SPECIAL EVENTS

On the second Sunday of every month, Greater Houston Preservation Alliance (GHPA) presents a docent-guided walking tour of an architecturally and/or historically significant area of Houston.

Sunday, April 11: The Esperson Buildings.

In April, GHPA’s Walking Tours Program explores two jewels of the downtown skyline from bottom to top, inside and out: the Niels and Mellie Esperson Buildings, one couple's legacy in steel and stone. Mellie Esperson commissioned the architect John Eberson to design the Niels Esperson Building as a monument to her husband, an oilman and real estate developer. When the 32-story building opened in 1927, it was the tallest in Texas. Mrs. Esperson traveled the world to select the finest metal, stone, wood and terra cotta to detail the skyscraper, and the materials are as rich today as they were more than 80 years ago. In 1941, Mrs. Esperson built a 19-story Art Deco skyscraper, which she named for herself, adjoining the Niels Esperson Building.

We will explore the exterior and interior architecture of both buildings, hear stories about the Espersons' lives, dispel some urban legends and, weather permitting, visit the columned cupola atop the Niels Esperson Building, which affords a magnificent view of downtown.

Greater Houston Preservation Alliance is funded in part by a grant from the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance.

Photo: Upper floors of Niels Esperson Building (photo by Jim Parsons).