Boulevard Realty

Woodland Heights was created in 1907 by the William A. Wilson Realty Company when they purchased about 106 acres then platted it into 600 lots north of the City limits.  This land was a large section of the southwest corner of Germantown.  Wilson had been involved in some development of the Houston Heights and liked this area’s  topography and proximity to downtown.  It did not hurt that one of Houston’s  most popular parks with its crystal clear lake, Highland Park (now known as Woodland Park) was on the eastern edge of the property.

By October 1907, marketing of this new suburb was in full swing. Wilson marketed Woodland Heights as a “Streetcar Suburb in a country setting” which would provide an escape from the dirty, dusty and noisy City.  The main entrance to the suburb was a large gated structure at Bayland and Houston Avenue.   Street cars traveled up what is now Houston Avenue providing transportation to downtown. This new development’s original boundaries were Omar  to the north; Highland Park (now known as Woodland Park) to the east; White Oak Avenue (now known as Byrne) to the south;  and, the Bayland Orphan’s Home (on what it is today Julian) to the west.  

Woodland Heights was a modern development offering many amenities that few middle class suburbs could: water mains, gas lines, sewer, electric service, a school, streets, parks, cement sidewalks, street lights, fire hydrants, hundreds of newly planted oaks and sycamores plus street cars running every 15 minutes providing access to downtown Houston.

By 1910, Wilson claimed that 80 families were living in Woodland Heights.  The City annexed Woodland Heights by 1910.  

Civic clubs including a garden club and a masonic lodge soon were organized.  Many churches organized within a matter of years.  German language services were offered at many local churches into the 1910s.  

Today’s Woodland Heights encompasses many smaller subdivisions including Woodland Terrace, Woodson Place, Norhill Addition, Wilborg, Hermosa Court, Rogers, Ridgemont, Stinde,  Highland Park and Marquart.

*note: Ridgemont is misspelled on map