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Friends of Riverside Park Houston is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization formed with the mission to support, revitalize, promote and advocate for Riverside Park. We are passionate about engaging the community to activate the power of Riverside Park through volunteer programs and activities for adults, children and families as well as art and green space outreach. We are committed to preserving cultural richness of the park while also increasing it’s value as a place of natural beauty. We strive to strengthen relationships with public institutions as well as public private partnerships for the betterment of Riverside Park.
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Friends of Riverside Park Houston - Riverside History
Looking up at the trees
Development of Riverside Terrace began in 1924, and it was designed for wealthier families with architecturally beautiful mansions.
In 1927, it was annexed by the City of Houston as part of the planned development of Riverside Terrace.
Jewish families moved to Riverside Terrace in the 1920s and 1930s since they were not allowed to settle in other wealthy Houston neighborhoods, including River Oaks. Therefore it became known as the "Jewish River Oaks". By the 1950s initial development finished.
In 1952, a wealthy African-American cattleman named Jack Caesar moved to the neighborhood. He stayed despite the fact that a bomb detonated on his front porch. Several Riverside Terrace residents opposed the growth of the community's black population, with some not wishing for racial-based violence to occur in the community and with some on the grounds that property values could decline. Many White families left Riverside Terrace and settled in suburbs.
In the 1960s, some white residents who wanted the neighborhood to stabilize as an integrated neighborhood posted signs stating "This Is Our Home, It Is Not For Sale." In response to the influx of Black residents, many stated that sales continued "not because it was against African Americans, but because they wanted to prevent block busting."
The community gradually transitioned into being majority black and with both affluent African Americans and lower socioeconomic residents. Wealthy African-American doctors, lawyers, politicians, and university professors moved into Riverside Terrace. Riverside continued to be shaped by forces including the departure of area businesses, the growth of UH and TSU campuses, construction of Highway 288, and the decision to locate a county psychiatric hospital in the neighborhood. As time progressed foreclosure and white flight lead to neglect of several mansions.
Riverside Terrace house sales did not follow the general housing slump in the United States of the late 2000s.The late 2000s has also seen couples and families moving into Riverside Terrace to improve formerly derelict mansions. Recent improvements include re-development of hike and bike trails along Braes Bayou, aesthetic improvements to Almeda Road (including brick pavement and decorative street lighting), as well as renovation and modernization of some notable older homes.
