Augustus Chapman Allen and John Kirby Allen were ambitious men who took advantage of the prevailing circumstances and forever changed the cause of history. They moved from Canfield to Texas and joined a group of entrepreneurs who operated as land speculators. In their previous lives, Augustus had worked as a bookkeeper while John was a shopkeeper. Each of them had an entrepreneurial spirit, and that's what they carried to Texas. Right after independence, the Allen brothers bought 6,642 acres along the west bank near Buffalo Bayou. They envisioned it becoming the capital of Texas and even set up a two-story wooden capitol building. John Allen managed to persuade the first congress of the Republic of Texas to move into his town and succeeded. However, the seat of government stayed here for just two years. The Allens aimed to subdivide the land and sell it at a profit. They sought the help of Sam Houston, the first elected president of Texas, whom they had befriended through their networks. Soon enough, the town began to flourish, albeit slowly as a cotton-shipping port. Although the first railroad arrived in 1853, the town quickly became an important rail center with 12 railways by 1891. When a destructive hurricane and floods swept through the neighboring port of Galveston, Houston inadvertently rose to become the city's leading port. In 1910, the widening and deepening of the port started, and the Houston Ship Channel was completed four years down the line. The discovery of oil in 1901 triggered rapid growth in the city as it added another economic option to the cotton and lumber activities that had been thriving in the 19th century. Oil refineries were suddenly everywhere along the Houston Ship Channel as business moguls worked to pump the much-needed gasoline and oil into the nation's economy. Within a short time, Houston got very busy in the enterprise of steel manufacturing, shipbuilding, and oil production. Houston was not built by the efforts of private investors alone, but the selfless input of civil servants played a vital role. There was a mix of sophistication and generosity that blended well with the civic call to build a thriving city. The city has triumphed over significant challenges in its transition to modernity. The skyscrapers that now characterize Houston's skyline prove her resilience and determination to beat the odds.

Visit the Museum of Natural Science
The Houston Museum of Natural Science will take you on a unique scientific dive from dinosaur bones to the planetarium and the solar system. Also, book a date to visit the Museum of Fine Arts and experience the different ways people have expressed themselves through art. While at it, step into NASA's Johnson Space Center and learn as much as you can about space.

Shop at the 19th Street in the Heights
Strolling along 19th Street in the Heights gives you the true sense of a Houstonian. You can pick gifts and antiques from the olden shops or grab a coffee and a bite at the restaurants and cafes.

Twilight Epiphany Skyspace
One of the most artistic works of a genius in Houston is the Twilight Epiphany Skyspace. The grass-covered structure uses light and the sky to give different impressions to the viewer. Built by James Turrel at Rice University in 2012, it has been replicated in more than twenty countries worldwide.