10 replies to this topic

[BabyJaneHudson]

As a kid growing up in the 60's & 70's we use to live way South of the dome but had lots of relatives living in East End, Denver Harbor and up to Liberty Road. My Dad use to take the scenic route through downtown and over to N. York. Well just as we would pass Navigation on the right hand side of York
were these 2 large pillars (shaped like the San Jacinto Monument).

I always wondered what they were and what purpose they served? They are made of concrete and
have finials on the tops. They kind of look like an entrance of sorts.

Any idea as to what they are or what they use to be?

Here is the street view link from google.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&...9359481196,,0,5

[Vertigo58]

BabyJaneHudson, on Wednesday, July 30th, 2008 @ 12:08am, said:

As a kid growing up in the 60's & 70's we use to live way South of the dome but had lots of relatives living in East End, Denver Harbor and up to Liberty Road. My Dad use to take the scenic route through downtown and over to N. York. Well just as we would pass Navigation on the right hand side of York
were these 2 large pillars (shaped like the San Jacinto Monument).

I always wondered what they were and what purpose they served? They are made of concrete and
have finials on the tops. They kind of look like an entrance of sorts.

Any idea as to what they are or what they use to be?

Here is the street view link from google.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&...9359481196,,0,5

Was the entrance to an old factory in the 1940-50's, one of my uncles worked there. I had asked mom years ago what the heck they were and she said it was where our uncle worked. I think they are still there just all grimey and aged. Seem like the ones you would see in Egypt or the like.

On a side note, the houses that are presently on York Street are rare these days. Many need to be leveled but still retain original Victorian detail, gingerbread, sawn ornamentation, leaded glass windows, spiderweb windows, turned posts, etc. Sadly the city/developers will probably demolish them for more ugly tin shacks. Blah. Anyone out there, please buy and move these beautiful homes now.

but it was great you brought up the pillars question or or as I call them "Houston's Portals To The Past"

[BabyJaneHudson]

Vertigo58, on Wednesday, July 30th, 2008 @ 7:50am, said:

Was the entrance to an old factory in the 1940-50's, one of my uncles worked there. I had asked mom years ago what the heck they were and she said it was where our uncle worked. I think they are still there just all grimey and aged. Seem like the ones you would see in Egypt or the like.

On a side note, the houses that are presently on York Street are rare these days. Many need to be leveled but still retain original Victorian detail, gingerbread, sawn ornamentation, leaded glass windows, spiderweb windows, turned posts, etc. Sadly the city/developers will probably demolish them for more ugly tin shacks. Blah. Anyone out there, please buy and move these beautiful homes now.

but it was great you brought up the pillars question or or as I call them "Houston's Portals To The Past"

Thanks Vertigo, I thought it looked like an entrance of sorts. Pretty portals, I wonder if the factory was just as interesting?

I'd love to have those things in my back yard garden. I wonder if anybody would notice if I loaded them up one night and brought them home with me?

[arisegundo]

They're still there, and serve as the entrance to a banquet hall. I had no idea they've been there so long!

[Vertigo58]

arisegundo, on Thursday, July 31st, 2008 @ 12:19pm, said:

They're still there, and serve as the entrance to a banquet hall. I had no idea they've been there so long!

The company was already there after WWII when my uncle returned he grabbed a job at that factory and stayed for decades. So it the pillars are over 60 years old if it dates to that era. Now I need to find out what the name of the factory was.

This is why I urge any & everyone to sit your older kin down and talk to them. You would be surprised how much comes back to ones memory if someone is there to ask. As each one of our aunts/uncles pass away its more history gone forever. Seeing photos is great, but only THEY can describe the moods, sounds, fun & joy at that certain time in their lives.

Just last night we were at a dinner & there was a 90 yr old lady telling me all about the dance clubs, theaters, hang outs of where they used to go downtown when it was THE PLACE to be. Of course I was worshipping & mentally jotting down every thing!

Stay tuned...

[NenaE]

Vertigo58, on Wednesday, July 30th, 2008 @ 7:50am, said:

Was the entrance to an old factory in the 1940-50's, one of my uncles worked there. I had asked mom years ago what the heck they were and she said it was where our uncle worked. I think they are still there just all grimey and aged. Seem like the ones you would see in Egypt or the like.

On a side note, the houses that are presently on York Street are rare these days. Many need to be leveled but still retain original Victorian detail, gingerbread, sawn ornamentation, leaded glass windows, spiderweb windows, turned posts, etc. Sadly the city/developers will probably demolish them for more ugly tin shacks. Blah. Anyone out there, please buy and move these beautiful homes now.

but it was great you brought up the pillars question or or as I call them "Houston's Portals To The Past"

I have never seen those pillars. Is the factory bldg. still around, too? Google street views are great!

In reference to Vertigo's post about talking to your elders, it is so true. I talked to my grandmother in great length about her life history. It was fascinating.
Thanks BabyJane for the heads up.

Edited by NenaE, Thursday, July 31, 2008 at 1:52 PM.

[Vertigo58]

NenaE, on Thursday, July 31st, 2008 @ 1:48pm, said:

I have never seen those pillars. Is the factory bldg. still around, too? Google street views are great!

In reference to Vertigo's post about talking to your elders, it is so true. I talked to my grandmother in great length about her life history. It was fascinating.
Thanks BabyJane for the heads up.

I am going by memory here Nena. That factory has been gone for over 40 years that I know of. Only the pillars remain (and present small newer rental ballroom & small business').

I hope everyone is aware that this city has many numerous "clues" or remnants of former places that once were either big homes, churches, business's, etc. As children we allways would question as children do. Its only now we realize the importance to some of us what they were all about. Its like a white elephant game I guess. All you need is folks willing to ask, search and question. That can take some time if you have the passion to do so.

Here's a good example, think of all the concrete stairs you see in the old nabes like around Our Lady of Guadalupe area on Navigation, there are on corners or like in the middle of an empty trashed field. You must know there once was a big store or something there? Even the Near Northside has numerous "corner concrete stairs to nowhere" . If you ask an older person they will answer the mystery and then start describing the owners, where they were from what their children were like. Maybe they grew up with them perhaps the war came & the sons left & never came back then owner let fall into disrepair, condemned or burned down & the year. Most fascinating is if they have photos, but again nothing can replace the experience.

That area around the old Olshan Lumber place has many such remnants. I think of like an excavation or like one of the people going through Titanic & documenting the experiences of the passengers. To cool

PS, you know what really amazes me is that many of these older folks we think have lost it, ugh ugh, they are more hip than we think. This lady I was speaking to remembered what ball gown she wore, the colors, detail, corsage, jewelry & perfume. I could sit there for hours in a daze I tell you. She is what inspired my present avatar.

I kind of did as an homage to her and for giving a glimpse of her fun days & of our city. If I can quote her "These places really had class and people really used to dress it up then".

[Bess Collector]

BabyJaneHudson, on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 at 12:08 AM, said:

As a kid growing up in the 60's & 70's we use to live way South of the dome but had lots of relatives living in East End, Denver Harbor and up to Liberty Road. My Dad use to take the scenic route through downtown and over to N. York. Well just as we would pass Navigation on the right hand side of York
were these 2 large pillars (shaped like the San Jacinto Monument).

I always wondered what they were and what purpose they served? They are made of concrete and
have finials on the tops. They kind of look like an entrance of sorts.

Any idea as to what they are or what they use to be?

Here is the street view link from google.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&...9359481196,,0,5

I lived near there across from Settegast Park until 1958. That used to be Trinity Portland Cement Co. on Navigation Blvd. York and Sampson streets used to dead end at Navigation. You had to use either the Jensen or Lockwood bridges to get over Buffalo Bayou. On page 42 of the 1953 Bracy's Block Book of Houston it shows Trinity at this location. By the late 50's or early 60's there was a trailer manufacturing company there, I think they were called Croft Trailers. The cement pillars were remnants of the Cement Co. Just to the west of them was the old Houston Packing Co(meat), then west of them the City of Houston Incinerators (all that remains are the 2 smoke stacks. Prior to the meat packing plant it was used by the German society Volksfest for their fairgrounds park and festivals. Next to the city waste site on their west was at one time circa1870- 1890, the repair yards for the San Antonio & Aransas Pass R R. Around the late 1890's there was in use city mills a compress, with small cottages for the workers on tiny lots on the nearby streets (Bering, Fox, Fruend, Foley, etc. Continuing towards town there was the Dreadman (not sure of spelling) Mfg. Co. Then later on Houston Shell & Concrete had another plant next to Jensen Street Bridge. You can still see their 3 silos. Also at one time KNUZ radio had their antena somewhere along there near Pless St. It might have been near that metal quansant looking hut is, I can"t remember exactly. With the waste incinerators,the meat packing disposal incinerators, 2 cement plants belching out their smoke it could get kind of rank if the wind was coming from the North. It was much nicer when the South winds blew the Coffee smells from the old Maxwell House plant on Harrisburg. Sometimes if the East wind was just right you might get a good wiff of the Folgers Coffee plant on Navagation. All these properties bordered Buffalo Bayou. There is something I left out, but that is all I can think of at this time. Hope it is of some help.

[NenaE]

Thanks Bess Collector! I was just reading this post the other day, wishing for more information. These are great details. I need to look at some old maps of the area now. I'll post a link if I find anything relevant.

[Bess Collector]

NenaE, on Sunday, January 29, 2012 at 7:36 PM, said:

Thanks Bess Collector! I was just reading this post the other day, wishing for more information. These are great details. I need to look at some old maps of the area now. I'll post a link if I find anything relevant.

If you are interested I have posted on youtube 4 video/slideshows of the old area. One is on Settegast Park and shows some old and new pics. Three are along the Buffalo Bayou with new pics and some history of the area. I don not know how to put a link in here or I would, this is all confusing to me along those lines! If you go to youtube and search (rnjamos channel) all 4 of them I think will appear.

[NenaE]

Thank u...I will definitely look those videos up when I can.