 40 minutes before sunrise; we recommend you arrive an hour before sunrise. The Sunset light sequence begins about 10 minutes before sunset. Each sequence lasts approximately 40 minutes.
Rice University, 6100 Main St.
memorial park, eastern glades
The Eastern Glades at Memorial Park reclaims 100 acres of previously inaccessible parkland. This project significantly expands picnicking, adds new parking and restrooms, establishes 5 ½-acre Hines Lake and wetlands, provides trails, boardwalks and opportunities to experience and learn about natural habitat systems and honors the park’s military history.
This is a family favorite for us. In the spring, migrating birds make a stop here on their way north and it makes a great spot for wildlife photography. We picnic here often and walk along the trails, especially the boardwalk. In the fall and early spring you’ll see countless families and friends spread among the green space, relaxing, playing catch, flying kites or under one of the many pavilions hosting a party.
This is also the most popular place to run in Houston. There is a 3-mile loop that surrounds the park and you run right by the Eastern Glades. I usually run here at least once a week.
Memorial Park Conservatory, E Memorial Loop Dr.
riverside general hospital
Officially opening in 1927 and known as The Houston Negro Hospital until 1961, Riverside General holds a particularly significant place in the history of both the black community and medical community in Houston and Texas.
The Hospital was the first nonprofit hospital for black patients in Houston, and it provided a place for well trained Black physicians to work, who were not allowed to admit patients to the "Black Wards" of Houston's other hospitals.
The Houston Negro Hospital Nursing School, which was established soon after the Hospital was built, was the first such educational institution for the training of Black nurses in the City of Houston. Harris County purchased the property in 2018 with hopes to revive it as a mental health facility.
3204 Ennis St.
Beer can house
Beer Can House is the work of John Milkovisch. He started his project in 1968 when he began inlaying thousands of marbles, rocks, and metal pieces into concrete and redwood to form unique landscaping features. When the entire front and back yard were completely covered because he "got sick of mowing the grass", he turned to the house itself and began adding aluminum siding - aluminum beer can siding, that is.
Over the next 18 years the house disappeared under a cover of flattened beer cans for both practical and decorative reasons. Garlands made of cut beer cans hanging from the roof edges not only made the house sing in the wind, but also lowered the family's energy bills.It is estimated that over 50,000 cans adorn this monument to recycling.
The Orange Show Center for Visionary Art acquired the Beer Can House after John and his wife, Mary, passed away. They were intent to carefully restore this work to its original condition where possible and to recreate artistic elements where necessary, bringing back the delightful ambiance of the site.
222 Malone St.
Bethel Baptist Church
Founded in the late 1800's by Reverend John (Jack) H. Yates, Bethel Missionary Baptist Church is located in Freedmen's Town, a post Civil War Houston neighborhood founded by freed slaves. The Church has had three sanctuaries on the same site with the earliest constructed in the 1890's. The first was a wood framed structure that blew down as a result of the 1900 "Great Storm" in Galveston. The second wood framed structure was erected in the early 1900s & had a 40 foot tower. Enlarged and constructed of brick in 1949-50, the third sanctuary was designed by James M. Thomas, a prominent architect of African American churches. In January 2005, a fire gutted the interior of the historic structure. In 2009, the City of Houston provided emergency wall stabilization and minor structural repairs due to the unsafe conditions of the building. The city also purchased the property in order to preserve the church’s façade and provide park space for the community. The goal of the project was to pay tribute to Bethel's significant history and architecture as well as the history of the Fourth Ward.
801 Andrews St.