Main Street/Market Square Historic District

Main Street/Market Square Historic District is a commercial preservation area in downtown Houston containing 52 historic structures, a viaduct, and two public parks along the bayou. The buildings span multiple blocks and represent architectural styles from the late 1800s through early 1900s.

The collection began in 1836 when Augustus and John Allen established the area as Houston's original commercial center while Texas was still an independent nation. Most surviving structures were built between the mid-1800s and 1930s during the city's period of rapid economic expansion.

The district displays Renaissance Revival and Chicago School architecture through buildings constructed between 1858 and 1935, representing Houston's commercial growth during its early decades.

Market Square Park within the district provides open space with water features, seating, and direct connections to multiple preserved structures from the 1800s. Walking through the district is straightforward, with clear paths and adequate signage to guide visitors through the blocks.

The site hosted four successive Houston City Halls that were each destroyed by fire before the current park layout was created. This pattern of repeated destruction shaped the area's development in a way few other places have experienced.

Location: Houston

Architectural style: Renaissance Revival architecture, Chicago School

Address: Roughly bounded by Buffalo Bayou, Fannin, Texas, and Milamsts

GPS coordinates: 29.76200,-95.36200

Latest update: December 14, 2025 14:26