Market Square Historic District

Significance

Dating to 1858, the Market Square Historic District marks the commercial heart of nineteenth century Houston, where the city's original markethouse and surrounding storefronts served as the hub of trade and civic life for decades. The district is ringed by surviving Victorian commercial buildings, including La Carafe, housed in the 1860 Kennedy Bakery building, which is considered one of the oldest continuously occupied commercial structures in Texas. Though much of the original market square area was lost to fires and redevelopment over the years, the surrounding historic buildings and the park itself, now landscaped as a public green space, continue to anchor downtown Houston's oldest commercial core. The district remains a symbolic starting point for understanding the city's earliest mercantile history along Buffalo Bayou.

Climate risks tracked

Market Square's historic buildings, many with nineteenth century masonry construction, face significant urban and bayou flooding risk given their proximity to Buffalo Bayou and downtown's low lying terrain, conditions that caused extensive flooding in the district during Hurricane Harvey in 2017. The area's aging brick storefronts are also vulnerable to humidity and mold problems given Houston's persistent moisture levels combined with older, less airtight construction. Ground floor businesses throughout the district have experienced repeated flood damage during major storms, underscoring the ongoing challenge of protecting historic ground floor commercial spaces in this low elevation part of downtown.

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

Location

Nearby landmarks

• 1913 · Beaux-Arts

  Rice Hotel

• 1926 · Spanish Renaissance Revival

  Julia Ideson Building

• 1927 · Italian Renaissance Revival

  Niels Esperson Building

• 1924 · Commercial / Chicago School

  Sam Houston Hotel