Market Square Park is a public

park A park is an area of natural, semi-natural or planted space set aside for human enjoyment and recreation or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. Urban parks are urban green space, green spaces set aside for recreation inside t ...

Downtown ''Downtown'' is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's sometimes commercial, cultural and often the historical, political and geographic heart. It is often synonymous with its central business distric ...

Houston Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...

, Texas, United States. It is bounded by Travis, Milam, Congress and Preston streets. It has remained a geographic centerpiece of Downtown Houston since the arrival of the city's founders, John Kirby and

Augustus Chapman Allen Augustus Chapman Allen (July 4, 1806 – January 11, 1864), along with his younger brother, John Kirby Allen, founded the City of Houston in the U.S. state of Texas. He was born on July 4, 1806, in Canaseraga Village, New York (the present day h ...

in 1836. The square was donated to the city in 1854 by Augustus Allen and used as an open air produce market. Very near

Allen's Landing Allen's Landing is the officially recognized birthplace of the city of Houston, Texas, United States, the largest city in Texas and the fourth largest in the United States. Located in Downtown Houston between the Main Street and Fannin Street viadu ...

, the original port of Houston, the downtown business district grew around the square. Early city landmarks included the briefly used

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

Capitol and White House. In addition, several City Halls rose and fell at Market Square, each destroyed by fire. The historic square is surrounded by 19th century

architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing building ...

, housing a variety of businesses, entertainment venues, nightclubs and dining establishments. Market Square is located directly between Allen's Landing and the

Theater District A theater district (also spelled theatre district) is a common name for a neighborhood containing several of a city's theatres. Places *Theater District, Manhattan, New York City *Boston Theater District *Buffalo Theater District *Cleveland Theater ...

. It is a central feature of the

Main Street/Market Square Historic District Main Street Market Square Historic District is a historic district in Houston, Texas that includes the Market Square Park. It includes buildings nearby, as well as the square itself. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places i ...

, a historic district listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

Lauren’s Garden

Former Houston-area resident, Lauren Catuzzi Grandolas, was killed on board United Airlines Flight 93 during the September 11 attacks. A memorial bust figure of her is positioned next to a water feature and plaque created in her honor at the Congress Street side of the park. "Houstonians Pay tribute to 911 victim at Lauren’s Garden in Market Square Park"
''KHOU-TV'', September 11, 2018

Gallery

File:City Hall and Market House.jpg, City Hall and Market House File:Main Street, north from Preston Avenue, Houston, Texas.jpg, Main Street, north from Preston Avenue, Houston, Texas (postcard, c. 1905–07) File:OldMarketSquareParkHoustonTX.JPG, Monument for "Old Market Square Park," Houston File:Market Square Houston (HDR).jpg, View toward Milam Street from Market Square Park, Houston File:Market Square Park Houston.jpg, The Rice Hotel (Post Rice Lofts) viewed from Market Square, Houston

References

External links

Market Square Historic DistrictLauren Griffith Associates
Parks in Houston 1854 establishments in Texas Protected areas established in 1854 Downtown Houston {{Houston-stub

Lauren’s Garden

Gallery

See also

References

External links