Garden Oaks Features Country Look Close to Inner Loop

In 1936 two business partners, Charles Brace and Edward Crain, began development of a subdivision on a wooded tract of land northwest of Houston. It was planned as a garden suburb with curvilinear streets and housing ranging from cottages to mansions. The subdivision was called Garden Oaks, and it took eight years for the entire development to be completed. When finished it was comprised of five sections located from just above West 43rd St. to the 610 North Loop. It was bordered by Ella Blvd. to the west and by Shepherd Dr. on the east, with a portion extending to Yale St. The developers built quaint bungalows, plantation and ranch style homes among towering pines and grand Magnolia trees. Large lot sizes, and the absence of curbs, gutters and sidewalks gave the subdivision a rural feeling despite its closeness to the center of the city. After World War II additional houses were built on the western edge of the subdivision to provide homes for returning G.I.s. Early Garden Oaks had a fire department, and the original Garden Oaks Volunteer Fire Station was built on the corner of West 34th and Brinkman. The Georgian style building later became Firehouse #32 of the Houston Fire Department. The Garden Oaks Theater was built on Shepherd Dr. in the art deco style typical of the late 1930s and provided many years of movie entertainment to the neighborhood. Many businesses and retail shops were built on Shepherd Dr. and West 43rd streets near Garden Oaks, with the largest being the Sears Roebuck store. Those who grew up in Garden Oaks in the fifties and sixties have fond memories of Sears large stock of toys and visits to Santa there.

Today Garden Oaks has a diverse blend of renovated and newly constructed homes alongside its charming bungalows and elegant older homes. Its oversized lots allow plenty of room for additions to homes for growing families. Because of its excellent location near the inner loop area, Garden Oaks is becoming a popular place to live for young couples, urban professionals and empty nesters. It offers them the stability of an established historic neighborhood of 1400 homes with deed restrictions and an active civic club. The Garden Oaks Civic Club is involved in the community, coordinating a constable program, arranging beautification projects, and providing information to residents.The Civic Club hosts the annual Home and Garden Tour which showcases homes in the neighborhood.

The Garden Oaks neighborhood is served by the three nearby schools of Garden Oaks Elementary, Black Middle School, and Waltrip High School. Metro bus routes run along each of the major streets bordering the subdivision. Located near the North Loop, residents have easy access to every part of the city and a short commute to downtown. For those who want the convenience and amenities of the big city but prefer living on spacious tree-lined streets with ample green space and a small town country feeling, Garden Oaks is the place to be.

(Near Northwest Banner, January 5, 2007)