In 1891, O. M. Carter purchased 1,756 acres 2.5 miles from downtown Houston to develop one of the largest planned communities in America. Located 23 feet higher than the surrounding area, the new neighborhood was named Houston Heights. Carter also purchased the City of Houston's mule-drawn streetcar system and then electrified it to provide reliable transportation to downtown. By 1896, Houston Heights was an incorporated village with its own elected mayor and aldermen. From across America, buyers came, eager to build their homes in what Carter called "a model community." Vintage photographs chronicle this charming suburb's development and the residents who have left their imprint. Time has brought change and new challenges to Houston Heights, but the community retains its small-town, friendly atmosphere and strives to maintain its historical identity.
