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In 1948, Mary Jo and Walter Peckham and their two daughters pioneered out to Peckham family property miles beyond the Houston city limits between what are now Westheimer and Woodway roads. They put in a small road they named Peckham Crest (now Briar Ridge) to access the section of property where they built their home. Two other families also moved to Peckham Crest, where they remained until the 1950s when the property was sold to the developers who created Briargrove.
Brairgrove, a neighborhood of approximately 1,000 homes, is one of the most desirable subdivisions in the city. It is bordered by Briar Ridge on the east, Briargrove on the west, Westheimer on the south, and Woodway on the north. Homes range in price from the mid-$300,000s to over $1,000,000 for new construction.
At the center of the subdivision is Briargrove’s jewel, its award-winning elementary school. Truly a “neighborhood school” since 1958, Briargrove Elementary enjoys tremendous parent and resident participation in its scholastic and social events. The Briargrove Elementary Halloween Carnival is an anticipated yearly event in Briargrove and throughout Houston’s near-west side neighborhoods. The school upgraded to a modern facility during 2004-05 and was re-opened during the 2006-2007 school year. The new multi-level building is furnished with a security system, wireless computer access, large screen digital monitors, a new phone system, and a new computer lab. Many of the old school’s landmarks have been preserved including the park area and trees, and the well known mural from the entrance hall. In addition to the front drive, there is a back drive plus more than 60 new parking spaces.
Briargrove offers its residents a community center with a pool and recreation facility. The pool is the place to be in the summer and has been a hub for swim team competitions and birthday parties for several generations.
Briargrove subdivision has retained a 1950s sense of neighborhood and neighborliness which, in addition to its fine school and central location, contribute to the neighborhood’s unflagging popularity.
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