East End, part of Houston backed by the eastern part of downtown, flanked by the Port of Houston and capped to the South by Hobby Airport. This wonderful part of our city bears many vestiges of Houston’s early history, industry, and its rich Hispanic tradition.
According to the Houston Chronicle, although some gentrification began in the early 2000’s when the upper middle class saw the draw of an East End price tag compared to those on the West side, the East End is home to a large part of Houston’s cultural history. The Chicano Mural on Canal Street, painted in 1973 by the famous Leo Tanguma, though weathered, is one of many historically significant murals and mosaics in the East End. In fact, just looking at the murals and learning about their history could be a whole post in and of itself (watch for it)!
In addition to being an epicenter to some beautiful Mexican-American street art, the East End is home to two of Houston’s oldest Hispanic neighborhoods (Magnolia Park and Second Ward). East End is also home to one of the first master-planned neighborhoods in the Houston area. Other notable landmarks include The Orange Show, the Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, and the Talento Bilingue de Houston, the largest cultural arts center in Houston. It’s even the home to the original Ninfa’s, which opened in the area in 1973.
The area is said to “have the feel of Mexico: brightly painted homes and narrow streets, store signs in Spanish and snow cones sold from carts, ”as described by the Houston Chronicle. The East End’s ties to Mexico are so strong that, starting in 1997, bus services to and from Mexico came forward and thrive still today. Whatever your interests, there’s no denying the East End has a special spot in Houston’s history.
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