Southampton Place, Houston, TX

Southampton is an exclusive Houston neighborhood that is built on land included in the original Obedience Smith Survey, a huge tract of land that was granted to Mrs. Smith and her heirs in perpetuity by the last President of the Republic of Texas in 1845. Southampton was developed in the 1920s by E.H. Fleming. The Civic Club for the neighborhood was formed in 1929.

Five homes in Southampton Place have been designated as Landmark Homes by the City of Houston. Of these five homes, three are remembered for the outstanding women who lived in them. Lackner House was owned by Laura Lackner who created her own real estate company in 1929 in order to sell and lease land she had inherited. On her death in 1952, she left an estate valued at two million dollars (more than $36 million in today’s currency). Ward/Anderson house was the home of Hortense Ward who was a lawyer, a women’s rights activist and the first woman to register to vote in Harris County. She was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1910.  The first owner of Wakeman House, built in 1933, was Miss Eleanor Wakeman who worked as a stenographer at both Remington and Underwood typewriter companies. It was almost unheard of for a single woman to own a home at that time. The house has since become a symbol of early feminist ideals in the Houston area and is the first house in Southampton to receive Protected Landmark status.

The Houston Independent School District serves Southampton Place. Public school students are zoned to Poe Elementary School, Lanier Middle School and Lamar High School.

Unlike many historic neighborhoods in Houston, Southampton contains apartment and condominium buildings in addition to single-family homes. It also contains an upscale senior/assisted living community. The Village of Southampton offers independent living, assisted living and memory care to the older residents of Southampton.

There are a wide variety of restaurants in close proximity to Southampton Place. Local Foods is a favorite of Southampton residents hungry for sandwiches, salads and seafood. For those craving American food and a wine bar, Sixty Vines is a top choice. Kasra Persian Grill is the place the locals go to for Mediterranean food.

Southampton is conveniently located near the Houston Museum District, Rice University and Texas Medical Center, allowing easy access to medical, educational and cultural venues. Entertainment opportunities in the area include the Houston Zoo, a Japanese Garden, and Miller Outdoor Theater, all located within the confines of Hermann Park, a large green space which, aside from the three locations listed above, also includes a variety of gardens, a children’s train which goes through a tunnel exuberantly painted by Houston artist Trenton Doyle Hancock, a golf course, an Asian pavilion, a reflection pool and many other delights.

Fleming Park was established in the 1920s when Southampton was in the early stages of development. Today it offers movie nights, a children’s Halloween costume party and an annual Splash Day. It is part of the history of the neighborhood and has been a beloved place that children and adults alike have enjoyed for the past hundred years.