Julia C. Hester House

Significance

The Julia C. Hester House is a settlement house and community center in Houston's Fifth Ward, established in 1943 by a biracial committee to promote the health, education, and welfare of Black residents and to provide recreation and entertainment. It was to be called the Houston Negro Community Center of the Fifth Ward, but before opening it was renamed for Julia C. Hester, a teacher and longtime Fifth Ward resident who devoted her life to her community's welfare. The center first operated in rented space on Lyons Avenue. After a fundraising campaign, it moved in 1949 to its own $150,000 building on Solo Street, and it has occupied this site ever since, making it one of the oldest community centers in Houston. It celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2023.

Climate risks tracked

Fifth Ward streets drain toward Hunting Bayou and Buffalo Bayou and have flooded during major storms such as Hurricane Harvey. As a community center, Hester House is most valuable to residents right after storms, so keeping its gym, kitchens, and electrical systems above likely flood levels and installing backflow protection support both the building and the neighborhood. The center also serves as a place to escape summer heat. Reflective roofing, efficient cooling, and backup power help it work as a cooling and recovery hub during heat waves and hurricane power outages. Moisture control after storms prevents mold in a building used daily by children and seniors.

Use the preservation assistant to talk through retrofit strategies for these specific threats.

Location

Nearby landmarks

• 1941 · Streamline Moderne

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