Milroy, John, House
1102 Heights Blvd., Houston, TXThe John Milroy House is not only a fine example of frame Victorian architecture but also is significant historically as one of the earliest houses in the town of Houston Heights and as the home of one of the men most influential in the development of that area. Among Milroy's accomplishments was his election seven times as mayor. In advertisements used for promotion of the town, it was often shown on its prominent corner lot on the fashionable Heights Boulevard. It remains the most impressive nineteenth-century house on the street.
The large house with the tower at 1102 Heights Boulevard, which was to become known as the Milroy House, was built in 1898 by H.F. MacGregor. In that same year, John Milroy and his family moved into it, taking their place among the elite of the community, although Milroy did not actually purchase the house from MacGregor until 1901.
In late nineteenth-century Houston, as in all parts of the country, investors and developers were preparing for the great move of the middle class from the city to the suburbs as the city became increasingly crowded with newcomers. The population of Houston increased from 27,557 in 1890 to 44,633 in 1900. John Milroy bought his first land from the Omaha and South Texas Land Company in 1894, thus becoming one of the first five citizens involved in the development of a new municipality known as Houston Heights. He was hired as city solicitor for that company in 1894. By 1896, Milroy was listed as the secretary, and until 1917, he served as agent and manager of its Houston Heights Office.
As a civic leader in the Heights, Milroy began early. At the first meeting of the Municipal Council in 1896, he was listed as one of the aldermen, later serving as secretary of the Council. In 1899, John Milroy was elected as the second mayor of Houston Heights. He was re-elected to that office seven times but declined the nomination in 1907. Upon retirement from office, he was recognized for his service as a great leader in the community.
Although no longer in politics, Milroy remained active as a member of the Heights School Board and of the Fraternal Hall Association for many years. He managed the Houston Heights Office during the booming years of Heights development until 1917. His expertise in real estate was one of the most important reasons for the successful and rapid growth of the Heights outward from its initial emphasis along the Boulevard, which also carried a rail line to the suburb.
The fine details and craftsmanship of the Milroy House well reflect the building styles of the late-Victorian era. And, as one of the few residences of this type and size remaining in Houston Heights, it illustrates not only the architecture of that period but also the social habits of the family that occupied it.
An especially interesting feature of the house is the large number of hidden cubbyholes and storage spaces. These are found in window seats, in steps that lift off to reveal deep openings, and in secret removable panels in the baseboards of the halls. Many of these could have been added by Milroy for security because several records and ledgers from the Houston Heights Office have been discovered in the spaces. There is also a basement, which is not a common feature in this part of the country.
More importantly, the Milroy House reflects a deliberate approach to town planning. It was built with consideration of the restrictive covenants in the deeds to all the lots on Grand Boulevard. These stated that no structure costing less than $2,500 could be built on the lots and that a setback of 40 feet was required. For these reasons, most early houses on Heights Boulevard were large and detailed in contrast with many of the simpler styles later displayed on other streets. From the beginning, the small suburb was planned to be a healthy combination of large and small residences working together to form a comfortable, unified neighborhood.
Descendants of the Milroy family resided in the house until 1979. At that time it was vacated. It now is being restored by the new owner who hopes to make it a single-family residence again.
Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
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.