HISTORY ON TAP
Join The Heritage Society’s free Community Outreach Program for adults: a monthly lecture series at New Magnolia Brewing Co, located at 1616 Bevis Street. Every second Thursday of the month, expert speakers bring Houston’s rich history and culture to life in a relaxed brewery setting. Mingle with fellow history enthusiasts, enjoy craft brews, and deepen your connection to the city you love.
October
Raise Your Glass to This!
Jonathan Konchak presents "The Journey of the Staiti House"
Thursday, October 9, 6:30 PM
Join us at the New Magnolia Brewing Co. at 1616 Bevis Street for our lecture series on the second Thursday of the month.
Grab a pint, pull up a stool, and join us for an evening where Houston’s oil-pioneering past meets the perfect craft brew. Professor Jonathan Konchak will guide you through the epic odyssey of the Staiti House, from its turn-of-the-century roots to its preservation at The Heritage Society. Expect riveting stories of hurricane repairs, architectural flair, and horticultural passion, all served with a side of local lore.
About the Staiti House
Originally erected in 1905 as part of the upscale Westmoreland Addition, the Staiti House was purchased by oil wildcatter Henry T. Staiti and his wife Odelia. The home boasted early electric lighting, an intercom system, a built-in ice box, and a sprinkler system in its meticulously designed gardens. After a 1915 hurricane scarred its upper floors, noted architect Alfred Finn added sunrooms, sleeping porches, and his signature chevron-patterned bookcases before the house was lovingly relocated to Sam Houston Park in 1986 to serve as a living museum.
Alfred Finn’s renovations extended beyond structure to landscape, with a tea house, pergola, greenhouse, and underground sprinkler system designed by prominent landscape architect Edward Dewson. The gardens blossomed with dahlias, crepe myrtles, palm trees, and more, reflecting the Staitis’ passion for horticulture and their status as early automobile enthusiasts who even built a porte-cochere and garage as part of the estate.
The Staiti Family Legacy
Henry Thomas Staiti was born in 1876 in Marshall, Texas, educated in geology at Marshall College, and married Odelia Reisner in 1901. Riding the wave of the Spindletop boom, he drilled some of the first wells in the Humble field before settling in Houston in 1905. Over three decades, he led ventures under companies like Prairie Oil and Houston Petroleum, cementing his reputation as a prolific wildcatter. Although he died in 1933, his home’s preservation continues to chronicle the lifestyle and ingenuity of an early Texas oil dynasty.
About Professor Jonathan Konchak
Joining us to unpack this Houston treasure is Professor Jonathan Konchak, adjunct history instructor at Galveston College and a recent M.A. graduate from Sam Houston State University. With a keen eye for local narratives and a passion for community preservation, Konchak brings fresh scholarship to turn-of-the-century Houston developments into engaging stories. His work bridges academia and public history, making him the perfect guide for an evening of beer and bygone eras.
Pull up a stool, raise your glass, and toast to Houston’s rich heritage.
#Beer #Free #Program #SpeakerSeries #Oil #Wealth
