There is not much written or documented online about the First Ward online so you've come to the right place. First Ward was one of Houston's original Wards or Designated areas or social units that was Founded in 1840. First Ward is located Northwest of Downtown Houston, South of Congress Ave., East of Main Street and North of Buffalo Bayou. The primary street is Houston Ave. (Once thought to be named Clay St. but has not been proven); the epicenter of the First Ward is the intersection of Houston Avenue and Crockett Street. In the beginning First Ward was mostly occupied by Anglos like most other communities were back in the 1840's by the 1920's the typical residents of the area were Italian and German working-class people and very few Mexican and Black people; after WWII in the 1940's First Ward was mostly occupied by Mexican Americans as were Second Ward, Magnolia, and schrimpf's field as well as part of 5th Ward now known as North Side. Today First Ward has under gone a re-construction and consists of many different races.
In the map below is an 1890's picture of a part of First Ward that was destroyed by I-45 and I-10. Notice Washington Ave in the upper right hand corner. the only streets on this map still there today are 1st street which is now below the Main St. bridge where the University of Houston Downtown campus sits now, Girard St. (back then 10th St.) where the old Jefferson Davis Hospital and Fire Department sit now And 3rd street which is now the off-ramp exit to Milam St. Everything from 2nd St. to 10th St (Now Elder St.) is pretty much gone now. The Original First Ward was twice its current size, it even included parts that were taken away when 5th Ward (North Side) was added in 1866 and then again in 1876 with the addition of the 6th Ward. Some early maps of Houston even show First Ward expanding as far as what today is known as Woodland Heights. NOTE: that 1st once it crosses Buffalo Bayou is named Montgomery Avenue which would later be West Montgomery Rd. and then North Main after the building of the Main Street Bridge which connected Downtown to Houston's North side. 
Other streets that were lost to the building of the I-10 and I-45 Freeways were half of Maud St., Mattie St., Plus St., part of Sabine St., Beach St. and a large part of Elder St. (See map Below).
Below: Brock Elementary School
1417 Houston Avenue
Brock Elementary School was constructed in 1976 and was named after Richard R. Brock (1814–1906), a black slave who went on to become the Alderman of First Ward. Richard R. Brock is buried in the old Hollowood Cemetery which is now Olivewood Cemetery. Brock Elementary was opened through the 1980' and 90's but was closed around 2005; it later was used as a day care. Today it is not known what will become Brock.
Before it was Brock it was known as the Housten Avenue School then the First Ward School and Hawthorne School which opened in 1893. It was named for Nathaniel Hawthorne, an early American writer whose works include the novels The Scarlet Letter and The House of Seven Gables.
CROCKETT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
2112 Crockett
Tennessee-born Davy Crockett died at the Alamo in the struggle for Texas’ independence. The school named for him was constructed in 1912 and replaced with a new building in 1980. The school is now once again under re-constuction (2010).
The Original Montalbano's location 1309 Houston Avenue in 1929.
Hynes Bakery Crockett @ Houston Ave.
Aerial photo of First Ward (1920's) if you look closely you can see the Crockett/Hogan St. Bridge to your upper right. On the upper left you'll see Luna Park located on 2121 Houston Ave. where I-10 runs now. Luna Park was Houston's First amusement park. You can also see the Old Jefferson Davis hospital on your lower left hand; this is the site of the former city Cemetery which was founded in 1840. To learn more about the Old City Cemetery click here.
Above is a picture of the First Ward Fire Department (Station No. 3) on the Corner of Spring St. and Houston Ave.
Mahatma and Success Rice processing plant at 1702 Taylor St.
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