In 1927 Dr. John Fred Usener, a Houston dentist, brought a four acre parcel of land south of San Jacinto Bay near LaPorte, known as the old Prince Green tract. Prince E. Green, an elderly African American, had lived there a number of years prior to 1912 when he gained title to the property. Usener was interested in real estate development and in the 1930's, developed the Prince Green Yacht Basin and later the Barbour's Cut Cafe on the site. He encountered difficulties with the public, and also with C. A. Barbour who was dredging a channel to reach refinery terminals above Usener's property, plus the Seaboard Realty Company.

Dr. Usener died in 1969, and his niece, Mrs. Dorothy Eckels Justman, became executor of the estate. In compiling the necessary documents to settle the estate, Mrs. Justman assembled 3 volumes (in notebook form) of material ranging from legal documents and maps to newsletter clippings and photographs. These volumes and other material relating to the yacht basin, real estate, and the increasing industrialization of the area provide material for scholars researching recreational activities and the burgeoning industrial complex along Houston's ship channel. The Port of Houston has recently (1970's) developed a container port at LaPorte, giving substance to the dreams of the 1927 developers.