Buffalo Bayou in downtown Houston was teeming with activity at the turn of the 20th century, from the wharves of the Port of Houston at Allen's Landing to the produce wholesalers, warehouses, breweries and factories that lined its banks. Our 90-minute docent-guided walking tour looks at the bayou's crucial role in Houston's development and explores the remnants of some of the old development nearby, including what's left of the Houston Ice & Brewing Company, a major industrial concern in the early 1900s.

The tour also includes stories about the city's little-known role in the Civil War and tales of Vinegar Hill, the area's notorious slum.

Please note that this is an exterior tour only. The tour will not go inside any buildings.

Tickets will go on sale at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, November 13, 2016, at Allen's Landing Park, 1005 Commerce Avenue. Admission is $10 for the general public ($7 for Preservation Houston members and students with valid ID). Those who walk, ride a bike or use public transit to get to the tour will receive a $2 discount. Children 11 years old and under are admitted free. Tickets may be charged to Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover. The last tour group will leave just after 2 p.m. Advance reservations are not required for this tour.

For more information, visit our Architecture Walks page.