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Saturday, October 7, 2023 • Vol. 68 • No. 39
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Heights community leader, HHA board member, celebrates 100th birthday By Anne Sloan Houston Heights Association, Board Member She’s no ordinary centenarian. Born on her grandparents’ farm in Opelousas, Louisiana, former HHA board member, Ruth P. Thornton grew up checking on the sharecroppers, inspecting the livestock, running through the fruit orchards, assisting the blacksmith and riding the horse bareback to the mailbox. After graduation from high school, she followed her mother to Houston.
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The Early Days In 1944, Ruth married Edward Thornton, whom she met in San Antonio at a Baptist Convention. With Ruth’s mother, who worked as a seamstress, Edward purchased the Heights bunga-
low at 1248 Herkimer Street in 1948, back when Herkimer was a gravel road. Widowed in 1969, Ruth has lived here alone ever since. When she arrived in Houston, Ruth began waitressing at Gaido’s Restaurant on South Main Street but was soon promoted to train and manage the other workers. She next worked for 10 years at Memorial Hermann Hospital, obtaining an LVN license. At age 34, Ruth decided she wanted to go to college. The hospital staff urged her to study nursing, but becoming an RN required her enrollment at Prairie View A&M, which meant separation from her husband and son, Eddie Jr. Instead, she chose Texas Southern University, attending class from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and then working 2nd shift at Memorial Hermann Hospital. She chose the only major she
had ever heard of besides nursing, graduating in 1961 with a degree in home economics at the age of 38. Following the Calling of Education Immediately hired by HISD, Ruth began her 46-year career teaching, first in elementary and middle school, and later at Booker T. Washington Senior High School. At BTW, Ruth taught home economics for 32 years, covering a curriculum that covered food, clothing, child care and interior design. Today, she admits that she hated teaching about food. “I was always much more interested in clothing and design,” she said. Meanwhile, her love of learning drove her to obtain a Master of Educa-
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Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner presented Ruth Perrodin Thornton with a proclamation declaring Sept. 28, 2023, Mrs. Ruth P. Thornton Day in honor of her 100th birthday.
Historic Heights: A Century of Growth, Flood Mitigation, and Community Resilience Exploring the Evolution of Houston’s Heights Neighborhood
INSIDE.
By Lisa Morales The Leader News Contributor
Local Heights businesses welcomes fresh fall air and early holiday shoppers.
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League of Women Voters Empowers High School Seniors with Voter Registration
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Photo by Elena Sandovici Ryan Fugate lost his studio and priceless artworks in the Winter Street fire. He now has a new studio and is creating new works at The Silos.
The Art Ramble at Sawyer Yards debuts with creative flair, artistic charm By Elena Sandovici The Leader News Contributor
Ask the expert: Jennifer Solak gives important information on Probate, Wills & Trusts, and Real Estate law.
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ThisIsHouston brings community together with dog show and costume contest.
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THE INDEX. Public/Topics .............................2 Classifieds .................................6 Local Culture .............................8
If you live in the Heights, you’re hopefully familiar with Sawyer Yards – an impressive art campus that has converted a former railway station, warehouses and other industrial buildings into state-of-the-art studio and gallery spaces for creatives right in the heart of Houston. The campus consists of several buildings, some within walking distance from each other, connected by what is known as Art Alley, an urban space decorated by whimsical murals and showcasing stunning views of downtown, some a short driving distance away. On Saturday, Sept. 30, during an event called the Art Ramble, the buildings welcomed visitors and most artists opened their studio doors to let the public see their work spaces, their new creations, and in some instances even give them a peek at their
ble? It’s definitely hard to choose. There was live music in some of the common areas. There were exhibits in the hallways. There were Halloween cupcakes, candy, and, as always, there was wine. Many of the artists, in addition to being present and having their doors open to the public, chose to work in their spaces, which is especially fun to watch. Art was not just present on the walls, but actively happening. You could see anything from large abstract works to pet portraits being painted, as well as pottery and jewelry being made. Many art lovers in our community wonder how the Winter Street artists are faring. Winter Street, one of the Sawyer Yards studio buildings, suffered a devastating fire due to an act of vandalism right before Christmas last year. Several artists lost priceless works and equipment, and all artists in the buildSee ART RAMBLE P. 7
See HEIGHTS P. 7
Photo courtesy of University of Houston Digital Library via Wikimedia Commons
Group photo of Station 14 firefighters on fire engine. This photograph was taken at Station 14, locate at 12th and Heights, in the 1920s.
Local student among high school leaders taking Mayor’s Youth Council oath of office Community Reports Beverly Santas, a senior at Houston Heights High School, to represent District B
Mayor Sylvester Turner administered the oath of office to 20 high school students appointed to the Mayor’s Youth Council at an inaugu-
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art process. If this sounds fun to you, but you missed it, your next chance to see these beautiful spaces and meet the artists at Sawyer Yards is during Second Saturday, October 14, from 125p.m. In fact, Second Saturday Open Studios happen every month, but that doesn’t mean you should put off visiting for too long. Like everything else in Houston, the artist studios at Sawyer Yards are dynamic and prone to exciting changes, so you might want to start keeping track of who your favorite artists are and how their spaces change from one event to the next. It’s a great way to stay connected to Houston’s thriving art scene, and you will always walk away from these events delightfully overwhelmed by colors and creativity, and also with a sense that what our city can offer artists is the space to create and a supportive community that takes interest in their work. Some highlights from the Art Ram-
The Heights has a rich and storied history that has shaped its development and character over the course of more than a century. From its beginnings as a farming community to its modern status as a vibrant cultural hub, the Heights has undergone a remarkable transformation. In the late 19th century, the Heights was a canvas waiting to be painted. German immigrants were among the first to settle the area in the 1880s, and their influence can still be seen in the neighborhood’s architecture and culture. One drawback of the area was the flat and low-lying terrain that was often inundated with flooding when heavy rains and storms moved through the neighborhood, hindering its growth and development. To address these issues and make the land more attractive for settlement, developers and real estate promoters began a process of raising the land to new heights. They would call this newly elevated acreage “Houston Heights” to highlight the neighborhood’s higher ground and, by implication, its reduced risk of flooding. This marketing strategy was intended to appeal to individuals who were looking for a more secure and appealing place to live. The elevation effort involved bringing in large amounts of dirt, soil, and fill material from other areas and depositing it onto the existing land surface. In some cases, dredging and excavation of nearby bayous and water bodies provided fill material.
ration ceremony held on September 28 in the City Hall council chambers. In attendance were students’ family members, City officials, and staff. Established in 1998, the MYC provides youth the opportunity to learn about city government, share issues of concern with city officials, and gain civic See YOUTH COUNCIL P. 7
Submitted Photo
Alexavier Mendoza (center), MYC 2022-2023 chair, passes the gavel to new chair Michael Hamad.
Submitted Photo
Mayor’s Youth Council members take the oath of office, administered by Mayor Turner.
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