The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-06-02
OUR CITY BEAUTIFUL.
A Plea for Colonial Architecture If
Houston.

A Plea for Colonial Architecture in
Houston,
To the Editor Of The Post
Houston TEXAS. May 31.--one who truly
loves his dwelling place loves II for the
things that are unique TO that locahly'
whether they he In the style of the bold,
lngs and streets or the manners ana
tongue Of the people.
IN spite Of the disadvantage OF the United
states as a place for sightseeing owing to
It's nowness ana evident INFORMED taSle,
there is an amount Of local charm Whltn
should be encouraged once 1t rs recognized.
The south has more Of this, perhaps, than
nny other section, and II Is easlly lraten
to it's scientific basis Of climatic condi
fon Perhaps we do not demnud tropical
arrangement but we certainly should not
have 10 endure the gabled and small WIN
doWcd houses of the EngnSh style. bld'
Houston was blessed with preaominatlng
style of architecture. the appropriateness
OF which could no more be questioned thdn
lis clnsslcism. moan thal stsie hrst W.
favor In the South when our taste MS
simpler and truer the colonial. IFS wide
galleries and majestic pillars and white or
| yellow colorng invite reposce aud cool
breeZcs.
Ii is the universal rule In cities growing
rnpidy as Houston is 90 pass through thlt
/ awkward age" so distressing 70 the sens-
\ five citizen, when too little thought Is gwen
! 10 the style of the large buildings so that
| when the. city has attained its maturity
/ aud has leisure to lops upon itself critically
/ II sees N0ut mlStnkcS nave nctu lluie H'iu
| how the natural advantages nave peen
neglected and the local color lost sight or.
| DO rot let our buildings look as thougb
| they might be In Minnesota on Maine,
| While We In Houston are yet building our
| largo affairs, our schools and churches ana
| libraries lei us take heed and have few
| regrets We have widest bounty Of nature
| rare verdure and the most lovely Of skies
aud atmosphere and we have the heritage
| Of an architecture beyond question the most
cnduringly beautiful the world has seen
| since Greece gave II us, appropriate ahk'
for cottage and mansion.
There has been n mild renaissance II
the United States OF late years for the
colonial style Of architecture applied e
house building and decoration and To-
those who can not like II we can only sal
that they ought 10 like II, that II Is goo
taste to ike II, IT Is not fad.
Those In Houston who have local prld'
In our old mansions so fast dtsappeafihE
those who know the buildings OF Washing
, ton and Lee and other of our architectu
rally fine universities; the State houses .
, Kentucky and the noble houses on In
. | lanes. can build our schools and lbrarie
| after that long loved fashion, feeling tina
we can make no error and that our build
ngs will he perfect architecturally so Ton
: as they may endure.
4 LET us have a Greclan library. styl
doubly appropriate to building devote
c 10 ClnSsicism Let us make II somcthln
| az which our children can not he nsllamel
something more thaa pile AZ stonc. w
can then have that pleasant assurance tina
comes with building our city In an al
q proved, a beautiful way for all time.
+; Mrs. j. p. Mayberry.