Fifth Ward, Historic neighborhood in northeast Houston, United States
Fifth Ward stretches from Buffalo Bayou to Collingsworth Road, about 2 miles from downtown Houston. Residential blocks alternate with shops and small businesses, while wide streets run through the area.
The neighborhood was established in 1866 after the Civil War ended, when sections from First Ward and Second Ward were reorganized. By the 1880s many freed slaves settled here, arriving from rural areas to Houston.
Mount Vernon United Methodist Church was founded in 1865 by a freed slave and remains the oldest religious site in the area. It became the spiritual center for people who built new lives here after the Civil War.
The Fifth Ward Multi-Service Center offers childcare, health services, and programs for older residents. The facility sits centrally in the neighborhood and is accessible on weekdays.
A large fire swept through the area in 1912 and caused damage worth about three million dollars. Despite the destruction, no one lost their life, which was very unusual for a fire of this size.
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