River Oaks Real Estate

River Oaks Real Estate & Homes for Sale in Texas

The affluent neighborhood of River Oaks is located in west central Houston between downtown and uptown/Galleria. Developed in the 1920s by Hugh Potter and Michael Hogg, sister of Miss Ima Hogg (her real name!), a noted Houston philanthropist, River Oaks quickly became one of Houston's most prestigious areas and it remains so today. The Hogg family home of Bayou Bend, listed on the National Register for Historic Places, is in River Oaks. It operates as a museum with over 5000 works of art dating from the 1660s to the 1860s, collected by Miss Ima. Fourteen acres of lush gardens and woodlands surround the home described as "Latin Colonial." River Oaks Country Club was designed in 1923 on 200 acres of land and one of the first major shopping centers in America was built here in the 1920s. Hogg and Potter developed a master plan that ensured exclusivity for the neighborhood. The first home was built by the Claytons and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In the 1990s, River Oaks was at the geographic center of Houston and was an independent community. It was annexed by the city in the mid 1990s. Children living in River Oaks attend schools in the Houston Independent School District. HISD is the seventh largest district in the country, educating more than 200,000 students annually, in 288 schools located in the 312-square mile district. There are more than 25 universities - including the University of Houston - and colleges in the Houston area. Houston has more than 500 parks and one of the largest, Memorial Park, borders River Oaks to the north. The River Oaks Community Center offers free classes for all ages. The city's Parks and Recreation department offers classes and sports leagues for adults and children. Buffalo Bayou is also adjacent to River Oaks to the north. This stream becomes the Houston Ship Channel sixteen miles from the sea. There are hiking trails along Buffalo Bayou's banks. River Oaks provides up-scale living in a garden setting, in the world-class city of Houston where a bigger and better lifestyle is backed by proud residents, a thriving economy and great natural beauty.