Geographic Areas of Houston - The Six "Wards"

The Six "Wards"

When Houston was established in 1837, the city's founders divided it into political geographic districts called "wards." The ward designation is the progenitor of the nine current-day Houston City Council districts.

Much of the predominantly African American First Ward was demolished and renovated as part of a gentrification effort. Much of the district is bordered by Houston Avenue, Interstates 10 and 45, and Washington Avenue. Because of rising land values, houses formerly located in Third Ward, Neartown, the West End and West University Place were relocated from their former land parcels and rehabilitated.

The Second Ward, located east of downtown, was developed in the early 20th century. The Second Ward is predominantly a Hispanic community. The area has been undergoing gentrification due to its close proximity to downtown and entertainment venues. In the mid-to-late 2000s upper middle class residents moved into this East End area to take advantage of houses that are less expensive than west side houses. Second Ward is located in the East End district and is one of Houston's oldest neighborhoods.

The predominantly African American Third Ward, southeast of downtown, was home to one of the most affluent African American communities in the South after World War I. It is also where Texas Southern University is located. The Third Ward lies within two city council districts (D and I).

The Fourth Ward, known as Freedmen's Town for the freed slaves that settled there after the United States Civil War, was the first and most prominent African American community in Houston. It is home to the first campus of Booker T. Washington High School which was later moved to Independence Heights in northern Houston. Historically, the ward has been among the poorest areas of the inner-city, but is undergoing extensive gentrification because of its proximity to downtown. The ward included the Allen Parkway Village housing project, which was redeveloped into the Historic Oaks at Allen Parkway Village. The Freedmen's Town Historical District was created in 1988. Today, about 40 percent of the original wood-frame homes remain in the ward.

The Fifth Ward is another predominantly African American community originally settled by freed slaves. It too is undergoing gentrification. A section of the Fifth Ward, Frenchtown, once held the center of the Creole community in Houston .

The Sixth Ward is bounded by Memorial Drive to the south, Glenwood Cemetery to the west, Washington Avenue to the north, and Houston Avenue to the east. It was carved out of the Fourth Ward in 1877 as a residential area. There are many examples of Greek revival, Victorian, and Classical Revival architecture in the neighborhood, but due to extensive gentrification many are being demolished in favor of modern housing.