Book excerpt: From the historic Annunciation Church downtown to the first Indian restaurant in the Mahatma Gandhi District, Oldest Houston examines the city through its historic neighborhoods, ethnic enclaves, buildings, and businesses. The tales of its oldest park, music hall, brewery, and BBQ joint reflect the changing face of the Bayou City, its character, and its cultural diversity. Eat chile con carne enchiladas and sip margaritas from an 80-year-old Tex-Mex restaurant. Walk in the musical footsteps of Willie Nelson and Beyoncé at the nation’s longest-running recording studio. Get fitted for bespoke cowboy boots from a sixth-generation leather worker. Picnic in a park built to commemorate Juneteenth or step inside an 1847 house beneath the gleaming skyscrapers of downtown. Local journalists Lydia Schrandt and Biju Sukumaran guide you on a journey back in time through Space City. Whether you’re new to Houston and looking for an entertaining introduction or a longtime resident digging deeper into your favorite haunts, Oldest Houston will help you look at the nation’s fourth-largest city with new eyes.