Houston City Council approved marking a house in Freedmen’s Town as a protected landmark.
The details
The house at 1317 Ruthven St. in District C will now be protected from demolition. It will also be eligible for a historic tax exemption and reduced parking requirements.
District C council member Joe Panzarella said this is an opportunity to preserve Houston's historic buildings.
“District C has all kinds of really amazing, important buildings,” Panzarella said. “And today we’re protecting one in Freedmen’s Town, a town that was founded by men and women after [the Emancipation Proclamation].”
The history
The home at 1317 Ruthven St. was built in 1894 and is one of the oldest surviving structures in Freedmen’s Town, a community that was founded by formerly enslaved people in 1865.
According to the city, approximately 75% of Freedmen’s Town’s historical buildings have been lost.
“Since so few historical buildings remain, even modest houses such as the House at 1317 Ruthven have historical significance and serve as important connections to the story of Freedmen’s Town,” the landmark designation report said.
What else?
Council also approved four other properties as landmarks, including:
First City National Bank - 1021 Main St.
Trinity United Methodist Church - 2600 Holman St.
Berean Seventh-Day Adventist Church - 2119 St. Emmanuel St.
Doney-McElwain-Freeman House - 2522 Calumet St.
Council recently heard public comment on 11 properties to be made landmarks, and votes on the other properties will come at a later date.
