Montrose, Houston

Montrose (sometimes "The Montrose") is the name of a neighborhood and also an area in Houston, Texas. This area is colloquially referred to as "The Area" or "The Neighborhood" by some people within the Houston gay community. Although Montrose Boulevard extends from the I-10 freeway south to the Mecom Fountain north of Hermann Park, the Montrose neighborhood is usually thought of as the area centered around the intersection of Montrose Boulevard and Westheimer Road. Once a magnet for the hippie movement, Houstonians would consider it as a hybrid of both the Haight-Ashbury and the Castro.

Related Topics:
Houston - Texas - Gay community - Hippie - Haight-Ashbury - Castro

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The district is sometimes called Neartown. Montrose, originally envisioned as a planned community and/or streetcar suburb dating back to the early 20th Century before the development of River Oaks, hosts a significant diverse community of young adults, gay men and lesbians, punk rockers, artists, as well as a vibrant thrift/vintage/second-hand shopping district. Gay bars, shopping and restaurants are all found here.

Related Topics:
Streetcar suburb - River Oaks - Gay men - Lesbian - Gay bar

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On Montrose Blvd. and Westheimer, there are a few original homes remaining - a majority have been converted to businesses and/or restaurants since 1936. Sadly, some former homes fall victim to the wrecking ball.

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During the 1960s and 1970s, the Montrose was known for its Bohemian flavor - this would spawn both the Westheimer Colony Art Festival in 1971, and the subsequent street fair in 1973, which would become known as the Westheimer Street Festival.

Related Topics:
1960 - 1970 - Bohemian

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The Montrose, like Haight-Ashbury, is still a central location for teen runaways in the southeast Texas region. In recent years, many young gay and lesbian runaways have made their way to Montrose.

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