As I’m trying to make my way through Houston, I realized Buffalo Bayou and Allen’s Landing are frequently mentioned and pictured. So, I wandered my way along the river through downtown Houston.
I parked the car and wandered down the steps completely unsure of what I would find. I was almost immediately met by the living incarnation of the Thanksgiving oddity the turducken. This turkey large bird had the feet of a duck and the gobbler of a rooster. It was a sight, but very friendly.
Buffalo Bayou was reopened in 2015 by Buffalo Bayou Partnership and is a intended for outdoor recreation encouraging Houstonians to walk, run, play, bike, and more. It wasn’t until Buffalo Bayou with its five foot wide kinder paths, waterways, dog parks, and more opened anew that Houstonians realized they had been missing an outlet for their outdoorsy desires. Surprisingly, in the few short months it has been open to the public, it has become a landmark for the city to adore and boast about. A real plus about the park is that it is designed for flooding unlike the rest of the city, which just floods how it pleases.
Buffalo Bayou is considered a park. A walkway runs alongside the meandering river. Every once in awhile a boat floats by on the slow current. I have no idea what they’re caring, but it looks like a peaceful job from the banks. There are brick buildings running along each side of the river and casting shadows over the water. Some date back to a time without computers and some are modern. Bridges run over the river every so often. There is a lot of concrete and very little green space.
Allen’s Landing is the true place where the city of Houston originated. It predates Texas being a part of the United States. The Allen brothers purchased a large tract of land on the banks of Buffalo Bayou where they settled in 1936 and began constructing a dock. Allen’s Landing was the original Port of Houston in 1841 and was the lifeblood of the city. What used to be a central point of Houston, it has become a small park. In 2001, the park was redone with a concrete wharf to replicate the original port dedicated to remembering this monumental site in Houston’s history.
Allen’s Landing is a beautiful section of Buffalo Bayou. It is located at the end of the park. The river keeps going past the end of the walkway, but the brick buildings continue on. Along the walkway there are steps down into the water, words of traded goods stamped into the concrete, large chains lying on the ground.
Buffalo Bayou and Allen’s Landing are gorgeous and perfect for the outdoorsy bibliophile. It has a hustle and bustle about it because it is a popular destination for the athletically outdoorsy, but it does also prove to be a brilliant reading spot. For me, there is nothing more perfect than reading to sounds of nature.
