The William A. Wilson Realty Co. began developing Woodland Heights in 1907 on 136 acres of land that was once part of John Austin’s Mexican land grant. The neighborhood was one of Houston’s first “streetcar suburbs” — a streetcar line ran from downtown along Houston Avenue to just outside the Woodland Heights gates, enabling working-class Houstonians to live in a lovely wooded setting and easily commute to their jobs.
Our 90-minute docent-guided tour covers several early 20th century architectural styles found in the neighborhood, including the foursquare, cottage and bungalow, and highlights the live oak trees Wilson planted in 1907, which have matured into lush canopies over Woodland Heights’ streets.