Those Places Thursday: 1717 Shearn, Houston, Texas, circa 1908-09

This house, originally at 1717 Shearn in Houston, Texas, was the one where my mother, Geraldine Guokas Pape, spent her early years.

The house was originally owned by her grandfather, Charles Peter Guokas Sr. (1863-1939), starting in 1908-09.  That is the year the family is first listed in the Houston city directory at this address.  Previously, from 1899 through 1907, the family was listed as living at 1314 Railroad.

I believe this photograph was taken shortly after the family moved into the house.  In the enlargement below, you can clearly see 1717 above the door in two places.  My great-grandmother Elizabeth (Elžbieta) Banaitis (Banaitytė) Guokas (1875-1929) is standing in the doorway.

The three children are my grandfather, Charles Peter Guokas Jr. (1903-1967), and his younger sisters Eva (1907-1979) and Agnes "Aggie" Verna (1905-1974).

There's a tree that's been planted just in front, visible between the two little girls.

On the 1930 Census, my great-grandfather was still living in this house, along with his youngest son Roy Lee Guokas (1917-1959), my grandfather, my grandmother Sara Melzina Wolfe Guokas Archibald (1907-1997), and my one-year-old mother and her older brother, Charles Guokas III (1927-1999).

My mother's family lived in this house until June 1933, when they moved to Austin when my grandfather was appointed secretary to Governor Miriam Amanda Ferguson.  My great-grandfather continued to live in the house until his death in April, 1939.  The house was left to Roy who lived there until at least 1948. 

I drove by this address in April 2012, only to discover the house had been torn down, apparently (according to Google Maps) by July 2011.  The property (Lot 12, Block 299, Baker Addition) and the adjacent lot have recently been subdivided into single-family townhome lots for construction of three-story (plus rooftop terrace), three-bedroom, 3.5 bath homes selling for about $395,000.

ETA 23 April 2018 - My great-grandfather apparently built the house in late 1906.  Here is an ad I found in The Houston Post of January 22, 1907, indicating the new house at 1717 Shearn was for rent:

The Houston Post. (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 22, Ed. 1 Tuesday, January 22, 1907, newspaper, January 22, 1907; Houston, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth603226/m1/10/?q=%221314+railroad%22: accessed May 5, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; .

ETA 20 October 2019 - Some research in the deed records shows that 1717 Shearn (aka 1814 Sabine, as the length of the house faced that street and had a door, and one apartment in the building likely had that address) was declared substandard in July 1997, and repair or removal was ordered.  By August 2009, it had decayed to the point of being dangerous, and demolition was ordered within 30 days.  In late June 2011, the city issued an emergency order to demolish within 90 days.  However, Google Maps street view photos from April 2011 show a big pile of rubble on the site and at the curb.  So the demolition likely occurred sometime between August 2009 and April 2011.

I also found Sanborn maps of the area.  In 1907 (see below), there was a dwelling at the corner of Shearn and Sabine with the address 1719 Shearn, and there was a two-story bakery next door to 1717, at 1715 Shearn, with a tile oven in the corner of the lot:

Above: Intersection of Shearn and Sabine, 1907 Sanborn map composite of portions of https://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/maps/sanborn/g-i/txu-sanborn-houston-1907-vol2-65.jpg and https://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/maps/sanborn/g-i/txu-sanborn-houston-1907-vol2-66.jpg

Below:   Intersection of Shearn and Sabine, 1924 Sanborn map composite of portions of https://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/maps/sanborn/g-i/txu-sanborn-houston-1924-vol02-229.jpg and https://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/maps/sanborn/g-i/txu-sanborn-houston-1924-vol02-235.jpg

By 1924 (see above), the structure at 1719 is gone, and 1715 is defined as a two-story flat, with no oven on the lot.  By December 1950 (still under copyright, so I can't use an image), both 1715 and 1717 Shearn have the same footprints, but are shown as apartment buildings.

© Amanda Pape - 2013 - click here to e-mail me.