St. Paul's United Methodist Church

Significance

St. Paul's United Methodist Church on Main Street was completed in 1930 to designs by Houston architect Alfred C. Finn, one of the city's most important early 20th century architects, whose works include the Gulf Building and the San Jacinto Monument. The congregation, founded in 1906, built the Gothic Revival church as Houston grew rapidly southward along Main Street. The church is built of stone with a prominent tower, pointed arch windows and traceried openings characteristic of the Gothic Revival style favored for American churches of the period. It anchors the northern end of the Museum District and remains an active congregation. The building is a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark.

Climate risks tracked

The church's stone tower, pinnacles and slate or tile roof present large surfaces to hurricane winds; loose masonry units and failing mortar joints at height are the main risk and should be repointed with compatible lime based mortar. Stained glass windows need protective glazing or well fitted storm panels that do not trap moisture against the historic glass. Brays Bayou, which flooded the Museum District severely during Tax Day floods and Hurricane Harvey, lies nearby, so ground floor mechanical systems and storage should be elevated or protected. Houston's humidity encourages biological growth on the stone, requiring gentle cleaning and good site drainage.

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

Location

Nearby landmarks

• 1924 · Neoclassical with Modernist additions

  MFAH: Caroline Wiess Law Building

• 1921 · Mediterranean / Rice style

  Autry House

• 1925 · Neo-Gothic

  Houston Light Guard Armory

• 1936 · Log House (Texas Centennial)

  Pioneer Memorial Log House