Htx Then and Now Day 1: Allen’s Landing

Hi y'all! I recently discovered a collection of photographs of Houston during it's infancy, and I want to document how these places have changed since then. I plan to upload 1 location of the city each day, documenting the significance of that location and how it's changed. For day 1, we have Allen's Landing, the birthplace of Houston.

In the heart of town at Buffalo Bayou's south bank, Allen's Landing was the birthplace of Houston's water commerce Perched on the confluence of the Buffalo and White Oak Bayous,it received its first ship, the Laura M. from Galveston, in 1837. Though the ship accidentally bypassed the soggy tent collection that was Houston at the time, Allen's Landing would buzz with freight and business for decades to come.

Today there are more hikers and kayaks than horses and cotton at Allen's Landing. Over time, Houston's shipping industry migrated east to the new Houston Ship Channel. But a replica of the old Port Promenade can be found at what is now Allen's Landing Park, along with a historical marker, lawns, public art, and other amenities.