Forum of Civics
a.k.a. River Oaks Garden Club Forum of Civics;John Smith County Sch
2503 Westheimer Rd., Houston, TXBuilt as the John Smith County School in 1910, the building known today as the River Oaks Garden Club Forum of Civics was remodeled in a Classical Revival spirit in 1927 by John Staub -- arguably Houston's most accomplished architect at that time -- as headquarters for the Forum of Civics, founded by entrepreneur Will Hogg. The Forum was organized in May, 1926, to bring together Houston's civic leaders to discuss city planning alternatives and to help implement a comprehensive plan for development of the city's public spaces. It was designed to stimulate civic pride and to combine many and varied forces for the betterment and beautification of Houston. With Hogg's death in 1930, the Forum closed, but its impact in the community remains today. Since 1942 the structure has been home to the River Oaks Garden Club.
Local significance of the building:Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1988.
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.