Welcome. We offer 3 completely different 5-hour tours that focus on women’s history and culture. Tours A an B generally start at 9:00 AM, while Tour B starts at 10:00 AM. Each tour has at least 2 museums or institutions to tour, a lunch stop, and several places that we drive-by. Each person is responsible for paying for his/her lunch.
In 1982, the United States (US) Congress designated a week as Women’s History Week. The US Congress expanded the recognition to the whole month of March as Women’s History Month, in 1987. However, one does not have to celebrate the achievements of over half of the population in only 1 month. These tours are offered throughout the year.
Tour A
Tour A focuses on the east and central part of Houston. It covers downtown, the 3rd Ward, the Lawndale area, the Texas Medical Center (TMC), Rice Village, and Hermann Park. Bold-faced areas are potential stops.
The sites include:
The Julia B. Ideson (1880 – 1945) Library (1923), named for the long-time head of the Houston Public Library with the New Deal mural “The First Subscription Committee, 1854” by Ruth Pershing Uhler
Market Square Park and Discovery Green Park redesigned by Lauren Griffith Associates
Incarnate Word Academy established in 1873 and built in 1905
The Church of Christ, Scientist – 1st Church. Mary Baker Eddy (1821 – 1910) found this denomination in 1904.
House of Dereon – home to Destiny’s Child and Beyonce Knowles
1931 Houston Negro Hospital School of Nursing
Married Ladies Social Art & Charity Club (1902, 1966 bought the current building)
Blue Triangle Community Center, formerly the Blue Triangle Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA)
Abandoned St. Nicholas Convent
Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast, Inc. Headquarters
Villa de Matel Convent of the Sisters of Charity (1866 came to Galveston, 1887 opened St. Joseph’s Infirmary, now St. Joseph’s Hospital, 1928 established the Motherhouse here in Houston) when possible
1942 Houston Garden Center and or the Japanese Garden (weather permitting)
1936 Log Cabin in the Texas Medical Center erected by the Daughters of the Republic of Texas
Prairie View A & M University: College of Nursing – since 1982 in the TMC
Texas Women’s University (TWU) Hospital
1976 The Women’s Hospital of Texas (only on Sundays at 1 PM)
Lunch is generally at the Dinner Bell Cafe, in the Rice Village, or downtown.
Tour B
Tour B focuses on the southwest, and near west areas of Houston. It covers the Greenway and River Oaks area.Bold-faced areas are potential stops.
The sites include:
Hadassah Houston Chapter
Sheltering Arms
Girl Scouts Museum
Tour of Bayou Bend (1928), the museum home of Ima Hogg (1882 – 1975)
Depelchin Children’s Center (1892) by Kezia Payne Depelchin
Houston Area Women’s Center
Blue Bird Circle
Lunch is generally at the Junior League’s Tea Room or Andre’s in Uptown Park or Crescent City Beignets in the River Oaks area.
Tour C
Tour C focuses on the west and north side of Houston. It covers Fondren Southwest, Houston Heights, and Garden Oaks areas. Bold-faced areas are potential stops.
The sites include:
Houston Baptist University Museum of American Architecture and Decorative Arts (Monday through Saturday) and the Dunham Bible Museum
Houston Heights Woman’s Club
Houston Junior Forum in the Houston Heights
Telephone Museum
League of Women’s Voters
Antique shopping along Ashland Street and 19th Street
Lunch is generally in Uptown Park or the Houston Heights.
