77009, where Houston’s historic homes live

At times, Houston feels like a city of cranes — constantly creating new buildings and shifting the skyline, as the city continues to grow slowly and surely. So many things are new. Just look at the glossy new apartment and condo buildings springing up in and outside Loop 610 and the hotel buildings that sprang up to accommodate Super Bowl guests earlier this year.

It raises the question: Is there anything old — truly old — in the city that keeps building?

Nationally, about one in eight homes was built before 1939. But here in Houston the ratio is much lower, just below one in 20, while the share of homes built after 2000 is significantly higher than the national figure.

But, it appears, there is one pocket of Houston where you will have pretty good luck finding older houses. The 77009 ZIP code, straddling Interstate 45 just north of downtown, is a haven for older homes, with 37.5 percent of homes built before 1939. That’s three times the national average.

And it’s no mistake. This ZIP has this claim on historical homes thanks in large part to the fact that it contains not one, but two, historic preservation districts: Woodland Heights and Germantown.

In Woodland Heights, located near the western border of 77009, the most common design style of homes is the woodframed bungalow. Originally established in 1907 by the William Wilson Realty Company, the 106-acre subdivision grew at an average of two homes per week during the early years, according to the city. And while some of the homes have their own flair (you’ll see some craftsman details on a good number of the bungalows), there’s a solid theme throughout the entire neighborhood, which is

being maintained through deed restrictions.

Germantown looks a little different from its neighbor, with a greater diversity in the style of homes. For sure, there’s still a fair share of bungalows, many of which were built shortly after the turn of the century. But come the 1910s, a growing number of Queen Anne and Colonial Revival homes began popping up in the area, which was named for its legacy as a community of German immigrants in the 19th century.

With both neighborhoods within 77009, it’s no wonder the ZIP has claim to the city’s largest share of old homes.