USDI/NPS NRHP Registration Form Idylwood Historic District, Houston, Harris County, Texas Page 2 5. CLASSIFICATION OWNERSHIP OF PROPERTY: private CATEGORY OF PROPERTY: district NUMBER OF RESOURCES WITHIN PROPERTY: CONTRIBUTING NONCONTRIBUTING 503 91 BUILDINGS 1 0 SITES 1 0 STRUCTURES 20 0 OBJECTS 525 91 TOTAL NUMBER OF CONTRIBUTING RESOURCES PREVIOUSLY LISTED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER: NAME OF RELATED MULTIPLE PROPERTY LISTING: Historic Residential Suburbs in the United States, 1830-1960 6. FUNCTION OR USE HISTORIC FUNCTIONS: DOMESTIC/Single Dwelling DOMESTIC/Multiple Dwelling DOMESTIC/Secondary Structure COMMERCE/Specialty Store LANDSCAPE/Park LANDSCAPE/Street Furniture/Object TRANSPORTATION/Road-related CURRENT FUNCTIONS: DOMESTIC/Single Dwelling DOMESTIC/Multiple Dwelling DOMESTIC/Secondary Structure COMMERCE/Specialty Store LANDSCAPE/Park LANDSCAPE/Street Furniture/Object TRANSPORTATION/Road-related 7. DESCRIPTION ARCHITECTURAL CLASSIFICATION: LATE NINETEENTH AND TWENTIETH CENTURY REVIVALS: Colonial Revival, Tudor Revival, Spanish Colonial Revival, French Renaissance MODERN MOVEMENT: Moderne, Minimal Traditional, Ranch OTHER: 1-Part Commercial block; NO STYLE MATERIALS: FOUNDATION Concrete WALLS Brick, Stone, Wood, Metal, Asbestos, Concrete, Stucco ROOF Metal, Asphalt, Concrete OTHER N/A NARRATIVE DESCRIPTION (see Continuation Sheets 7-5 through 7-44) USDI/NPS NRHP Registration Form Idylwood Historic District, Houston, Harris County, Texas Page 3 8. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE APPLICABLE NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERIA PROPERTY IS ASSOCIATED WITH EVENTS THAT HAVE MADE A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO THE BROAD X A PATTERNS OF OUR HISTORY. B PROPERTY IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE LIVES OF PERSONS SIGNIFICANT IN OUR PAST. PROPERTY EMBODIES THE DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF A TYPE, PERIOD, OR METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION OR REPRESENTS THE WORK OF A MASTER, OR POSSESSES HIGH ARTISTIC VALUES, OR X C REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT AND DISTINGUISHABLE ENTITY WHOSE COMPONENTS LACK INDIVIDUAL DISTINCTION. D PROPERTY HAS YIELDED, OR IS LIKELY TO YIELD INFORMATION IMPORTANT IN PREHISTORY OR HISTORY. CRITERIA CONSIDERATIONS: N/A AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE: ARCHITECTURE, COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE: 1928-1961 SIGNIFICANT DATES: 1928 SIGNIFICANT PERSON: N/A CULTURAL AFFILIATION: N/A ARCHITECT/BUILDER: Ainsworth and Irvine; Williams, Allen R., Jr.; Hare and Hare, Turner, Harry A.; Staub, John; Slaughter, S.R.; Stayton Nunn and Milton McGinty; Swenson, Heidbreder and Bush; Lightfoot, T. E. NARRATIVE STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE (see Continuation Sheets 8-45 through 8-71) 9. MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES BIBLIOGRAPHY (see Continuation Sheets 9-72 through 9-82) PREVIOUS DOCUMENTATION ON FILE (NPS): N/A _ preliminary determination of individual listing (36 CFR 67) has been requested. _ previously listed in the National Register _ previously determined eligible by the National Register _ designated a National Historic Landmark _ recorded by Historic American Buildings Survey # _ recorded by Historic American Engineering Record # PRIMARY LOCATION OF ADDITIONAL DATA: x State historic preservation office (Texas Historical Commission) _ Other state agency _ Federal agency _ Local government x University x Other -- Specify Repository: Houston Public Library USDI/NPS NRHP Registration Form Idylwood Historic District, Houston, Harris County, Texas Page 4 10. GEOGRAPHICAL DATA ACREAGE OF PROPERTY: 80.6 acres UTM REFERENCES Zone Easting Northing 1. 15 276475 3290297 2. 15 276914 3290100 3. 15 276956 3289914 4. 15 276726 3289423 5. 15 276349 3289518 6. 15 276380 3289604 7. 15 276228 3289660 VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION: (see Continuation Sheet 10-83) BOUNDARY JUSTIFICATION: (see Continuation Sheet 10- 83) 11. FORM PREPARED BY (with assistance from National Register Coordinator Gregory Smith) NAME/TITLE: Sherry N. DeFreece Emery, Principal Investigator; Shelley Hartsfield, Project Researcher and Surveyor; Deborah Dobson-Brown, Cultural and Natural Resources Department Manager; and George Abry and Niala Howard, Project Surveyors ORGANIZATION: URS DATE: December 2011 STREET & NUMBER: 1950 N. Stemmons Freeway, Suite 6000 TELEPHONE: 214-741-7777 CITY OR TOWN: Dallas STATE: Texas ZIP CODE: 75207 ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION CONTINUATION SHEETS ADDITIONAL ITEMS (see Continuation sheets Figure-84 through Figure-94) MAPS (see Continuation Sheets Map-95 ) PHOTOGRAPHS (see Continuation Sheets Photo-96 to Photo-99) PROPERTY OWNER NAME: (Multiple owners; list on file at the Texas Historical Commission.) STREET & NUMBER: TELEPHONE: CITY OR TOWN: STATE: ZIP CODE: NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 1/2009) OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Idylwood Historic District Section 7 Page 5 Houston, Harris County, Texas Description The Idylwood neighborhood was designed as a middle-class residential automobile suburb southeast of downtown Houston. When it was platted along Brays Bayou in 1928, Idylwood was in a largely undeveloped section of Houston’s East End. Although it was located only a short distance from the Galveston-Houston Railway (the Interurban), which served Houston commuters, Idylwood was an early automobile suburb with houses and garages set along 18 irregular blocks of paved streets. Its development, which began in 1928, was largely complete by the early 1960s. Its period of significance accordingly spans from 1928 through 1961, in order to recognize the continuation of the development through the near postwar period, as well as the significance of the Ranch Style houses built in the neighborhood. The neighborhood features gently curving outer streets at its borders, lots arranged along the natural curves of the bayou, generous regular setbacks and sidewalk easements, and space for garages. Houses reflect a variety of popular revival and modern architectural styles, including Colonial Revival, Tudor Revival, Minimal Traditional, and Ranch, as well as several unique architect-designed houses. The large majority of Idylwood’s houses retain their integrity, reflect the historic significance of the district, are well-maintained and landscaped, and have a high degree of integrity. Because of deed restrictions that have been in place since 1928, alterations have been minimal and mostly restricted to the rear of the lots. Idylwood’s appearance was molded by its setting along Brays Bayou, which lent a gentle curving pattern to its streets and required elevated lots. The Idylwood Historic District is composed of 616 individual resources, including 594 buildings, one site (the neighborhood park), a system of streets and 67 tile markers (counted as one structure), and 20 individual objects. The objects consist of three concrete street markers, one individual stone gate post, and eight pairs of stone entrance gate posts (each post counted as an object). Approximately 40% of the properties are ancillary buildings, including detached garages and garage apartments. Setting Located in the East End section of Houston, Harris County, Texas, the Idylwood Historic District is approximately eight miles southeast of downtown. The neighborhood is roughly bounded by Lawndale Avenue on the north, Wayside Drive on the west, Sylvan Avenue on the south, and North MacGregor Way on the east. Idylwood is situated along Brays Bayou, and is north of Gulf Freeway (Interstate Highway 45). The neighborhood is exclusively residential in character. Land immediately adjacent to the neighborhood consists of the Houston Country Club (now the Wortham Golf Course) on the north, Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery on the east, Villa De Matel Convent on the west, and a mix of commercial and apartment buildings directly south fronting Gulf Freeway. The neighborhood is linked to downtown Houston via connections from Gulf Freeway, Lawndale Avenue, and Wayside Drive. Idylwood was and remains physically defined by the “buffer” areas created by the land adjoining it on the north, east, and west. While the character of the buildings outside of the neighborhood to the south along Gulf Freeway is not residential, the proximity to the freeway restricts land use and provides some degree of protection from further encroachment into Idylwood. Idylwood’s terrain is flat to gently rolling, reflecting the topography of Brays Bayou to the east. Lots contain mature trees both in the interior and along the street, as well as careful landscaping. Sloping grades of many lots provide flood protection during high water. Houses are set back from the curving streets approximately 20 to 25 feet. Public sidewalks line most of the streets, and steps extend from the sidewalk to the private walkways of houses with elevated grades. Remnants of the original shell aggregate sidewalks remain. These sidewalks are separated from the street by a wide easement. Also remaining are the rustic stone gate posts that provide entrance into the neighborhood from Wayside Drive and Lawndale Avenue, stone concrete obelisk-shaped street markers, and blue and white tile curb markers. Lots are NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 1/2009) OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Idylwood Historic District Section 7 Page 6 Houston, Harris County, Texas roughly rectangular and are generally 50 feet wide and 115 feet deep, with the exception of lots fronting the contours of the 60-foot-wide streets. Lots along curving streets such as North MacGregor Way and