ggmsmolly

8 hours ago, ernie5823 said:

Playland Park was the one on South Main. Peppermint Park was initially in Pasadena & later between Gulf Freeway & Reveille (before I 610 built). It was a kiddie park. I worked there, running the rides, in 1960, 61 & 62 as a teenager.

Thank you so much for the clarification.

On 7/14/2005 at 2:51 PM, Ashikaga said:

Here's something else that I remember. On Telephone Road a little way's south of the Santa Rosa Theatre, there was a mexican restaurant called "Monterey House." I also remember that a driving range was next to it and across the street was a Henke & Pillot (now called Kroger) supermarket.

Are any of these places still there? I looked up in the Houston phone book and I found "Monterey House Tex-Mex Restaurants." I wonder if Monterey House changed their name to that.

Chet Cuccia

No, we went to school with the Garza girls whose parents owned Monterrey House. It will still in business for a brief time in the 80s until the owner, Mr. Garza, walked into the propeller of the plane that he was leaving on and was tragically killed.  Mr. Garza's mother made all the candy for the restaurants.  Someone bought the locations  but the Garza family retained the Monterrey House name and they refused to sell the recipe for the candy.  Every function that we had at Mount Carmel High School was catered by Monterrey House.  Another favorite was Bertha's Mexican Restaurant in an old Greek Revival house in downtown Houston owned by Bertha Robinson. I went to school with her daughter, Dora. We would hit that place after school. Great Mexican food.

On 6/19/2014 at 11:01 PM, JLWM8609 said:

I've passed them countless times, but only in the last week have I really paid attention to the older homes on MLK near OST. When they were built, MLK wasn't even known as its prior name of South Park Blvd. It was known as Holmes Rd. If you look at old aerial views from the 40s, you can see where Holmes Rd. made a curve to the north at what is now the intersection of 610 and MLK. Part of that curve still exists as the right turn lane from MLK to the 610 WB feeder. But, back to the homes. Most of them sit on slightly less than an acre of land.

 

The one in the best condition is the mansion at 5151 MLK. It's owned by a church now and was built in 1910 according to HCAD, but it looks more like a 1920s or 1930s build to me.

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.704455,-95.33413,3a,75y,119.58h,91.16t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sqMOCcisJ8t4e6_XV5mNqHg!2e0

 

The next one is hidden behind a bunch of trees. The only way you can really see it is on Bing maps. It's at 5302 MLK and was built in 1939 according to HCAD.

http://binged.it/1lFNK34

 

5306 MLK is also owned by the same church that owns 5151 MLK. HCAD says it was built in 1958, but Google Earth aerial views from 1953 show otherwise. It's also shrouded by vegetation

http://binged.it/1nmyZPZ

 

5320 MLK is also owned by the church. HCAD says it was built in 1947, but Google Earth views from 1944 show it to be present. It's  surrounded by trees and doesn't look to be in good condition.

http://binged.it/1nmzcT4

 

There was another one next to 5320 at MLK and Stuyvesant, but it was torn down for some apartments in the 60s or 70s, which were owned by the same church in the 90s, and torn down recently and replaced by KIPP Academy.

 

I wonder, who built and originally lived in these homes? They seem more like something you would've found on S. MacGregor or N. Parkwood Dr. When most of them were built, they were in what was still considered the outskirts of town. It's amazing that most of them have survived the developments that have surrounded them.

On 5/21/2005 at 3:29 PM, BayouCityGirl said:

In the 1960's my dad said Houston had a unique dialing code (like a bunch of letters instead of numbers) can someone give me any more info on what that was like. I'm REALLY curious!

He found an old menu from "Juniors" and when the Astrodome opened which had these "letters" instead of numbers. I hope someone knows what I'm talking about. Its hard to explain. :-/

Our old phone number on Cedar Lane (now Blalock) was HO5-----

My aunts house on Key St. in the Heights as UN2----

On 8/15/2005 at 5:14 PM, Ashikaga said:

I think that I also remember a NABISCO plant somewhere in Houston. I remember learning that it stood for NAtional BIScuit COmpany. I don't have any Fritos and bean dip in the cabinet. But I have some RITZ crackers and potted meat. That made me remember NABISCO. But the plant that I remember might not have been in Houston. Maybe someone out there can set me straight.

Now, to spread the potted meat on the RITZ!

The plant was on the SE side of Houston off or on OST I think. I can remember my mom going there and buying "marked down" goodies.

On 6/20/2005 at 1:57 PM, belmontdrew said:

Does anyone remember these old amusement places in Houston? what they were called? where there may be pictures of them?

The ski slope at the intersection of 610 West Loop and Southwest Freeway which later became...

The waterslide at the intersection of 610 West Loop and Southwest Freeway which finally became...

Lone Star Amphitheatre at the intersection of 610 West Loop and Southwest Freeway

OR HOW ABOUT...

Malibu go-cart raceway and arcade at the Southwest Freeway

Games-People-Play...I believe it was on Fondren....big 80's hangout with arcade, waterslides and go carts..

The little go cart place off westpark (Southwest Freeway ran in front of it)..the track was lined with red and white tires...

Peppermint Park was another one on South Main in the 40s to 70s.

On 9/16/2007 at 10:02 AM, Disastro said:

Anybody remember the Chuck Wagon restaurant? I think it was over on Airline or somewhere near Garden Oaks. I remember my parents taking me there when I was a little kid...remember the food being good. Can anyone give some details or pictures of the joint?

Dis

The was one on the SE side off of OST as well. We would go there as a kid.

I loved Valian's 7 Seas Villa.  Best pizza and Italian food. However, Oggero's on Bellfort at Mykawa was a close second on pizza.

I worked at Gulfgate in the mid to late 60s at Joske's as secretary to the store manager. I would hear the store managers talk about the club when they would meet at our store for mall meetings. I never went there but according to them, it was a great hangout.

For a short period of time, my late Uncle and his wife owned the Jim West Mansion. One of the most exciting things was a safe in the house. They just knew it would be loaded with money....wrong, it was vacant. It was a lovely mansion regardless.

Sakowitz was in Gulfgate Mall. When you look at the mall, it was at the very far, right side, by Joske's.  I worked there in the 60s at Joske's and knew the manager of Sakowitz.

Best pizza pies as George Valian called them, in Houston.  If he liked you, he would prepare a special dish for your table.  He was a good friend of my parents.

I went to school with the Garza sisters whose father owned Monterey House.  When Mr. Garza died, the restaurant was sold.  The candy recipe was not included in the sale of the restaurant and was made by the Garza's grandmother.

I was secretary to the Manager of Joske's, Warren Benedict, at Gulfgate Mall in the late 60s and the old  underground establishment that I remember was a bowling alley.  Mack Newberry was the Mall General Manager.  Tim Collins was the PR Manager of Gulfgate.

There was the old Sam Montgomery Oldsmobile dealership on Gessner at 59.

What about Albritton's Cafeteria that was by West University?

Who remembers the old Oggero's Pizzaria on Belfort & Mykaya.  Best Pizza around.

Who remembers the old Oggero's Restaurant in Houston on Bellfort Blvd. at Mykawa.  We loved to go there for pizza in the 60s.  The blue station wagon to the left was my parents.

Who remembers the old Oggero's Restaurant in Houston on Bellfort Blvd. at Mykawa.  We loved to go there for pizza in the 60s.  The blue station wagon to the left was my parents.

Who remembers the old Oggero's Restaurant in Houston on Bellfort Blvd. at Mykawa.  We loved to go there for pizza in the 60s.  The blue station wagon to the left was my parents.

Who remembers the old Oggero's Restaurant in Houston on Bellfort Blvd. at Mykawa.  We loved to go there for pizza in the 60s.  The blue station wagon to the left was my parents. Bat & Steve Oggero's Restaurant at 6150 Bellfort Ave.

Remember the Catacombs from the 60s.  We loved to go there and the eclectic clubs down by Market Square.

Loved Ye Old College Inn.  Also, the old Bill Williams Chicken Restaurants.  The very best fried chicken, ever.

I miss the old Kapans and Valians Seven Seas Villa.  Mr. Valian was a wonderful host.  When my family would come in to dine, he would always prepare a special small pizza just for my son.

Bertha Robinson owned Bertha's Mexican Restaurant which was housed in the beautiful old Greek Revival home in downtown Houston.  I went to Mt. Carmel with her daughter, Dora Robinson.  We would visit the restaurant after school and the workers would be asleep on the floor under the tables. Bertha would take us into the kitchen to prepare delicious Mexican treats for Dora and myself.  Miss that place.  Bertha and Dora Robinson were amazing, wonderful people.