Isaiah P. Walker House

During the late 1920s and early 1930s, the city of Shoreacres became a weekend haven for residents of nearby Houston. Families built weekend homes, referred to as fish camps, where they could enjoy fishing and boating activities on Galveston Bay. Isaiah P. Walker, vice-president of a Houston-based furniture retail establishment, the Stowers Furniture Company, purchased a tract of land from Shoreacres Realty, Inc. in 1928 with his wife, Annie, for the construction of their own weekend home. Now nicknamed “Little Castle” and “Tree House,” the home was completed in 1932 and demonstrates popular architectural influences from the period in which it was built, as well as unique design elements that continue to set it apart from neighboring homes. The Walkers hired their son-in-law, Preston Plumb, Jr. to construct the home in a style reminiscent of the Tudor Revival homes Plumb and his father built in the community of West University Place near Rice University. The two-story home’s exterior facade is constructed of thick stone, cut in rough form. A turret rising over the roof, encasing a spiral staircase, gives the home a castle-like appearance. The most prominent and distinct features of the Walker home are four concrete “faux bois” pine trees that frame the porch on the south side of the house. These molded cement columns were made in the style of “el trabajo rustico,” popularized during this period by the Mexican artist Dionicio Rodriguez. The Walker House is the only known residence in Harris County to utilize these unique “faux bois” columns and is the oldest extant fish camp residence in Shoreacres. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark – 2012

Isaiah P. Walker House is a historical marker in Shoreacres, Harris County, dedicated in 2012. It is one of 406 historical markers documented in Harris County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 781 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 29.6194, -95.0037 near Shoreacres. The nearest cataloged historic site is Houston Yacht Club (historical marker), about 0.1 miles away. Others within a short drive include Harris, Captain William Plunkett, Compton-Beazley, and Seabrook Cemetery.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5507017319. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.