Old Sixth Ward Walking Tour, page 3

The Raia Compound circa 1885 - 1940, 818, 900, 902, and 904 Sabine Street
Members of the Raia family owned this cluster of tenant houses for many years. The first house, 818 Sabine, was built around 1910 and features boxcar siding, most widely seen on railroad boxcars of the early 20th century. There was a large railroad car manufacturing plant off Washington Avenue around the turn of the 20th century and several houses in the area were built with boxcar siding discarded by the plant.  The house at 900 Sabine was originally at 818 Sabine. It was built in the mid 1890’s as Folk Victorian gable-front cottage with an inset porch, identical to the house at 902 Sabine Street. The house was relocated to the rear of the property prior to the construction of 818 Sabine Street in 1910. The 902 Sabine house dates from the late 1880’s and is identified as a Folk-Victorian cottage with an inset porch. The garage apartment, at 904 Sabine (hidden behind 902 Sabine) was built around 1940.  It once served as a two-car garage with an one-bedroom apartment above; the garage bays were recently converted into a single studio apartment. The small building in front of 902 Sabine was built for Mr. Raia as a print shop in 1939.

Philip M. Helfrich House, 1807 Decatur Constructed circa 1890 as a L-cottage, then altered in 1907, and again in the early 1920’s to a bungalow.  Daughter-in-law Ella Helfrich invented the Tunnel of Fudge Cake, and Philip's daughter, Margaret Westerman was Houston’s City Secretary for almost 40 years. It now houses Harry Gendel Architects.
The Valentine House, 1908 Decatur Street This imposing Queen Anne Cross-Gable Victorian is one of the few remaining large residences of Old Sixth Ward. Built in 1898 The house was used as a parsonage for the Tabernacle Baptist Church for over 30 years.  1912 Decatur is a mirror image of this house.  The current owners purchased the house in 1998 and had the wrap-around porch rebuilt. The house still features its original curly-pine wainscoting, trim, and mantelpieces which set it apart as having one of the most ornate interiors in Old Sixth Ward.
Bettie E. Williams House, 1910 Decatur Records date this Gulf Coast Colonial/Greek Revival home to 1866, making it one of the oldest documented houses in Houston.  Originally built as a simple five bay “I” house with a dog trot foyer, it was remodeled and enlarged in 1885 to it’s current appearance. Before restoration in 1996, it was seen by many as a "tear down".  It had boarded windows, no utilities, and gaping holes in the floor and roof.  While under restoration, the history of the home was documented.
First Baptist Tabernacle, 1919 Decatur This brick church with a raised basement was built to replace an earlier wooden frame church which was built in the 1890’s. The high pitched stained glass windows give the church a Gothic Revival look.  It was a church until recently, and is currently an architect’s office.

McEvine House, 1909 Decatur
A very early quarter’s cabin, located on this site since the mid 1870’s.

The Falke House, 2003 Decatur Street This Folk Victorian residence with a bungalow-style porch was built around 1896. Shortly afterwards it was sold to Mr. Emil and Rosa Falke. Mr. Falke was a recent emigrant from Berlin and his wife, Rosa Seeberger’s family, came from Switzerland. It is believed that Mr. Falke changed the appearance of the house in 1905 by adding a gable on the east side of the roof and updating the porch. You may have seen it on HGTV's "If These Walls Could Talk".

Canata Houses, 2009 & 2011 Decatur
These two shotgun houses were built for railroad workers in the late 1880’s.  Shotguns were generally three rooms lined up so you could “shoot chickens in the backyard from the front door”.

The Tutwiler Tenant House - 2213 Decatur Street Circa 1921. The lot that the house stands on was once the site of a driveway and barn that served the Franck-Tutwiler House next door at 2215 Decatur Street. After the death of Mrs. Rose Tutwiler, her children subdivided the property and had a 2-bedroom house built on the new property. It is believed that some of the lumber used for the new house was salvaged from the old Tutwiler barn. The house was used as tenant house for exactly 80 years until it was sold to its current owners who are restoring the house.

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