page_title: River Oaks, Houston
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: River Oaks, Houston / History
caption_attribution_description: English: River Oaks Garden Club Forum of Civics, formerly the John Smith County School - Upper Kirby
context_page_description: River Oaks is a residential community located in the center of Houston, Texas, United States. Located within the 610 Loop and between Downtown and Uptown, the community spans 1,100 acres. Established in the 1920s by brothers Will Hogg and Michael Hogg, the community became a well-publicized national model for community planning. Real estate values in the community range from $1 million to over $20 million. River Oaks was also named the most expensive neighborhood in Houston in 2013. The community is home to River Oaks Country Club, which includes a golf course designed by architect Donald Ross and redesigned in 2015 by Tom Fazio.
context_section_description: William and Michael Hogg, the sons of former Texas Governor Jim Hogg, and attorney Hugh Potter established River Oaks in the 1920s. Potter obtained an option to purchase 200 acres (81 ha) around the River Oaks Country Club in 1923, and in the following year William Hogg established the Country Club Estates in order to support the development of the community. The two brothers promoted the sale of lots in the subdivision for $2,200 apiece in 1928. The brothers, along with sister Ima Hogg, oversaw the construction of Bayou Bend, a stately southern-style home on the banks of Buffalo Bayou.
  The first development of River Oaks was the summer house of William L. Clayton. Houston-architect Birdsall Briscoe completed this Colonial Revival home for the Clayton family in 1924. This property is a City of Houston Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
  The development plans ensured that River Oaks's parks and esplanades were planted with oaks, shrubs, azaleas and other flowers. Every detail of the development was planned to establish a well-integrated community. Advertised as a "distinguished experiment in fine living," River Oaks became a national model for community planning. River Oaks' planning standards, residential architecture, and landscape design were publicized during the 1920s and 1930s in national newspapers, real estate media and design journals. Deed restrictions at the time restricted home prices to over $7,000 and specified architectural styles, with a gentlemen's agreement excluding blacks, Jews, and other minorities. Homes along Kirby Drive were restricted to American Colonial or English Tudor style architecture.
  During the 1920s, River Oaks was so effectively organized, planned and restricted that it became the most expensive neighborhood in Houston. The City of Houston annexed the community in 1927, adding 3,465 acres (1,402 ha) of land to the city limits. Bus service to Downtown Houston opened during the same year.  After World War II, as Houston experienced its greatest growth, River Oaks became a haven for the wealthy of the city.
  River Oaks has been the subject matter of scholarly studies, primarily because its significant contributions to Houston's history and development as an elite suburban community. The community was the site of the 1972 murder of Dr. John Hill (later described in Thomas Thompson's novel, Blood and Money). River Oaks was the home of Jeff Skilling before he began serving a 25-year prison sentence for his involvement in the Enron scandal.
  The River Oaks Garden Club Forum of Civics, located in Upper Kirby, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places as the "Forum of Civics" on October 13, 1988. Formerly a county schoolhouse, the building is currently the administrative center for the River Oaks Garden Club.
  In 2011 Bloomberg Businessweek ranked River Oaks as the seventh most expensive housing blocks in the United States.
  In 2017 Hurricane Harvey caused some flooding in River Oaks.
caption: The River Oaks Garden Club Forum of Civics, located in Upper Kirby
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