What's the best place in Houston to watch ostrich racing? Is there really buried treasure in Hermann Park? Do you know where to catch live jazz on the site of the original Republic of Texas capitol, or enjoy world class Cajun food in a church cloister from the 1800s? You'll find the answers to these questions and more in Secret Houston"¬‚¬"your guide to H-Town's offbeat, overlooked and unknown. This book will take native Houstonians and fresh-off-the-freeway "Newstonians" alike on a behind-the-scenes look at the funkiest bits of the nation's fourth-largest city. Did you know Memorial Park was once a World War I training camp? Or the original use of the Last Concert Caf and why its front door was always kept locked? And what's up with that old, mysterious crypt built into the bank of the bayou or that weird golden dome out on the west side? Local writer and longtime Houstonian William Dylan Powell helps you unlock Bayou City's most intriguing, entertaining and arcane secrets in this guidebook to the obscure. Some of these secrets you can enjoy today, while others are merely ghosts, legends or shadows of our city's past. But they're all waiting for you to explore right now in Secret Houston.

For the last 20 years, William Dylan Powell has been a professional writer in Houston. He is the author of eight books including Lost Houston, Houston Then & Now and 100 Things to Do Before You Die (Second Edition). He lives on the west side. For more information on his books about Texas, visit booksabouttexas.com. Follow him on Twitter as @houstonwriter, or at his author pages on Facebook and Instagram. Share your experiences on social media using #SecretHouston.