Tanglewood, Houston

Tanglewood is a neighborhood in western Houston, Texas, located off of San Felipe Road.

Tanglewood is located just outside the 610 Loop and inside Beltway 8 in the Uptown Houston area. Tanglewood was developed by the Tanglewood Corporation. Today the neighborhood is managed by the Tanglewood Homes Association. In 1997 Bob Tutt of the Houston Chronicle said that Tanglewood is "a leafy, upscale subdivision". Tanglewood is the former residence of former President of the United States George H W. Bush (he currently lives in a nearby subdivision).

William Giddings Farrington developed Tanglewood beginning in the 1930s. Tanglewood opened in 1949. The Farrington family took the name Tanglewood from "Tanglewood Tales" by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The book was a favorite of Farrington's daughter, Mary Catherine Farrington. For the first six months, no houses were sold in Tanglewood. Mary Catherine, who later took the family name Miller, said that the lack of sales caused stress for the family. After several heavy rainstorms resulted in floods that affected other areas in Harris County, potential buyers began inquiring about buying houses in Tanglewood because they heard that the neighborhood had high water drainage capabilities.

Tanglewood is within a several minute driving distance of Downtown Houston. The area has around 5,000 trees. Before the subdivision was developed, Tanglewood was a coastal prairie that experienced regular grass fires, preventing the growth of trees. After Tanglewood was built, wildfires were suppressed. As of 1997, developers building area real estate projects negotiated with area tree preservationists to keep as many trees in their developments as possible.

Tanglewood Boulevard is lined with live oak trees that had been planted by the Tanglewood Garden Club. Tanglewood Boulevard had various benches that allow people along the path to relax, and it serves as a gathering point for residents. The boulevard also includes a bike path and walking trails. The Houston Business Journal said that the benches, bike path, and walking trails were "[t]hanks to the Tanglewood Foundation and the generosity of residents".

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