Texas Historical Commission staff (BTW), 10/26/2012, rev (BB) 11/16/12 27” x 42” Official Texas Historical Marker with post Harris County (Job #12HR09) Subject (Atlas ) UTM: 14 000000E 0000000N Location: La Porte, 3534 Miramar Drive

ISAIAH P. WALKER HOUSE DURING THE LATE 1920s AND EARLY 1930s, THE CITY OF SHOREACRES

BECAME A WEEKEND HAVEN FOR RESIDENTS OF NEARBY HOUSTON. FAMILIES

BUILT WEEKEND HOMES, REFERRED TO AS FISH CAMPS, WHERE THEY COULD

ENJOY FISHING AND BOATING ACTIVITIES ON GALVESTON BAY. ISAIAH P.

WALKER, VICE-PRESIDENT OF A HOUSTON-BASED FURNITURE RETAIL

ESTABLISHMENT, THE STOWERS FURNITURE COMPANY, PURCHASED A TRACT

OF LAND FROM SHOREACRES REALTY, INC. IN 1928 WITH HIS WIFE, ANNIE, FOR

THE CONSTRUCTION OF THEIR OWN WEEKEND HOME.

NOW NICKNAMED “LITTLE CASTLE” AND “TREE HOUSE,” THE HOME WAS

COMPLETED IN 1932 AND DEMONSTRATES POPULAR ARCHITECTURAL

INFLUENCES FROM THE PERIOD IN WHICH IT WAS BUILT, AS WELL AS UNIQUE

DESIGN ELEMENTS THAT CONTINUE TO SET IT APART FROM NEIGHBORING

HOMES. THE WALKERS HIRED THEIR SON-IN-LAW, PRESTON PLUMB, JR. TO

CONSTRUCT THE HOME IN A STYLE REMINISCENT OF THE TUDOR REVIVAL

HOMES PLUMB AND HIS FATHER BUILT IN THE COMMUNITY OF WEST UNIVERSITY

PLACE NEAR RICE UNIVERSITY. THE TWO-STORY HOME’S EXTERIOR FACADE IS

CONSTRUCTED OF THICK STONE, CUT IN ROUGH FORM. A TURRET RISING OVER

THE ROOF, ENCASING A SPIRAL STAIRCASE, GIVES THE HOME A CASTLE-LIKE

APPEARANCE.

THE MOST PROMINENT AND DISTINCT FEATURES OF THE WALKER HOME ARE

FOUR CONCRETE “FAUX BOIS” PINE TREES THAT FRAME THE PORCH ON THE

SOUTH SIDE OF THE HOUSE. THESE MOLDED CEMENT COLUMNS WERE MADE IN

THE STYLE OF “EL TRABAJO RUSTICO,” POPULARIZED DURING THIS PERIOD BY

THE MEXICAN ARTIST DIONICIO RODRIGUEZ. THE WALKER HOUSE IS THE ONLY

KNOWN RESIDENCE IN HARRIS COUNTY TO UTILIZE THESE UNIQUE “FAUX BOIS”

COLUMNS AND IS THE OLDEST EXTANT FISH CAMP RESIDENCE IN SHOREACRES.

RECORDED TEXAS HISTORIC LANDMARK – 2012

MARKER IS PROPERTY OF THE STATE OF TEXAS

RECORDED TEXAS HISTORIC LANDMARK MARKERS: 2012 Official Texas Historical Marker

Sponsorship Application Form Valid September 1, 2011 to November 15, 2011 only

This form constitutes a public request for the Texas Historical Commission (THC) to consider approval of an Official Texas Historical Marker for the topic noted in this application. The THC will review the request and make its determination based on rules and procedures of the program. Filing of the application for sponsorship is for the purpose of providing basic information to be used in the evaluation process. The final determination of eligibility and therefore approval for a state marker will be made by the THC. This form is to be used for Recorded Texas Historic Landmark (RTHL) requests only for buildings or structures. Please see separate forms for either Historic Texas Cemeteries or subject markers. Proposed marker topic (THC will determine official title): I.P. Walker House County: Harris Town (nearest county town on current state highway map): Shoreacres Street address of marker site or directions from town noted above: 3534 Miramar Dr Marker Coordinates: If you know the location coordinates of the proposed marker site, enter them in one of the formats below: UTM Zone Easting Northing 29°37’09.13” North by 95°00’14.37” West Otherwise, give a precise verbal description here: LT 7 & LT 10 & N 20 FT OF LT 11 & E 40 FT OF LT 16 & TR 7A BLK 10 SHOREACRES NOTE: RTHL markers must be placed at the structure being marked. RECORDED TEXAS HISTORIC LANDMARK MARKERS Definition: Recorded Texas Historic Landmark (RTHL) markers are awarded to buildings and structures deemed worthy of preservation for their historical associations and architectural significance. RTHL is a legal designation and comes with a measure of protection; it is the highest honor the state can bestow on a historic building or structure, and the designation is required for this type of marker. The RTHL designation becomes effective upon approval by the THC. Official Texas Historical Markers signify the RTHL designation, which comes only through application to and approval by the THC and must include public display of an Official Texas Historical Marker. Owners of RTHL-

designated properties must give the THC 60 days written notice before any alterations are made to the exterior of the structure. RTHL status is a permanent designation and is not to be removed from the property in the event of a transfer of ownership. Only the THC can remove the designation or recall the marker. The marker must remain with the structure and may not be removed or displayed elsewhere until or unless the THC gives express approval in writing for such action. Once designated as RTHL, properties are subject to provisions of Texas Government Code, Section 442.006(f).

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS Any individual, group or county historical commission (CHC) may apply to the THC to request an Official Texas Historical Marker for what it deems a worthy topic. Only complete marker applications that contain all the required elements can be accepted or processed by the THC (for RTHL markers, the required elements are: sponsorship application form; narrative history; documentation; legal description; site plan; floor plan; historic photograph; and current photographs clearly showing each side of the structure—please resize digital photographs to 1-2 MB, or approximately 1024 x 768 pixels).

• Completed applications must be duly reviewed, verified and approved by the county historical commission (CHC) in the county in which the marker will be placed. Paper copies of applications, whether mailed or delivered, cannot be accepted in lieu of the electronic version.

• The sponsorship application form, narrative history and documentation must be submitted as Microsoft Word or Word-compatible documents and sent via email attachments to the THC by no later than November 15, 2011. THC email accepts mail no larger than 10 MB.

• Required font style and type size are a Times variant and 12-point. • Narrative histories must be typed in a double-spaced (or 1.5-spaced) format and

include separate sections on context, overview and significance. • The narrative history must include documentation in the form of reference notes,

which can be either footnotes or endnotes. Documentation associated with applications should be broad-based and demonstrate a survey of all available resources, both primary and secondary.

• Upon notification of the successful preliminary review of required elements by the THC, a non-refundable application fee of $100 is required. Please send payment with the invoice which THC provides.

APPROVAL BY COUNTY HISTORICAL COMMISSION The duly appointed marker representative (chair or marker chair) noted below for the county historical commission will be the sole contact with the THC for this marker application. To ensure accuracy, consistency and efficiency, all information from and to the THC relative to the application, throughout the review and production processes, will be by direct communication with the CHC representative. All other inquiries (calls, emails, letters) to the THC will be referred to the CHC representative for response. By filling out the information below and filing the application with the THC, the CHC contact is notifying the THC that the application and documentation have been reviewed and verified by the CHC, and that the material meets all current requirements of the Official Texas Historical Marker program. As chair or duly appointed marker chair, I certify the following: Representatives of the CHC have met or talked with the potential marker sponsor and

discussed the marker program policies as outlined on the THC web site. CHC members have reviewed the history and documentation for accuracy and made

corrections or notes as necessary. It is the determination of the CHC that the topic, history and documentation meet criteria for eligibility.

CHC comments or concerns about this application, if any: The Harris County Historical Commission is aware that the narrative is in the wrong format and that there are problems with the application form (such as not identifying what type of marker is requested). We are, nevertheless, submitting this application is this form at this time because (1) the deadline for submissions is upon us and (2) an emergency exists because the windstorm insurance agency will require architectural modifications in 2012 unless the owner can establish that its architectural significance merits an exemption. Because this is such a well-preserved and unique example of trabajo rustica art and architecture, we are requesting that the Texas Historical Commission accept this application as is with the understanding that defects and omissions will be cured before January 2012. Name of CHC contact (chair or marker chair): Paul R. Scott

Mailing address: 2103 Knollbrook Ln. City, Zip: Spring, TX 77373

Daytime phone: 713 368-0039 Email address: paul.scott@itc.hctx.net

PERMISSION OF PROPERTY OWNER FOR MARKER PLACEMENT Property owner: Dana Woodruff Address: 3534 Miramar Dr City, state, zip: Shoreacres, TX 77571 Phone: 281-253-3266 Email address: danawoodruff@yahoo.com Legal Description of the property (metes and bounds, lot and block, etc.): LT 7 & LT 10 & N 20 FT OF LT 11 & E 40 FT OF LT 16 & TR 7A BLK 10 SHOREACRES Upon receipt of the application, the THC will provide the owner with a letter that outlines the legal responsibility of ownership under the Recorded Texas Historic Landmark statute. The letter must be signed by the owner and returned to the THC before the evaluation can be completed. NOTE: The property owner will not receive any additional copies of correspondence from the THC. All procedural correspondence (notice of receipt, request for additional information, inscription, shipping notice, etc.) will be sent by email to the CHC representative, who is encouraged to share the information with all interested parties as necessary. SPONSORSHIP PAYMENT INFORMATION Prospective sponsors please note the following:

• Payment must be received in full within 45 days of the official approval notice and must be accompanied by the THC payment form. The THC is unable to process partial payments or to delay payment due to processing procedures of the sponsor. Applications not paid in the time frame required may, at the sole discretion of the THC, be cancelled or postponed.

• Payment relates to sponsorship of the marker in partnership with the THC, which provides the match for program costs.

• Payment does not constitute ownership of a marker; Recorded Texas Historic Landmark markers and other Official Texas Historical Markers are the property of the State of Texas.

• If, at any time during the marker process, sponsorship is withdrawn, a refund can be processed, but the THC will retain the application fee of $100.

• The Official Texas Historical Marker Program provides no means of recognizing sponsors or property owners through marker text, incising or supplemental plaques.

Marker sponsor (may be individual or organization): Dana Woodruff Contact person (if applicable): Dana Woodruff Mailing address: 3534 Miramar Dr City, zip: Shoreacres 77571 Phone: 281-253-3266 Email address (required): danawoodruff@yahoo.com SHIPPING INSTRUCTIONS In order to facilitate marker delivery, residence addresses, post office box numbers and rural route numbers are not permitted. To avoid additional shipping charges or delays, use a business street address (open 8 a.m.—5 p.m., Monday through Friday). Name: Dana Woodruff Mailing address: 3534 Miramar Dr City, zip: Shoreacres 77571 Daytime phone (required): 281-253-3266 Email (required): danawoodruff@yahoo.com TYPE AND SIZE OF RECORDED TEXAS HISTORIC LANDMARK MARKERS As part of its review process, the THC will determine the appropriate size marker and provide options, if any, for the approved topic based on its own review criteria, including, but not exclusive of, historical significance, replication of information in other THC markers, relevance to the Statewide Preservation Plan and the amount of available documented information provided in the application narrative. In making its determination, however, the THC will also take into account the preference of the CHC, as noted below.

The sponsor/CHC prefers the following size marker: 27” x 42” RTHL marker with post ($1500) 27” X 42” RTHL marker without post* ($1500) 18” x 28” RTHL marker with post ($1000) 18” x 28” RTHL marker without post* ($1000) RTHL medallion and 16” x 12” plaque with post ($750) RTHL medallion and 16” x 12” plaque without post* ($750) *For an RTHL marker without post, indicate to what surface material it will be mounted: wood masonry metal other (specify) SUBMITTING THE APPLICATION (via email required) When the CHC has determined the application is complete, the history has been verified and the topic meets the requirements of the Official Texas Historical Marker Program, the materials should be forwarded to the THC by email at the following address: markerapplication@thc.state.tx.us. The CHC or marker chair should send an email containing the following attachments

(see attachment function under file menu or toolbox on your computer): ▫ This application form ▫ The narrative history (including documentation) ▫ Legal description of the property ▫ Detailed floor plan for each floor of the structure ▫ Detailed site plan of the property ▫ At least one historic photograph ▫ Current photographs clearly showing each side of the structure

RECORDS RETENTION BY CHC: The CHC must retain hard copies of the application as well as an online version, at least for the duration of the marker process. The THC is not responsible for lost applications, for incomplete applications or for applications not properly filed according to the program requirements. For additional information about any aspect of the Official Texas Historical Marker Program, see the Markers page on the THC web site (http://www.thc.state.tx.us/markerdesigs/madmark.html)

NOVEMBER 8TH, 2011

TO ALL:

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF MY APPLICATION FOR A RECORDED TEXAS HISTORICAL

LANDMARK (RTHL) DESIGNATION. I HAVE DONE EVERYTHING I CAN, AND HAVE PREVAILED UPON

MANY OTHERS FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE, IN OBTAINING HISTORICAL RECORDS. I AM AMAZED AT

WHAT WAS FOUND BUT MANY PIECES OF INFORMATION ARE LOST TO TIME.

THE MOST NOTABLE PIECE OF INFORMATION SOUGHT AFTER IS THE ORIGINAL ARTIST OF THE TREES. THE FAMILIES OF JACK PLUMB, DIONICIO RODRIGUEZ’ AND LORENZO LOZANO HAVE BEEN

CONTACTED AND THEY HAVE NO SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE EITHER WAY. IN 1933 SHOREACRES WAS

UNINCORPORATED AND NO COPY OF A BUILDING PERMIT, OTHER THAN A NOTATION IN TAX

RECORDS FOR ELECTRIC AND GAS, COULD BE FOUND. NO NEWSPAPER ARTICLES OF THE TIME

PERIOD BETWEEN 1933-1935 HAVE BEEN FOUND OF THE HOUSE.

THAT BEING SAID, THE BEAUTY AND INGENUITY OF THE TREES EXIST IN FULL COLOR AND ARE A

TESTAMENT TO THE CRAFTSMANSHIP OF THE ARTIST, WHOEVER HE MAY BE, 78 YEARS LATER. THEY STAND AS THE ONLY EXAMPLE IN HARRIS COUNTY OF THE ART FORM INCORPORATED INTO A

RESIDENCE AND ONE OF THREE EXAMPLES OVERALL. THE TWO OTHER EXAMPLES HAVE ALREADY

BEEN RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE- ONE HAS BEEN PLACED ON THE

NATIONAL REGISTER AND THE OTHER HAS RTHL STATUS.

THE WALKER HOUSE STANDS AS A GRACEFUL REMINDER OF ITS’ PERIOD AND IS REMARKABLY

UNCHANGED. YET OVER THE DECADES BUILDING CODES CHANGE. I SEEK THE PROTECTION OF

LANDMARK STATUS SO THAT THE WALKER HOUSE CAN MAINTAIN ITS’ ORIGINAL CHARACTER FOR

DECADES TO COME.

SHOULD THE COMMITTEE DESIRE MORE PHOTOGRAPHS OR A SITE VISIT I WELCOME BOTH

REQUESTS.

REGARDS,

DANA WOODRUFF

1. NAME OF PROPERTY HISTORIC NAME: The I.P. Walker House OTHER NAME/SITE NUMBER: The Little Castle; The Treehouse 2. LOCATION STREET & NUMBER: 3534 Miramar Drive CITY OR TOWN: Shoreacres STATE: Texas COUNTY: Harris ZIP CODE: 77571 3. FUNCTION OR USE HISTORIC FUNCTIONS: Private home referred to as a “Fish Camp” FISH CAMPS WERE A LOCAL TERM REFERRING TO THE 2ND HOMES BUILT ALONG THE SHORELINE FOR WEEKEND FISHING TRIPS. 4. OVERVIEW ARCHITECTURAL CLASSIFICATION: El Trabajo Rustico with elements of Tudor MATERIALS: FOUNDATION Cement

WALLS Rock (Exterior & Interior) , Pecky Cypress & Drywall (Interior) ROOF Architectural Shingles

NARRATIVE DESCRIPTION

The City of Shoreacres is a small community that began when Shoreacres, Inc. subdivided the north part of the Hunning 800 acres out of the W. P. Harris Survey. The plat indicating lots, blocks and newly dedicated public streets was filed of record with the Harris County Clerk on February 16, 1925. A short time thereafter, country homes designed with plenty of windows for the ocean breeze were built on the wooded and seacoast tracts. In an effort to enhance the country club atmosphere, Shoreacres, Inc. donated six acres of ocean front property in 1927 to be the site of the current Houston Yacht Club, which is still Shoreacres' sole business establishment. The Houston Yacht Club was recognized with a historical marker by the Texas Historical Commission in 1997.

The homes built in the late 1920s and 1930s were built on a nearly imperceptible ridge paralleling the shoreline and were referred to as Fish Camps (term used by long term residents). Families would take the train from Houston into La Porte for

weekends of summer fun and fishing. The original Fish Camp homes have slowly been eliminated by the hurricanes of 1935, 1943, 1957, 1961, 1983 and, most recently, 2008.

The Walker House is the only surviving original waterfront Fish Camp home after the recent devastation of Hurricane Ike.

Also during the 1920s, an art form, Faux Bois or El Trabajo Rustico, was made popular by Dionisio Rodriguez, who brought it to San Antonio, Texas, from Mexico City. He had apprentices who spread the art form to other cities and structures. In Harris County Dionisio Rodriguez created the Bird Enclosure at the Houston Zoo (recognized by the National Register and spoken of in the Handbook of Texas), and his apprentice Lorenzo Lozano created the Quiosco at Hidalgo Park in 1934 (recognized as a Recorded Texas Historical in 2011 as an undertold story).

On January 11, 1932, Mr. Isaiah Poole Walker was issued a building permit for the building of the I.P. Walker House. While the actual artist’s name is lost to time, it is probable that an apprentice of Dionicio Rodriguez built the four Trees on the home’s south face, the southeastern most one with a squirrel gazing out onto Galveston Bay. Apprentice Lorenzo Lazano built a gazebo in Hidalgo Park with remarkable similarity in construction materials for both the Trabajo Rustico and the stonework this home displays. The home’s architect and builder was Preston R. “Jack” Plumb, and he built the house for his father-in-law, Isaiah Walker. He was a Houston builder and real estate developer. Jack Plumb was active in West University as the developer of the Preston Place subdivision and was one of the founding developers of the Village retail district. The Plumb family has provided photos of Mr. Plumb, Mr. Walker, and baby Mary Ann outside the house.

Isaiah P. Walker was born in Macon, Georgia, on 9 October 1878, and died in Houston on 31 January 1950. His wife was Annie J. Walker, and their children were Mary E. and Kathryn A. Walker. Isaiah Walker is listed in the 1930 Houston City Directory as Vice President and Manager of the GA Stowers Furniture Company. The Walker House Exterior… From the front southeast patio and the Great Room, ships can be seen making their way towards Barbour’s Cut; the Fred Hartman Bridge lights the northeast view. The exterior exhibits hints of Tudor styling with a turret, steel casement windows, thick-wide doors, timbered and vaulted ceilings, and rock exterior. The twelve-inch-thick rock is masoned in the manner and fashion of the Towers, particularly the Rock Room, in Austin, Texas. The Towers was built in 1924 by Mexican masons from San Antonio. While unprovable, the exact nature of the stonework of the Towers to the stone work of the Walker House leads me to believe the set of masons may have been common to both homes. That the masons originated in San Antonio, where Dionicio had made El Trabajo Rustico famous, shows a possible pathway for the art form to have arrived in Harris County. The remarkable similarity of the Rock Room at the

Towers and the Great Room at the Walker House--- both with a large floor to roofline space with a gallery and turret built with the same stone in the same manner of construction--- strongly compels one to think that Mr.Plumb borrowed architectural and building ideas from the Towers. The north side boasts a turret with a copper cap. The original fireplace is also on the north side with a small divided-lite window above it. The rear stone patio borders the turret with a single- light french door opening upon it. A black wrought iron fence encases the patio with the pickets topped by pineapple finials. The south side of the home is distinguished by the four Trees of El Trabajo Rustico style. A squirrel gnaws an acorn as it contemplates Galveston Bay. Originally, the lower and upper levels were screened-in porches, but the screens have since been replaced with large viewing windows. The front door is original and complete with a swing-open peephole and knocker. A lovely patio, original to the home, encompasses the southeast corner. The Walker House Interior… While not typically of interest to the Commission, I would like to comment on the Walker House interior not only because of its aforementioned similarity to the Towers property but also because of the originality of the home’s interior. The Great Room spans the entire length of the eastern side of the house and the entire height to the roof peak. The depth is almost half the original depth of the home. The Great Room retains all of its original windows, doors, and materials. Five divided-16-lite, metal-framed casement windows look out onto Galveston Bay. Two matching windows and the front door grace the southern exposure of this main room. The front door is 41.5” wide and 2.75” thick. It retains its original brass knocker and swing-open peephole. A divided-lite french door leads from the Great Room to what was originally a screened-in patio. The northern exposure bears two matching 16-lite windows and the narrower 6-lite window above the rock fireplace. The original fireplace is intact with the iron arm and hook for pots. The northwest corner of the Great Room has a wide spiral staircase that fills the turret. This space is overlooked by a gallery running the western side of the room and accessed by the staircase. The walls are covered with pecky cypress, creating a warmth unusual in a room of this size. Beams cross the ceiling, and the four interior Pecky Cypress faces of the roof are painted an off-white, giving the space a feeling of lift and lightness. Throughout the house, the doors sport their original glass knobs and decorative plates. Also of significance is the ceiling detail of the pantry. The pantry is located underneath the turret and as such has a spiral sloping ceiling. In the 1930s Galveston Bay communities, there were still wooden boat shipwrights and ship’s carpenters with the skills to steam bend narrow strips of mahogany or oak (approximately 1 centimeter in width) to form the curving ceiling. This is a dying art form now only taught at a couple of schools in the country as fiberglass and steel have replaced wood boatbuilding. The original screened-in porch had at some point the screens replaced by four large hexagonal (though not equilateral) windows to maximize the view. The space spans the entire southern

side. Rock is the material of the lower three feet and north wall while drywall serves the west facade. The four Trees visible on the outside are visible inside with the same startling realistic appearance. A heart is carved into the southeastern tree. The original dining room on the north face is now a master bedroom. The pantry, which is the lower portion of the turret underneath the spiral stairs, is faced with narrow steam bent wood following the curvature of the stairs. This was created by an unknown shipwright in the 1930s.

5. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE: El Trabajo Rustico Trees, Pecky Cypress Interior Walls, Turret

PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE: 1920s - 1930s

SIGNIFICANT DATES: 1932

CULTURAL AFFILIATION: Spanish and Mexican Influence

ARCHITECT / BUILDER: Preston R. “Jack” Plumb Jr., Architect Preston R. “Jack” Plumb Jr., Builder/Contractor

NARRATIVE STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE The I.P. Walker House is one of three known surviving examples of El Trabajo Rustico in Harris County, Texas. The other two examples, on the National Register and as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark by the Texas Historical Commission respectively, are a bird exhibit at the Houston Zoo and the Hidalgo Park Quiosco. This home is the only known example of El Trabajo Rustico incorporated into a building structure in Harris County. The artwork on the house was popularized by Dionicio Rodriguez and the style is recognized as significant in the Handbook of Texas. The stone work of the house is indicitive of the time period though not a large number of examples remain in good condition today. The Walker house embodies these two significant architectural features into one structure- the only one of its’ kind in known existence anywhere in the country. In Shoreacres it is the only “Fish Camp” house that has survived eight decades of hurricanes and is the oldest surviving home in the city. Overall the house serves as an excellent survivor of 1930s Tudor architectural style, as detailed in the narrative. The architectural features of the thick stone walls, the steam bent wood strip ceiling under the turret stairs and the turret itself were unusual even in the 1930s. Her builder, Jack Plumb, Jr., was important to the development of West University and the Village retail district but created an entirely different home for his in-laws. The home has been fortunant to survive the decades with good caretakers and maintains details of her 1932-1933 construction. It is the cumulation of details, and the uniqueness of the home both in 1932 and even more so today, that she is a pleasing example of the time period and of significance today. 6. MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES

1 Light, Patsy Pittman. Capturing Nature: The Cement Sculpture of Dionicio Rodriguez. Texas A&M University Press: College Station, TX., 2008, pages 58-59. 2 Online website of the City of Shoreacres, http://www.cityofshoreacres.us/history.htm (accessed September 2, 2011) 3 Houston City Directory, 1930 (accessed September 20, 2011) 4 Assessors Block Book for Harris County Texas, Block 10 for Survey Shoreacres, pages 1-4 (accessed September 20, 2011 with assistance of archivist Annie Golden)

Research Assistance rendered by:

Chris Varela Vice Chair for the Harris County Historical Commission

Courtney Tardy Greater Houston Preservation Alliance Thomas McWhorten Historic Preservation Officer City of Houston, Planning & Development Dept, Office of Historic Preservation, 611 Walker, 6th Floor, Houston, TX 77002

Steven Rice Rice University David W. Proctor RTC Harris County Tax Office, Office of Don Sumners, CPA, RTA Paul Scott Marker Chair, Harris County Historical Commission Gregory Smith National Register Coordinator, History Programs Division Texas Historical Commission, PO Box 12276, Austin, Texas 78711

David Stall City of Shoreacres Administrator Thelma A. Lenz City Secretary of the City of West University Place Austin History Center History of The Towers 7. GEOGRAPHICAL DATA ACREAGE OF PROPERTY: less than one acre UTM REFERENCES 29°37’09.13” North by 95°00’14.37” West VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION: LT 7 & LT 10 & N 20 FT OF LT 11 & E 40 FT OF LT 16 & TR 7A BLK 10 SHOREACRES 8. ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION PHOTOGRAPHS

All historical photographs are credited as follows:

Name of Property: I.P. Walker House City: Shoreacres County: Harris County State: Texas Photographer: Unknown; photographs provided by the Jack Plumb, Jr. family Date: appx. 1934

Historical Photo 1 - Walker House and Carriage House Southeast elevation Camera facing: Northwest Historical Photo 2 – Walker House Southeast elevation Camera facing: Northwest

Historical Photo 3 – captioned as “Preston (me), Alice (my sister), MaryAnn (sister) & Ann (my cousin). Photo depicts the four children in front of screened in patio with El Trabajo Rustico Tree in background. Southeast elevation Camera facing: West Historical Photo 4 – captioned as “Mary Ann and Daddy Jack” East elevation showing original fountain and Galveston Bay with MaryAnn and Jack Plumb, Jr. Camera facing: East Historical Photo 5 – captioned as “P.R. Jack Plumb Jr, builder and Isaiah Poole Walker, owner” Southeast elevation Camera facing: Northwest Historical Photo 6 – Builder P.R. “Jack” Plumb, Jr. Contemporary Photographs by Dana Woodruff: Photo 7 - Four El Rustica Trabaja Trees Southeast elevation ; Camera facing: Northwest

Photo 8 - Closer of two El Rustica Trabaja Trees Southeast elevation ; Camera facing: Northwest Photo 9 & 10 - The El Trabaja Rustica Squirrel perched on the easternmost tree Southeast elevation ; Camera facing: Northwest Photo 11 & 12 - The Walker House Southeast elevation ; Camera facing: Northwest Photo 13 - Interior of easternmost El Rustica Trabaja Tree Camera facing: Southeast Photo 14 - Close up of interior of second to easternmost tree Photo 15 & 16 - Interior of El Rustica Trabaja Trees Photo 17 - Easternmost Tree with heart carved into it Photo 18 - 1930 Houston Directory of the Walker Listing Photo 19 - The Turret Northeast elevation ; Camera facing: West Photo 20 - The Turret North elevation ; Camera facing: South Photo 21 - View of the Great Room from the Gallery Photo 22 - Interior of the Turret. The Spiral Stairs Photo 23- View of the Gallery Camera facing south Photo 24- View of the Gallery Camera facing north Photo 25- Great Room Ceiling. The Pecky Cypress was painted to give light and lift.

Photo 26 - The fireplace with its original swing arm for cooking pots. Photo 27 - Google Earth photo of the home. Exhibit 1 - 2008 Survey Exhibit 2 - 2011 Floor plan sketch Exhibit 3 - 1944 Aerial Exhibit 4 - 1944 Aerial Exhibit 5 - HCAD Map Exhibit 6 - Tax Records 1928 - 1935 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Home’s Property Ownership chronology. Courtesy of Stewart Title at Bay Area Blvd, Clear Lake, Texas Shoreacres, Inc. to Harry Kone March 18, 1926 To John A Embry and R.W. Gillette July 27th, 1928 To Annie J. Walker August 16th, 1928 To M.S. Anderson (Alderman) January 1st, 1940 To David M. and Terry Orman Rulfs March 15th, 1971 To Weldon David and Bonnie Cade July 13th, 1973 To Charles N. and Leslie D. Bridges July 20th, 1977 To Carol A. Tischler September 9th, 1980 To James R and Brian M. O’Donnell May 28th, 1987 To Benjamin R. Milam (Alderman) & Julia H Browning (Mayor) August 20th, 1992 To Eddie V. and Deena C. Taylor May 21st, 2002 To Dana K. Woodruff (Alderman) May 8th, 2008 9. PROPERTY OWNER NAME: Dana Woodruff STREET & NUMBER: 3534 Miramar Dr TELEPHONE: 281-253-3266 CITY OR TOWN:Shoreacres STATE: Texas ZIP CODE: 77571

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The Isaiah Poole Walker House

Context

The City of Shoreacres is situated on a 3-mile square tract of land in southeastern

Harris County along the coast of Galveston Bay. With a current population of over 1,500,

Shoreacres was incorporated as a municipality in 1949 from a coastal and rural community

that was platted with public streets as early as 1925.1 To enhance a country club

atmosphere and a waterfront lifestyle, the community donated property in 1927 to relocate

the Houston Yacht Club, a prominent maritime organization.2 Today, the Houston Yacht

Club remains as Shoreacres’ sole business establishment.

By the late 1920s and early 1930s, Shoreacres and the neighboring City of La Porte

became a regular weekend haven for residents from the City of Houston and other inland

communities to enjoy fishing and boating activities on Galveston Bay. Shoreline homes

were being built and referred to as Fish Camps, residential properties where families

would enjoy life along the coastline. Over the decades though, these Fish Camps have been

slowly disappearing with hurricanes hitting the area.

Overview

The Isaiah Poole Walker house addressed in the City of Shoreacres is one of a few

remaining Fish Camps from that era. Built in 1932, this waterfront, two-story stone house

has a unique appearance about it that separates it from other houses in the area. The

Walker house stands as the oldest extant residential structure in Shoreacres. Over the

years, neighbors have referred to it as the “Treehouse” or the “Little Castle.”3

In 1930, Isaiah P. Walker was vice-president of the Stowers Furniture Company, a

prominent furniture retail establishment in Houston, Texas. He and his wife, Annie,

resided in southwest Houston and had two daughters.4 In 1928, the Walkers purchased a

tract of land from the Shoreacres Realty, Inc. along the Galveston Bay with the hopes of

building a weekend house to enjoy the pleasant waterfront.5 Construction on the Walkers’

Fish Camp was perhaps started in late 1931 and completed in 1932.6 To design their Fish

Camp, the Walkers drew from some rather unique sources.

Contemporary residents of Shoreacres have nicknamed the Walker house the

“Little Castle” for it resembles a European styled castle made centuries ago. Done in the

Tudor Revival architectural style,7 the exterior walls show white, 12-inch wide, rocks cut in

rough form. Stucco was also used in limited amounts in certain sections of the exterior.

Like the European castles of old, the Walker house has a turret made of rock rising over

the roof which houses the spiral staircase. Because of its proximity to the Galveston Bay,

the front door and windows are framed with dark, thick oak wood to withstand the winds

and inclement weather on the bay.

Also nicknamed the “Treehouse,” the Walker house has four unique looking

columns standing on its south side. Built to originally frame a screened enclosed patio, the

columns resemble oak trees with branches standing 15 feet high. Made in hand molded

cement the treelike columns were made in the style of “El Trabajo Rustico” (The Rustic

Work). Popularized in the 1920s and 1930s by the Mexican artist Dionicio Rodriguez,8 this

art style can be seen in public areas of San Antonio and Houston. A few of these art works

have been recognized as historically significant including the Hidalgo Park Quiosco in

Harris County, Texas which was awarded a Texas Historical Commission historical

marker.9 The Walker house is the only known example in Harris County where this art

style was incorporated into a residential structure. It seems unlikely that Dionicio

Rodriguez created the columns for the Walker house. More likely, an apprentice of

Rodriguez made the columns. Nevertheless, the style of these columns more certainly were

inspired by the works of Rodriguez who was creating works in that style throughout Texas

and the nation.

The interior of the house also shows examples of wood craftsmanship no longer

being practiced as frequently. A pantry underneath the turret has a sloping ceiling made of

narrow strips of mahogany or oak. Approximately 1 centimeter in width, these wooden

strips were steam bent into shape to resemble the wooden hull of a ship. Only boat

shipwrights and ship carpenters were knowledgeable in this technique of bending strips of

wood. Throughout the house can be seen steel encasement windows, thick wide doors and

timbered vaulted ceilings

The Walker house was built by Preston Plumb, Jr. who was married to the

Walkers’ daughter, Mary.10 Plumb came from a family prominent in local real estate

development and house building. His father, Preston Plumb, Sr. was one the first

developers for the City of West University Place in Harris County.11 West University Place

is a small municipality near Rice University that was incorporated in 1925 and is

surrounded by the City of Houston.12 Plumb, Sr. began real estate development and house

building in West University Place in 1925. By the 1930s, Plumb, Jr. would also build homes

in West University Place utilizing the Tudor Revival style that can be seen on the Walker

house in Shoreacres.13

Significance

The Isaiah Poole Walker was built in 1932 along the Galveston Bay in the City of

Shoreacres that was developed as a coastal community in 1925. It stands as the oldest,

extant residential home in Shoreacres. Done in a Tudor Revival style, this two-story house

was utilized by the Walker family of Houston, Texas as an excursion residence more

commonly known as a Fish Camp in its day. Referred to as the “Little Castle,” the exterior

walls are made of thick stone cut in rough form. A turret rises above the roof to encase the

spiral staircase. Also known as the “Treehouse,” the south side of the house has four

columns done in the Trabajo Rustico (Rustic Work) style. The Walker house is the only

known residential structure in Harris County to prominently utilize this rare unique style

of molded cement in the form of tree trunks and branches in its structure. The interior of

the house contains unique wood craftsmanship practiced by maritime carpenters.

The Walker house was built by Preston Plumb, Jr. who was the son-in-law of Isaiah

Poole Walker. The Preston Plumb family of Plumb, Sr. and Plumb, Jr. would be some of

the first real estate developers and home builders for the City of West University Place in

Harris County.

Documentation 1Diana J. Kleiner, "SHOREACRES, TX," Handbook of Texas Online (http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hjs16), accessed December 30, 2011. Published by the Texas State Historical Association. 2 Texas Historical Commission marker on the Houston Yacht Club of Harris County. 3 Interview with Dana Woodruff in August of 2011 4 City Directory in 1930 for Houston, Texas at the Houston Metropolitan Research Center and census records for Harris County, Texas for 1930. 5 Land deed records from the Stewart Realty Group showing Shoreacres Realty company selling lot to Annie Walker in 1928. 6 Harris County Building and Land Valuation cards, Assessor & Collector of Taxes, Harris County Archives. 7 Wikipedia article online, “Tudor Revival Architecture,” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tudor_Revival_architecture, accessed December 13, 2011. 8 Kendall Curlee, "RODRIGUEZ, DIONICIO," Handbook of Texas Online (http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/frouw), accessed December 30, 2011. Published by the Texas State Historical Association. 9 Texas Historical Commission historical marker for the Hidalgo Park Quiosco in Harris County. 10 Interview with Mary Plumb in July of 2010 and census records for Harris County, Texas for 1930 11 June A. Begemon, Stepping Back in Time: A History of West University Place, published in 1999 by the West University Place Historical Society, page 11. 12 Diana J. Kleiner, "WEST UNIVERSITY PLACE, TX," Handbook of Texas Online (http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hew05), accessed December 30, 2011. Published by the Texas State Historical Association. 13 June A. Begemon, Stepping Back in Time: A History of West University Place, published in 1999 by the West University Place Historical Society, page 22.