Ben C. and Jenetter Cyrus House
historic place
The Ben C. and Jenetter Cyrus House, located at 325 East 25th Street in Houston's Independence Heights, was built around 1915. This historic place was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997. The house represents typical housing for middle-class residents in Independence Heights and is significant for its Black Ethnic Heritage. Ben Cyrus, a resident here, operated a jitney service in downtown Houston from about 1915 to the early 1920s. Black-owned jitneys offered an alternative to segregated transportation for the African American community. The Cyrus House also served as a base for his jitney operations. The City of Houston banned black-owned jitneys between 1922 and 1924. This site provides insight into African American entrepreneurship and community life in early 20th-century Houston.