Houston Deco: Houston's Modernistic Architecture

Although the 1939 New York World's Fair and the outbreak of World War II in Europe marked the end of the style's popularity in many areas, modernistic design continued to have a significant influence on Houston architecture through the 1940s. Local tradition holds that some of these buildings were designed before the attack on Pearl Harbor, but were not built until private construction resumed after the war ended.

Click on the name or thumbnail image of any building for more information.


  Bond Clothes
1940, Irving R. Klein
demolished
 
  Galveston Cotton Exchange and Board of Trade
1940, Ben Milam
  Golden Girl Restaurant
1940, Nunn & McGinty
demolished
 
  Hamman Exploration Co.
1940, Moore & Lloyd
  Kurth Building
1940
  Peterson's Pharmacy
1940, Bailey Swenson
  Office of Hugh C. Welch, M.D.
1940, John F. Staub
  Knapp Chevrolet Co.
1941, R. Newell Waters with E. Kelly Gaffney
  Mellie Esperson Bulding
1941, John Eberson and Drew Eberson
  White House Dry Goods Co.
1942, Stone & Pitts
  Albritton's Eats
1945
  University State Bank
1946
  Weiner's Dry Goods Store No. 12
1946
  City National Bank Building
1947, Alfred C. Finn
  Foley's
1947, Kenneth Franzheim
demolished
 
  Rettig's Heap-o-Cream
1947
  First National Bank of Goose Creek
1948, Alfred C. Finn
  Lamar-River Oaks Community Center
1948, Raymond H. Brogniez
  River Oaks Community Center expansion
1948, Raymond H. Brogniez
endangered
 
  Shamrock Hotel
1949, Wyatt C. Hedrick
demolished
 


  Brochsteins, Inc.
1940, I.S. Brochstein with Lenard Gabert
  Dahlgren's Cabinet Shop
1930, 1940, Lamar Q. Cato
  Hughes Tool Company, Inc.
1942
  Carnation Company
1946-47, Finger & Rustay
demolished
 
  Ford Motor Co. Building
1947, Giffels & Vallet
  Gribble Stamp & Stencil Co.
1948, C.R. Berry & Co.
  Houston Lighting & Power Co. Eastside Substation
c. 1948


  Houston Municipal Airport Hangar
1940, Joseph Finger
  Houston Municipal Airport Terminal
1940, Joseph Finger
  Brazoria County Courthouse
1941, Lamar Q. Cato
  Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
1941, A.B. Paulson
  Sixth Church of Christ, Scientist
1941
endangered
 
  Public School Stadium
1942, Harry D. Payne
demolished
 
  Pearland School
1945, Hedrick & Lindsley
  Roy and Lillie Cullen Building, Baylor College of Medicine
1948, Wyatt C. Hedrick
  Congregation Beth Yeshurun Educational Building
1949, Finger & Rustay
endangered
 


  Bay Theater
1942, Leon C. Kyburz
  Santa Rosa Theater
1946
demolished
 
  Fulton Theater
1947
demolished
 
  Garden Oaks Theater
1947
  Brunson Theater
1949, Leon C. Kyburz
endangered
 
  Capitan Theater
1949, Raymond F. Smith
endangered
 
  Granada Theater
1949, Raymond F. Smith


  Wilshire Village Apartments
1940, Eugene Werlin
demolished
 
  Residence for Harvey R. Houck Jr.
1947, Harry B. Grogan
demolished
 
  5507-5515 San Jacinto St.
1947
  1714 W. Alabama St.
1947
  Town House Arms Apartments
1948
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