History

Arts Legacy

Past to Present: How Houston Built Its Performing Arts Legacy

Before the glitz of the Theater District, Houston’s arts legacy started with dirt-road opera halls and one woman’s bold vision.

09/27/2025 By James Glassman

A Legacy That Lasts

Main Street Theater Celebrates a Half Century in Houston

For five decades, Main Street Theater has nurtured Houston talent, challenged audiences, and built an enduring stage for the city's storytellers.

09/09/2025 By Holly Beretto

20 Years Later

When the Cowbell Rang: How Houston Helped Katrina Survivors Find Family

Houston’s shelters turned chaos into connection, creating a blueprint for disaster relief the federal government couldn’t deliver.

08/29/2025 By Erica Cheng and Brittany Britto Garley

Houstorian

How Streetcars and Trolley Lines Shaped Houston

From mule cars to Metro, public transit has always been a part of the city.

08/22/2025 By James Glassman

Sealed with Honor

Only Six Houstonians Have Been Featured on a US Stamp. Here’s Who Should Be Next.

From Barbara Jordan to Oveta Culp Hobby, these local legends have earned a spot in American postage history, but there are plenty more who deserve the honor.

07/25/2025 By James Glassman

Houstorian

Beyond River Oaks: How Houstonians Watched Movies Before Megaplexes

An historic movie theater can be just as much a work of art as the films shown inside, and the ones still standing are a reminder of our city’s architectural heritage.

06/27/2025 By James Glassman

Reverberations

The Sound of Rain Continues to Echo for Harvey Survivors

The storm left hundreds of Houstonians with PTSD, and public mental health is worsening as more extreme weather events persist as the norm.

06/09/2025 By Meredith Nudo

Houstorian

The Spirit of the Montrose Is Alive(ish) on Lower Westheimer

A look at how the neighborhood’s vibrant artery has evolved over the decades.

05/23/2025 By James Glassman

Out and Proud

Listening to Hope and History with KPFT’s Queer Voices

The program has chronicled the past and present of Houston’s LGBTQ+ community for five decades, and it’s gearing up to be a critical element of the future.

05/13/2025 By Meredith Nudo

Wider Wallets

The Cultured Houstonian’s Guide to Free Museums and Museum Days

These local treasures make it possible to access world-class art, history, science, and more on a budget.

04/29/2025 By Emma Balter and Meredith Nudo

Houstorian

Houston Astros Colors Tell the Story of the City Over the Decades

Astros critics hate to see us coming in our bright orange caps.

04/25/2025 By James Glassman

Trailblazer

Pioneering Chinese American Artist Gets Long-Overdue Retrospective

Hung Hsien studied under the last court painter in China and made abstract expressionism her own. Asia Society Texas is here to tell you what makes her groundbreaking.

04/23/2025 By Meredith Nudo

Reasons to Love Houston

Preserving Local LGBTQ+ History Is a Labor of Love

Houston is (still) at the core of Texas's queer culture and advocacy.

04/04/2025 By Meredith Nudo

Houstorian

Our Highly Memeable Freeways Redefined Who’s a “Houstonian”

It’s true what they say: Houston is an hour from Houston.

03/28/2025 By James Glassman

Houstorian

Over 50 Years, Houstonians Have Shined on Saturday Night Live

From Patrick Swayze’s infamous Chippendales skit to President George H. W. Bush’s cameo.

02/14/2025 By James Glassman

The Must List

Bennett Road Blends Freedmen’s Town History with the Joy of Play

The partnership between Contemporary Arts Museum Houston and the Houston Freedmen's Town Conservancy brings in brothers Michael and Martellus Bennett for a commentary on Black labor.

02/04/2025 By Meredith Nudo