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

The Drawl

Rejected Houston Mottoes

Because there were actually some limits to "The City with No Limits."

09/08/2025 By James Glassman Illustrations by James Glassman

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

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

The Classics

At 90 Years, Pizzitola’s BBQ Has Embraced a New Chapter

The restaurant remains a staple in Houston, and is now leaning into its heritage with new ownership.

05/13/2025 By Sofia Gonzalez

Ever Wonder Why…

What’s the Deal with Houston’s Blue Tile Street Signs, Anyway?

The iconic tiles had to come from somewhere. We asked Preservation Houston to tell us a little bit about how the legend was born.

12/02/2024 By Meredith Nudo

High Living

A Total Insider’s Guide to the Houston Heights

One of the trendiest neighborhoods in the city is full of star power and hidden gems.

04/30/2024 By Sofia Gonzalez and Emma Balter

Tried and True

How Houston’s Historic Burger Joints Have Stood the Test of Time

These neighborhood dives have spent decades building a sense of community, one burger at a time.

01/19/2024 By Daniel Renfrow

Just Daydreaming

Actually Cool Things We Think Should Go in the Old Tower Theatre

The historic Montrose building is vacant again after Acme Oyster House closed, and we have some ideas.

01/05/2024 By Daniel Renfrow

Traveling Through Time

New Exhibit Highlights Houston’s Safe Spaces for Black Americans

The Negro Motorist Green Book at the Holocaust Museum Houston compels visitors to travel through the country as if they lived in the segregation era.

09/13/2023 By Uvie Bikomo

Home away from home

Night Moves Hospitality Breathes Life Back Into Spring Branch's Live Oak Grill

The neighborhood bar in Sping Branch underwent renovations this past September.

10/13/2021 By Shelby Stewart

Weekend Warriors

The To-Doux List: Oct. 18-20

This weekend brings piercings, Diwali, and even more home tours.

10/17/2019 By Abby Ledoux

Come On Over

Meet the Heights Homes on Display This Spring

Five homes, both historic and new, open their doors to visitors April 6-7.

03/14/2019 By Abby Ledoux

Make Yourself at Home

5 Historic Properties Will Open Their Doors for One Weekend and One Weekend Only

A Craftsman bungalow, Victorian factory, and midcentury abode are all on this year's Good Brick Tour, which recognizes properties for excellence in historic preservation.

10/24/2018 By Abby Ledoux

Unboxed

See Three Decades of Houston Black History in Photos

Photographer Louise Martin chronicled everything from MLK to the Houston Freedom Riders and beyond.

02/21/2018 By Josh Davis Photography by Louise Martin

Ice House

Why Doesn't Houston Have Its Own History Museum?

The fourth-largest city in the country doesn't have a museum dedicated to its own past. Why?

12/29/2017 By Katharine Shilcutt

Hidden Houston

These Riverside Terrace Mansions Have Never Been Open to the Public—Until Now

A historic home tour will take place on December 3.

11/14/2017 By Katharine Shilcutt

Old Man Yells at Cloud

Houston "Ruined" According to Angry Front Lawn Sign

Was our city "better" in 1947? Given the general lack of air conditioning, for one—no.

07/20/2017 By Katharine Shilcutt

Hunker Down

A Century of Stormy Weather in Photos

If there's anything that history teaches us, it's that no matter what we do or where we build, this city has and always will continue to flood.

07/18/2017 Edited by Katharine Shilcutt

Houston Proud

Pride and Protests: Remembering the Night Anita Bryant Came to Town

Forty years ago, a protest against a former beauty queen changed Houston's gay community forever.

05/25/2017 By Katharine Shilcutt