Jump to content

RiversideT

Full Member
  • Posts

    18
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by RiversideT

  1. Welcome to the neighborhood, Rachel. We certainly welcome people with your spirit and dedication to bringing new life back into these wonderful homes.
  2. I passed by 1200 Southmore today, and it is demolished. The detached garage remains, but I'm sure it is next. Most of you will remember this property as being the Patrician Bed & Breakfast Inn for many years. In more recent years, it was the location for Novalash. According to information I found, the three-story Colonial Revival style mansion was built in 1919 for George Smith King (1876-1965), a prominent attorney and judge, and the chairman of the Jefferson Davis Hospital Board. It was later purchased by Pat Thomas, who restored the home to it's former grandeur, and ran the Patrician Bed & Breakfast. According to the website, you could enjoy your breakfast in the large dining room or in the sunny solarium. According to information, the Patrician "is centrally located between downtown Houston and The Texas Medical Center. Walk to Hermann Park, Houston Zoological Gardens, Clayton Genealogical Research Library, Rice University and The Houston Museum of Fine Arts." The home was originally built for Mr. George Smith King, b. 1876 in Rusk County, Texas, d. 27-Aug-1965 in Houston, Texas. George earned his law degree at the Univ of Texas where he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. He served as District Attorney in Nacogdoches Cnty until he moved to Houston in 1905. He married Lollie Dee Chapman, married 01-Jun-1899 in Nacogdoches, Texas. "They say you can't go back again, but they don't know the Chambers family who recently revisited an important place in their history and their hearts - home. Lollie Dee King Chambers lived at 1200 Southmore for most of her young adulthood. It was there that many cherished memories were created with her parents, sister Geane and other relatives who resided in the home from time to time. She was married there - in front of the home's fireplace - and lived there with her husband Gene Chambers, and their two young children until 1941, when Daddy kicked us out, she chuckles. My mother often talked about the house her father, George King, built in 1919, says Bob Chambers. She always wondered what had happened to it.. Knowing how much the house meant to her, Chambers set out to see if it was still standing. Much to his surprise, the current owner, Pat Thomas, knew exactly who he was and was delighted to meet a descendent of the original builder. When I told the owner I was George King's grandson, she couldn't believe it, Chambers says. She enthusiastically invited us in, and we had a long visit.. Thomas bought house in 1991 and has lovingly restored it into The Patrician Bed Breakfast Inn. Familiar with it's history, Thomas was anxious to know more: I was hoping one of the family might come by one day. She got her wish, but it didn't stop there. As a gift to their mother for her 88th birthday, Bob chambers and his sisters, Deleste and Neva, planned a memorable homecoming at the house for much of the extended family. Seeing the house in all its newfound glory was nothing less than thrilling for Lollie Dee Chambers. It sure is different today, she says. That was the music room; my mother kept trying to make me play the piano, but she finally gave up. Lollie Dee continued to talk of old times, saying her grandfather who had fought in the Civil War later lived there with the family. There was a chicken coop in the backyard... and the servants' quarters were behind the house, Chambers remembers. After much reminiscing and an elegant dinner, guests pushed back the tables and started dancing, each making sure they had a turn with the birthday girl. The immediate family took the opportunity to spend the night in the home, and then all 25 guests returned for a brunch the following morning. As they shared the fond memories of the home more than 60 years since they lived there, the Chambers family members were pleased that it hasn't lost its charm. And it's definitely had a life of its own, as a convalescent home, and art gallery and the late Mickey Leland's congressional headquarters. Pat Thomas says that with her thriving bed and breakfast, things continue to bustle around the home. It is more like staying in a home here, she says, smiling. Make that a cozy, old-fashioned home with a rich history." RO Monthly November 1996 From the General Register of the Students and Former Students of the University of Texas - 1917 : George S. King, Sigma Alpha Epsilon; left half football; Attorney-at-Law; county atty. 4 yrs, Nacog- doches Co.; mem. Odd Fellows; W. O. W. 707 Kress Bldg. and 1118 California Ave., Houston, Texas.
  3. Just to clarify: The McEvoy residence was located at 202 McGowen - intersection of McGowen and Helena. The street signs are clearly visible in the photo, and I remember where I was when I took the photos. The McEvoy Tool Company was located at 202 Milam and also 600 Milby. The addresses are both very available and prominent in the Houston City Directories. I got the photo of the McEvoy Tool Company off an old defunct website for the Southern Pacific Railroad where they posted that it was the 202 Milam location, although I tend to think it is 600 Milby as I have looked at maps and aerials myself, and the tracks seem more in line with the location on Milby.
  4. For anyone interested, the house at 2507 Calumet that replaced the house in the very first set of pictures is for sale: http://search.har.com/engine/2507-Calumet-Houston-TX-77004_HAR56050744.htm http://swamplot.com/a-steel-framed-live-work-studio-by-carlos-jimenez-on-the-slopes-of-riverside-terrace/2014-06-26/ Definitely would not have any problems finding this one since it is so out of character with the rest of the houses along the street.
  5. ...and I know it's a bit confusing since the McEvoy home was at 202 McGowen and the McEvoy business was at 202 Milam. I'll bet they planned that.
  6. According to the Southern Pacific website I got the photo from, the location the photo was taken was 202 Milam at Franklin, and that was also the address of the company listed in the advertisements for J.H. McEvoy Company (I attached a PDF in a previous post). I don't think that a manufacturing business that made oil well strainers, etc. would have been amongst storefronts, but stranger things have happened - even today in Houston with no zoning. . There are tracks running close by both locations currently. Not sure where all the tracks ran about 100 years ago, though.
  7. This poor house on the east side of Riverside Drive facing N. MacGregor Way never had a chance. It had been a barber shop for the longest time - always a strange use of a nice house in what should be a residential neighborhood. After that closed up, it remained vacant for years and used as a heavy trash dumping ground, unofficial homeless shelter, etc. It finally met its fate earlier this month, becoming landfill. Never really had a chance, though - the current price tag on the property is $1.25M, and that may be why it has sat vacant for several years.
  8. NenaE, I am assuming you mean this house on Oakmont? Wouldn't someone have such a lovely home if they were able to get ahold of this one? And can you imagine how it would look all landscaped? It's a shame to see it in such state. I heard at some point a while back that the owner lived in Austin, but per HCAD, he lists the address of the house as his mailing address.
  9. Mr. Reese Radetzki did live in Riverside Terrace for quite some time. His address at that time was 308 Carson Court, which, as you probably already know, isn't in existence any longer.
  10. Here is another down on the end of Binz at the 288 feeder. The home had been completely gutted, and all the doors and interior moulding were carefully removed and stored in the house. But the new owner, deciding against restoring the house, just wrecked it a couple of months ago - with the interior features still inside the house.
  11. Over the past nearly 20 years, I have watched Riverside Terrace return from a very bleak period in its history. The neighborhood is pulling itself out of the seedy area it had been allowed to become. There is still much to do. Every time we lose a house to demolition, it reminds one of the fact that so much has been disregarded and disrespected in this neighborhood for far too long. http://vimeo.com/41671048 As I can, I will post photos of houses we've lost recently, and ones that are in danger of being lost. Hopefully, we can bring more attention to the neighborhood, and help to save some of these magnificent homes. This first house was demolished about a year ago, and was located at 2507 Calumet.
  12. I'm attaching a couple more photos - one of the back of the house, and one of the detached garage. Most of the time, we just get to see the front of the house from the street, but on the side, you will notice the porte cochere. I believe the fraternity had built a deck up since they did not have a carriage to pull through there. As I remember, the garage was in total need of repair, but I believe it is still there even now. It's fun to think about the carriage (or old automobile) being readied and brought from the carriage house up to the porte cochere to pick whomever up and take them into the city. By the way, little frau, there is a Findagrave.com listing for Mr. Gustave L. "Gus" Radetski - here is the link: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=97332851 As you can see, he is buried in Forest Park, along with his wife and at least a couple of his children. I know his son Reese Radetski was alive until 1984, but I don't remember where he is buried.
  13. Yes, it was a very beautiful house, NenaE - I really enjoyed the opportunity to get to go inside and see it before it was demolished. The stairs went up to a landing (which had a big picture window), then wound up to the second floor. At the top of the stairs, there was a large, open room - much like a second-floor parlour. As you walked through it, it opened out onto a screened-in balcony area (visible on the 4th photo of the back of the house). Most of the screens were still in place on the second floor area, but had been removed on the ground floor. There was also just one bathroom in the house, also on the second floor, but it was large. It had a beautiful claw-foot tub in it, but I couldn't find anyone to help me carry it down the stairs, so I'm not sure if it was salvaged or not. I did happen to save the wall-hung corner sink, complete with a shell-shaped brass soap dish. Just did not want to think about it being crushed and trashed. I don't think the building is there any longer at the 600 Milby location - I believe it is just a parking lot. I do have an old photo which I will post of the 202 Milam (at Franklin) location of J.H. McEvoy & Co. There used to be a website where Southern Pacific (or, I guess, Union Pacific) posted all their old historic photos of sites along the rail lines. I'm not sure of the web address or anything, but here it is. Also an old ad for the company. 9981.pdf
  14. Does anyone remember the old home at 202 McGowen? It was the Joseph H. McEvoy home built around 1905 by Joseph H. McEvoy Sr., and occupied by the McEvoy family until the early 70's. The house stood vacant for about 40 years, and was finally bought and torn down in the early 2000s. I was fortunate enough to have "discovered" the house while the sale was pending. When I found out it was purchased by a developer who was going to tear it down, I contacted him, and he graciously allowed me to go in the house and remove some architectural features and fixtures before they ended up as landfill. The McEvoy family owned J.H. McEvoy & Company, and manufactured strainers and set shoe assemblies for oil rigs, and also had quite a few patents on these items. The original business location was 202 Milam at Franklin, and eventually moved to 600 Milby Street. I'm posting a few pictures I came across the other day. I hated to see the house torn down even though it was in bad shape. I'm sure the ceilings in the living room were 15' high, and all the old light fixtures were still in place. The upstairs was impressive because every bedroom had a sitting room off of it. I'm glad I got to see it and record it before it was torn down.
  15. I can't say that I have ever heard that the Radetski family were Jewish. As none of them are buried in any of the prominent Jewish cemeteries (Beth Israel, Beth Yeshurun, Adath Israel, etc.), I would lean towards thinking they were not Jewish.
  16. Actually, I know a little about the Radetski family. The father, Gustave H. Radetski, was born in Russia. I can only surmise that the writer of the older bio either did not know, or he wanted to "americanize" the family by making the senior Radetski born somewhere in the United States. He did move to Texas, and served as a Second Lieutenant in the 2nd Texas Cavalry in 1862. In 1863, he was promoted to First Lieutenant, and transferred to the 1st Texas Cavalry before being mustered out in 1865. His son, Gustave L. Radetski was actually born in Brownsville, while his father was still in the service. The family did end up in New Orleans. I'll share with you the text from a news article from the Brownsville Daily Herald of September 6, 1905: "A Brownsville Boy: Gus Radetski rode from Brownsville to Fort Clark, when a boy, on a Burro. A dispatch from Houston says: Speaking of men who had won position by stering (sp) merit in the railroad world today, Judge J. L. Cox, land agent of the Southern Pacific, and W. L. Lane, chief clerk in Mr. W. G. Van Vleck's office, said that Gus Radetski, chief clerk in Vice President Fay's office, deserves a great deal of praise. He was born at Brownsville, where he lived with his parents till the outbreak of the war. He then went to Fort Clark where he joined the army. He rode there on a burro alone, and he was still only a boy. The ride was fraught with many dangers and thrilling experiences. The country was full of Indians, many of whom were hostile to the whites. Mr. Radetski still has an old-fashioned flint-lock pistol which he took with him on this trip. He joined the army there as a private, and served through the war. After the war, he went with his father to New Orleans where the senior Radetski went into the commission business. While there, Gus fell in love, as young men will sometimes do, with a pretty young girl (Miss Mary Georgiana Taylor). He left New Orleans to to go to Louisville, where he stayed for several years, then returned and married the pretty girl (1889). He went into the railroad work in New Orleans in a ticket office, and gradually rose till he became chief clerk, the positions he now fills. He is in line for promotion to better positions; in fact has been offered more lucrative positions, but prefers to hold the one he now has on account of the agreeableness of it. Gus Radetski has had many checkered experience, but he has never forgotten his burro ride from Brownsville to Fort Clark. Judge Cox says he has a very warm place in his hear for burros ever since for obvious reasons." He also was the Director of the Lumbermans National Bank as well as the founder and president of the Forest Hill Nurseries, the largest floral establishment in Houston at the time of his death in 1936. He was a member of the Country Club, the Houston Club, and the Thalian Club. He was living at the house on Pasadena Avenue when he passed away.
  17. My great-grandfather worked for the Houston East & West Texas railroad, and often was a guest at 1766 Pasadena when he was in Houston from Lufkin - although, I believe back in that day, the address was actually 2 Pasadena Street. Mr. Gus Radetski built the home. He was the general superintendent and assistant general manager for the Houston & Texas Central, the Houston East & West Texas (HE & WT), and the Houston & Shreveport line. I suppose that would qualify him as a Baron. I toured the house several years ago (2004, I believe) when it was for sale by the Fraternity, and happened to snap a few pictures of the interior. Even after all the years and people, it was still magnificent. I only hope the current owner is taking good care of it all.
×
×
  • Create New...