EspersonBuildings

The original James Coney Island was at the south east corner of Main and Walker (currently the location of BG Group, 811 Main Street). I remember the desk chairs used in the dining room.

Awesome photo, THANK YOU SO MUCH !!!! It looks like the corner of Stanford & Westheimer looking east toward Main Street, and I'd say circa 1981, 82 or earlier. Thanks again, much appreciated!

As mentioned by earlier post, I too remember the one at Richmond and the 59 Spur as well as the one on S. Braeswood just west of Hillcroft. I grew up in the Hiram Clarke area and remember when Del Taco was built at the corner of Hiram Clarke and West Fuqua. This was in the late 70's. Last time I was in the area (about 10 years ago) it was a Popeye's Fried Chicken restaurant.

Does anybody remember where gay bar called The Midnight Sun from the late 70's/early 80's was located? I seem to recall it being right near the curve (around where Katz is now) but a friend told me it was further in on lower Westheimer, probably near Numbers (then called Club Babylon I believe). I do know it was on Westheimer but just cannot recall exactly where it was. Was it demolished or could it still be there as something else. Great thread!

thanks for the reply little frau, The dates HCAD list for a year a home is built is often off. The home my parents bought in 1964 (when I was 1 year old) is listed as being built in 1962, which sounds about right because they said their home was only a year or so old. This was in Meredith Manor/South Glen directly in front of Montgomery Elementary. Those houses were demolished by the Harris County Flood Control District about 12 years ago. The houses on the back side of the school (Simsbrook) my parents were told were a few years older than ours (probably built around the same time as Pamela Heights), however HCAD list them as being built in 1965. Again, off topic, if you grew up in Pamela Heights, your elementary school probably was Hobby, right? Or could it have been Montgomery, since Montgomery was built in 1960, the first of the elementary schools in the area. I went to Montgomery, then Dowling Junior High, then Madison High.

Great thread. I have an elderly aunt who lives in the 5th Ward and has had the same number now for over 60 years! OR-3 prefix, later known just as 673. I knew back in the 50's (by looking at the ads in my mother's high school yearbooks) that at that time Houston phone number were only 6 digits, I've often wondered how her number changed when then digits were expanded to 7 numbers (since I've heard she had the same number all those years) and have found my answer in this thread, really love this site! Apparently her number used to be OR-xxxx and was modified to OR3-xxxx as it remains today. One of my aunts lived in the East End and I recall her number starting with CA. Another aunt lived near the Heights (Cottage Grove actually) and her number started with UN. I understand those prefixes Capital and Underwood. However one I don't understand is growing up (in the newely established Southwest Houston, south of South Main & Hiram Clarke) our phone number was ID3-0558 (I will never forget our first phone number, this was in the late 1960's) I believe the ID stood for Idlywood which confuses me because I know there is an older subdivision in the East End (Lawndale/Wayside area) called Idlywood. As "gruffbear" 'grandparents lived in Parkview (just north of where we grew up), the PA (72) prefix makes sense but again ID3 (433) still does not makes sense to me since the Hiram Clarke area is no where near the Idlywood subdivision!

The address of the plant was 2020 Texas Avenue. I remember because my father worked there from the early 1950's until his retirment in the late 80's I believe. After he started, he was drafted to the Korean War, then continued working there after serving in the Army. Thanks for the picture!

houston 1973, Thanks for the photos of the Borden's Milk Plant that was on 2020 Texas Avenue. My late father worked there for about 40 years. He started working there in the early 1950's then was drafted into the Army and was in the Korean War. After returning from the service he resumed working there until his retirement in the early 90's. He took me inside the plant a couple of times when I was young. Those pictures sure brought back some memories, thanks!

It was actually 3 lanes in each direction.

I remember those "stumps" well myself. My dad used to work at the Bordens Milk Plant that was located at 2020 Texas (just east of the 59 elevated). Being a kid they always struck me as odd because they just stuck out and ended in mid air. I also remember the freaky/akward entrance ramp (between two elevated sections of freeway on either side that Plumber is talking about). Being that I was only around 9 and did not think much about driving, still it seemed kind of "off" Haven't posted or been on this site lately but it is always a delight to read the post, especially in the historical section. Always enjoy visiting!

Yes I believe it was moved to this site but not by very much. I believe it used to face south on McGowen before being moved around the corner to face west on Milam. I'm almost sure I read this in the book that is mentioned at the beginning of this thread.

I remember seeing him fround around the mid 1970's in front of Woolworths on Main @ McKinney. Also remember seeing him in New York around mid 90's. A NY Times article, I believe< was written about him and I believe he was originally from Louisiana, possibly New Orleans.

Remember going to the Holiday exhibit (with Santa) at the Town Hall on the 9th floor for the first time in 1972 and each year later for a few more years. Still miss the downtown Foley's the way it once was.

Wow, that is a good catch. Growing up the first sky (pedestrian) bridges I can remember were the two that went across (Crawford Street I believe?) between the St. Joseph Hospital buildings (now both demolished). I remember always wanting to go inside just to walk across it.

Nice!

Enjoyed this thread as I grew up south of South Main (James Madison High School arrea )in the late 60's/early 70's I remember all the places that are mentioned here! My dad used to take us to the Burger King that was on the right side of S. Post Oak just north of Willowbend. Also going a little further down from what you guys have mentioned, lets not forget KMart at S. Post Oak and S. Main (now a Fiesta). Used to love going there for the toys and popcorn! Thanks for the stroll down memory lane!

Great topic! I also enjoyed the thread "Let's Talk About Foley's" Harvest House was the name of the restaurants (lunch counters) at Woolies. Their Golden Fried Chicken was awesome and their burgers & fries were the best! I can remember going there with my mom on the bus in the early 70's then later on my own. I wasn't too crazy about the pizza but loved the sit down counter and booths. I'm talking about the store on Main of course (now a parking garage next to Commerce Towers). I can remember looking under the counter and seeing all the chewed up gum that were there fromm decades and decades! I do remember the downstairs counter (basement) and thought it interesting to read here that it was probably segregated back in the day. I thought it was cool how when the pedistrian tunnel was opened under Main how they incorporated the basement level of the store into the tunnel system. acamarillo, are you sure about the counters being gone in the early 80's? I worked downtown from '82 until '86 when I moved to NY and remember them still being there because I would eat there for lunch sometime. When I moved back to Houston in 2000, the store was gone, how sad! Good thread,

Ahh, the memories! Yes, Foley's downtown was a class act in it's day! It was a bus ride into downtown Houston to shop at Foley's for us as kids. I worked at the Pharmacy on the 1st floor when I was 19 in 1982. Talk about eating places, there was so many at Foley's downtown. The Terrace on 5, The Brown Bag on the 1st floor next to the Travis Street exit, The Cafeteria in the basement, The Grill on 2, the hot dog stand in the basement tunnel leading to the parking garage, The Deli on the ground floor of the Parking Garage, The Bakery right next to The Brown Bag. Major appliances on, I believe 7, books on 8, Beauty Salon on 6, Tickmaster on 9, Records & tapes on 9. The Town Hall on 9 where they had the awesome Santa (complete with fake snow) every holiday season, toys on 4, etc, etc. I moved to NY in 1985 and at that time the dowtown store was still a class act. I moved back to Houston in 1999 and just had to head for downtown Foley's to be nostaglic. Imagine my shock and horror at what I saw! Shopping floors ended on the 5th floor, salesman now wearing tacky blue aprons? WTF? (salesmen used to wear a suit and tie) At first I thought it was part of the decaying Main Street at that time but later realized it was also due to the fact that it was no longer a Federated Store and was now a member of the May Department Stores. Someone asked what the Macy's on Main Street is like today? I can answer that in one word - DEPRESSING! Oh and the building is not 12 stories, it is 10. Built in 1947 with 6 floors (I'm almost sure retail ended on 5), about 10 years later 4 more storeis were added with retail ending on 9) Yes, I too, miss Foley's!

Pennys downtown was at the corner of Texas and Main. I remember they had the "person operated" elevtors. I believe the store was shut down/demolished in the mid 70's. There was never a Pennys on Main and Elgin. That was a Woolworths and Walgreens on the southwest corner of Main and Elgin (along with that Wonder Fabrics store) directly south of the Southwestern Bell Telephone Company building (now Houston Community College)

Thanks for that! I had forgotten about Jaime's. I remember the fancy marquee. This is one and the same as LaHacienda. Not sure if Jaime's was the original restaurant but do know that the building was last LaHacienda before finally being demolished.

That stucco, Spanish/Mexican restaurant in the 3500(?) block of Main. At least this site is now in use, as an exceptionally ugly parking lot. That was at the northwest intersection of Main and Berry. It was last a Mexican restaurant called LaPlacca (I think). My mom worked as a bus girl there around 1949-1950 when it was Kelly's Restaurant. Like you said, it is now an exceptionally ugly parking lot.

Thank you DMac for creating this thread, I love the original Gulf Building. And THANK YOU Subdude and plumber2 for the information. I always knew there was an annex but never could figure out the layout. I pass through this building a few times each week and am always fascinated with the ground floor and how they all come together. Couple of questions please. I've read where both annexes were built after World War II, 1946 & 1949 I believe. Which came first? The South part (Rusk & Travis) or the taller North part (Capital & Travis). Also, regarding plumber2: "There are some weird bathrooms in the corners of the original 1929 bank extension facing Travis" Are these bathrooms accesible to the public? From your description I'm guessing it's those silver doors on either side of the Travis street exit from the bank hall extension that would lead to them? I explored the bldg today but was afraid an alarm or something might go off if I attempted to open one of them although there is no "Employees Only or "Private" signs posted. Thanks again, I really enjoyed this thread.

YIKES!!! Oh man, how indeed could we forgot that "IN BEAUTIFUL SOUTHWEST HOUSTON" line! Thanks for the memory, scarey, but thanks!

Adrian's Mexican Restaurant was located on the corner of Pierce and Louisiana on the block that is now where the new Fire Station is being built.

Thanks Vertigo! Yea, I remember that very well! And until NOW, never understood it. I think as a kid, of course, I asked and what I remember being told was it was done to atract attention. It's one of those things that really screws with a kid's head. Kind of like the PlaysKool thing................. Hard enough being a kid learning to spell without confusing craph like this!