Group aims to restore historic blue tiles
HOUSTON (KTRK) -- If you ever find yourself out on the curb in Houston, take a good look around. You may just spot a blue and white tile sign.
The tiles served as the city's first original street markers. They've been in place for more than half a century. Even close to 80 years old in some places.
Nowadays, they're becoming popular requests for Joey Sanchez. Sanchez created the Blue Tile Project to help document them.
He told Eyewitness News businesses and residents want to use them as an image of civic pride.
"We have found 3,318 tiles in Houston," said Sanchez. "We're going to try and preserve the ones that are still here but we're going to really try and bring them back as an image for the city of Houston and for Houstonians."
Inside Eighth Wonder Brewery in EaDo, you'll see a homage to history right above the taps. Travel into Montrose. You won't miss Underbelly's giant sign out front. Business partner Kevin Floyd said they wanted to put up a throwback to the city's past.
"A lot of people don't celebrate Houston history so we don't have a whole lot. The little bit of Houston history that we have left is really worth preserving and celebrating," said Floyd. "The blue tiles are a great example of that."
