Dr Pepper Mural

Vintage Dr Pepper Mural at MinuteMaid Park

Drink Dr. Pepper Vintage Commercial Ad recreation as a Mural
by Anat Ronan 

Sun Drop with Iconic Downtown Skyline Items

Sun Drop: Commercial mural near Minute Maid Park

SunDrop mural with Wells Fargo and BG Group Tower in the distance 

Minute Maid District Commercial Murals with Downtown Skyline 

The Nau Center Now & the Giant Burrito in place of the Visitor Center

The Nau Center for Texas Cultural Heritage: 

Pronounced dead before being even born 

While nearby, a once-functional historic treasure remains securely wrapped

and hidden from wandering and wondering tourists 

For a look before and after the big wrap of that monster, click here.  

This old house needs a little fixin' up

Big Red Mural & Skyline

BIG RED MURAL AND SUN DROP MURAL 

500 Hamilton St.

Commercial murals on Hamilton Street / Minute Maid Park District

Elevated Freeway US 59 / Interstate 69 at Minute Maid Park 

Minute Maid District

Franklin at Crawford Street - Minute Maid Stadium (North side) Nov 2016 photo 

Daughters of the Republic of Texas Historical Marker at the Westin Hotel in Downtown Houston

South-East corner of Westin Hotel with directional signs
The historical marker is location near the trees on the left 

Texas Historical Commission Marker 

Rusty Steam Engine cloaked in white sheets

THE NAU CENTER EXHIBIT THAT'S NOT BEING EXHIBITED 

Southern Pacific Locomotive No. 982 under wraps

The old Southern Pacific steam engine was donated decades ago and used to be parked on the shore of the lake in Hermann Park, quietly rusting away. It was only recently that it has been "gift-wrapped"; -- at its current interim resting place between the GRB Convention Center and the MinuteMaid Stadium. Presumably, it's all for good: To keep it from crumbling, while the Nau Center for Texas Cultural Heritage, of which it was to be an exhibit, is on hold. In the meantime, the conventioneers and sundry out-of-towners must be wondering what's hidden under the big white sheets.  

The tourists must be wondering what's been hidden inside 

 Southern Pacific Locomotive No. 982 under wraps 

and in limbo (above); undergoing conservation

work in June 2014 (below). 

Locomotive with scaffolding before the wrapping: Summer 2014 

ARCHIVAL STEAM ENGINE PIC 

Southern Pacific Railroad Logo on RR Bridge in Memorial Park 

Meanwhile nearby another truly historic piece - a piece of significant architecture, rather than locomotive engineering - has been demolished: The Incarnate Word Academy Building, dating from 1905. 

  

At least the old house on Nau Center grounds itself has been spared such an ignominious fate. It sits there patiently, awaiting much-needed restoration work, with a section tarped (unlike the locomotive, its cover is black) and the chimney shored up ... while the high-rise residential and hotel construction frenzy proceeds unabated nearby. 

That Old House in front of the Minute Maid Ballpark 

Incarnate Word Academy Catholic School and nearby Church

Westin Hotel - Incarnate Word Academy and Annunciation
Catholic Church Tower - Roof of Minutemaid Stadium in background 

Incarnate Word Academy

609 Crawford, Houston, Texas, Downtown 77002

Incarnate Word Academy (right) and South-East corner
of Minute Maid Stadium with Clock Tower 

Westin Hotel at Minute Maid Ballpark, BBVA Compass Stadium, and Convention Center

South side of Westin Hotel with
Annunciation Catholic Church on the right 

North-facing facade and entrance of Westin Hotel 

The Westin Hotel was previously known as
Inn at the Ballpark

Union Station Building at Ballpark

 Former Downtown Houston Rail Station

now part of Minute Maid Ballpark sports and event facility

 

145 Years - Catholic Annunciation Church in Downtown Houston 1869-2014

1618 Texas Avenue, Houston, Texas, Downtown 77003

Downtown Houston Church
celebrating 145 years 

Westin Hotel and tower of Catholic Church
seen from Rusk Street

Annunciation Catholic Church and 

Incarnate Word Academy (foreground)

Historic villas on Avenida de las Americas (future Nau Center)