Join us on Wednesday, 5/1, on Facebook or Instagram at 7 p.m. with Mister McKinney of Mister McKinney's Historic Houston as he hosts Facebook Live with author Richard Cunningham speaking about West University History in this free, online program.

West University history is Harris County history, and Cunningham’s book West University Place will take you on a journey of how it transformed then flourished. The real estate development called West University Place was part of a trend in the early 20th century of building affordable neighborhoods away from city centers; it was never meant to be a city on its own. West University Place evolved from treeless farmland into one of the most livable small towns in Texas—but the journey was not easy. More than once, the enterprise could have failed. If not for the actions of visionary leaders and dedicated residents, things may have turned out quite differently.

Cunningham, who is a freelance science writer, is author of the novel, Three Good Leads, a sequel to Maude Brown’s Baby, his debut novel. Three Good Leads is set in Houston and Galveston during the 1918 Influenza pandemic.  These fictional books were inspired by authentic vintage photographs that had a life of their own. 

Today, Cunningham serves on the City of West University Place Parks and Recreation Board. In 2021, he originated research into the location of the 1894 Harris County Poor Farm, which led to the approval of a historical marker on the Edloe Street pathway. He and his wife live in a 1948 cottage in West U that they remodeled in 2007.

Join Executive Director Alison Bell and Mister McKinney for a night of Houston history!

Join us on Wednesday, 4/3 on Facebook or Instagram at 7 p.m. with Mister McKinney of Mister McKinney's Historic Houston as he hosts Facebook Live with guest Robert Kimberly speaking about Legacy of Sig Byrd in this free, online program.

Robert Kimberly is the author of The Digital Sig Byrd Archive, “Houston Press Columnist Sigman Byrd, a Mid-Century Chronicler of Houston People and Places Long Gone”. The Digital Sig Byrd Archive is an online repository of Houston Press columns by Sigman Byrd, the mid-century chronicler of a Houston long gone. Byrd’s writings about underdogs and “the drifts of life”, from 1947 – mid 1950s, leave behind a unique portrait of Houston’s demimonde: its junkies, hookers, hustlers, street-corner preachers, pawnshop owners, honky-tonk angels, boogie-woogie boys, dealers, and more. However, upstanding Houstonians made appearances as well. The site looks to offer an accessible introduction to his writings, reward deep exploration of the archives and provide names, places, maps and calendars to offer a broad overview of his writings during his time at the Houston Press.

Kimberly works at the Blaffer Art Museum at the University of Houston and previously worked for the Museum of Fine Arts - Houston and the Houston Center for Photography.

Join Executive Director Alison Bell and Mister McKinney for a night of Houston history!