EastEnd Susan

If you have photos of these places and/or memorabilia from them, please post.

Shamrock Hotel

Kiddie Wonderland

Peppermint Park

Sea Arama

The Pig

The old baseball stadium where fingers is now (forgot the name)

I've had that in other places, although I can't remember if I had it there. It is served with a plum sauce.

Sounds like my great grandmas potato patties. She made these with leftover mashed potatoes mixed with egg and green onions and flattened it out like a pancake and fried it in bacon grease. I feel my arteries hardening at the thought.

Did you mean Bonaparte

That's the same time that I was going to Peppermint Park. I was five years old in 1963. I remember seeing the big letters "PEPPERMINT PARK" on the roof as we drove down Gulf Freeway. Yes, those were some great times for a kid. Every time we went to Gulfgate next door, we would always enter through Newberry's. Ah, the constant sound and smell of the popcorn popping! The jelly beans, cashews, malted milk balls! I wish someone would invent a time machine so that I could go back and experience it again.

We always parked and went in right at Sakowitz. Sakowitz had a great little candy counter with the chocolate coins and suckers with little faces in them. But we always made it down the mall to the popcorn. If you find that time machine please let me know. Now I'm craving an Orange Julius. When I was little I thought they tasted like St. Josephs aspirin.

dodge i think.

Used to be Charlie Thomas Ford back in the late 70's.

Susan, OMG! This brings back SO MANY memories! This is SO AWESOME! LOL! There's that huge, giant rollercoaster that made me so fearful! Now I absolutely LOVE rollercoasters! LOL! That thing had to be no more than 2 - 5 feet off the ground! That train is very memorable! WOW! This is awesome! Thanks so much for doing this for the rest of us who have no photos of our childhood memory of Peppermint Park! This is GREAT! The plane ride, the train, the rollercoaster! What fun we had in the old days! HA! LOL!

I still do not understand that with all the aerial photos of Houston I cant find a single one with that big red and white striped roof. They get close..like Gulgate and the cinema but no Peppermint Park.

AWESOME! Thanks for posting these!

It's hard to tell, but is the carrousel hotel under construction or is it maybe the gulfgate cinema? it looks like a construction crane in the background.

so when are you gonna post the video onto youtube?

I would love to post the video on youtube but its on one of those giant vhs tapes. I had the 8mm tape converted to vhs at Sears back in 1991. I just recently found out how to post a pic. I'm so proud of myself. The snippit of film is only about 1 minute long. I think what looks like a crane is actually part of the fence. It had barbed wire on top.

Does anyone have any pics of the old Peppermint Park? I loved that place! I remember going there for a birthday party, it was awesome!!!

Sorry about the quality but these are from 1963 8mm film. Note the Carrousel Hotel in the background of one of these shots. This was my sixth birthday party.

I worked at the Gulfgate Cinema a couple of summers in 70 thru 73. I was working there when M.A.S.H. premiered, also Dirty Harry and McQ.. We traded movie passes for food at the deli by the Weingartens I think it was called Mises'. Later I worked for Joskes at the Post Oak store in the early 80s but would fill in for the Credit Manager at the Gulfgate store when she would go on vacation. My senior ring came from the Zales there. A friend of mine drove a 64 Dart and he would drive it through the tunnel under the mall at night. Ahh memories of our youth.

joe

Mom bought all our school clothes at Sakowitz and Joskes. The store I liked best was Playhouse Toys. It had that wonderful new toy smell. I can still smell it. I persuaded mom to get me a skateboard when I was 13 about 1970. We got it at Playhouse and I still have it. Maybe I should contact the Smithsonian. lol. It was about 15 inches long, 6 inches wide and made of thick wood with chicago wheels. You remember the pink wheels like on the old rollerskates. She would by candy from Russel Stover for our easter baskets. I remember one Saturday they had a band playing in the middle of the mall and they had long hair so I thought it was the Beatles. Ahhh youth. I loved that mall.

Heh, not only in Texas. We have one in Louisiana but it's a crawfish. Can't remember where it is though. I see it on commercials occasionally. Will take notice next time.

Jeanne (Mystkitty)

I remember going to gaidos on South Main not only to eat but one time we had to go pick my brother up as he had gotten very ill . We asked him exactly where he was and he said he was throwing up under the big six gun toting shrimp. What a lovely adventure.

Here is another one that never seems to die down.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that these bricks must have been the only thing available and affordable $ to use as pavement a long time ago. There must be record as to who the workers were that placed these where they now lie. I only know as a kid when we would drive over small portions of this terribly bumpy stuff it was very annoying. There was and still is quite a bit over by Guadalupe Church area (Navigation/Canal). I recall the ladies complaining about their heels breaking or getting stuck as they walked to mass. Older relatives tell me they hated having to walk on them eveyday to the store/school. When the rains came what a mess, puddles of mud for days, became mosquitoe issue. There was no city spraying insecticide in them days folks. Had to tough it out!

People at the time were more than happy to see these ugly uncomfortable things removed or paved over. Common sense, smoother on your new car right? Well here we are decades later and some are dying to keep them. A person on the news the other day made a really incorrect remark as to who layed them down. Now everyone knows that The City of Houston has always employed people of all ethnicities so these were placed by any and everyone. We can't assume that only certain ethnicities placed them in Guadalupe Church area? Give me a break. I can tell you majority of people in that area would love to see them dissapear forever. Freedman's T area insists they are to be placed back exactly where they were removed plus keep the streets tiny and narrow. You cant fit a hairpin when 2 autos are trying to pass. Emergency vehicles cant reach destinations in time. Real mess. Basically, no one is ever happy.

I lived in the 6600 blk of Ave, L right by Navagation and saw plenty of red bricks in my childhood years. For a while my Greatgrandmother, Ida lived with us and told many a wonderful story. One was about the red bricks on Navagation and that they were put there to pave the road because one of our presidents was coming to visit Houston and would be arriving at the port and driving down Navagation to Downtown. They wanted the street to be pretty. Probably not and ounce of truth to it but we believed it. Ida was born in 1879 and she MUST have known Everything!

My family and I used to eat at a place called Bill Williams. I think it was on OST and also a place called Bill Bennets in downtown Houston. I guess they had a thing for Bill places. I myself liked nothing better than a cheese burger from Reddigs Ice Cream Shop on Wayside. Or the shrimp basket from Princes on Wayside.

you can go to the ccp website and see them.

here:

http://www.houstoncountryclubplace.netfirm...04.html#history

Thank you so much. What a blast from the past.

Close Jan, Feb of 1973, snowed three times that winter.

houston snow records

yep, thats right because I was looking at pictures last night and our christmas tree was down and standing by the house covered in ice and snow. If it was 1972 the tree would still be in the house. It was still my sophomore year though. Thanks Devonhart.

I was in kindergarten, so I had a short day, but I remember tracking the cowboy boots I got for Christmas in the snow on the way home. I think school was just a couple blocks away, Woodrow Wilson elementary, but I recall I was walking home alone. Man, I don't think any kindergartner walks home alone from school now.

I was almost 3 years old when this happened. My brother was almost 8 so he had a good time. I on the other hand spent the entire time trying to keep rubber boots on that were many sizes too large for me. I have this on vhs tape. The snow I remember best was in 1972 I think. I was a sophomore at Austin high and they closed the school for a snow day.

OMG! I was going to ask you if you remember, or knew about this place! We used to go there in high school, and we used to call it the Wayside Mansion. It was so scary. A lot of the neighborhood kids would go lurking around the property at night and we would scare each other to death!!!! The stairs in the main part of the house didn't have any railing nor did the second story, and one night our friend Bobby fell from the second story - than God he didn't get hurt! There was a big old swimming pool in the back of the house, all cracked and decayed. There was a really old metal merry go round for kids. There was an old servant quarters, which had a hole in the ground, where the mechanic could go in to work on the old cars. There was also a building that we think was an old school house. There was also a brick silo on the property. We used to absolutely love going to that place! We got in from the church property, because there was a hole in the fence and we would crawl through. We found a lot of old motorcycle parts and junk, remnants of the bikers who used to hang out there and party. In the basement of the old house was a long narrow hall that led to a metal door which was some type of private vault. We always thought of it as a haunted house, and after we would visit, we were always scared to death! Such great memories, and we were so sad when they tore it down to build - I think - apartments. The brick silo remained, if I can remember correctly.

I only got to go inside the place that one time with the church party but we drove by it every day. My mom lived in the royal wayside apartments when she and my step dad first got married in 1963 and this was just a short walk from the sims estate. I would walk down there.. which I was NOT suppose to do and try to peek in the gate. I never could see much. I just keep hoping someone will somehow come up with a photo.

That link was perfect! (and everyone elses additional notes)

My big sister was lucky enough to see the Fab 4 there early 60's. I got to see everything from mid 70's rock stars to early 80's groups like Devo, B-52s at Music Hall. Glory days for sure.

My brother was probably at the same Fab 4 concert. I saw a few concerts there but the ones I remember were at Hofeinze Pavillion... like Elton John Goodbye Yellowbrick Road tour, Bad Company, Queen, David Bowie, Thin Lizzy, George Harrison. Too many to remember. Went to the rodeo every year it was there from 1962 until it was moved to the Dome. I would post a picture of me and the fam going to the rodeo where you can see part of the Coliseum in the background but I'm not that computer savvy. I have it as a jpg in my picture folder and I know how to attach it to an email but not on something like this.

I tried to search past topics and thought for sure these were covered so unless I am mistaken so can someone please fill in the blanks?

1. Were the Coliseum & Music Hall built as one or rather in unison to compliment each other?

2. Built what year/years? and demolished?

3. Is there any documentation that could indicate which performers played there?

I know for sure I went to Ringling Bros/Barnum circus at the Coliseum around 1966 as a child. It seemed like Disneyland, only inside. First Rock Concert 1976 saw Boston w/Styx and too many after that to name. Glad I saved my ticket stubs.

My mom told me she saw Frank Sinatra twice when the Music Hall was quite new. Frank's bobby-soxer era so it must have been way back.

http://www.faculty.missouristate.edu/d/Den...rock_concer.htm

This might help

I remember him too!

and I guess it took them to tear down Woolworth's so that bible-thumping maniac finally disappearred after years of screaming out loud. He paced up and down so much in that same exact spot I'll bet his heel marks are still there! It was so loud we kids would jump!

Amen! Halleluleah!

My great grandmother used to tell me that if I didnt pluck my eyebrows I would look like Bull Curry, and no little girl should look like Bull Curry. Now how was I ever going to look like Bull Curry. I was a tiny little girl with blonde hair and no eyebrows to speak of. Great grandma Ida was a hoot.

That area sounds like it is right behind U of H main campus or MacGregor Park? and I always thought OST ran East to West towards the Astrodome?

If thats the area you mean near that park there are still many real pretty houses that were built in the 1930-1940 era. I had a friend who's mother was a teacher at UH and they had a large corner lot with a beautiful 2 story spacious home. So that sounds more like Macgregor grounds.

I Guess I would have been driving west on ost and turning left on southpark or mlk. Back then it was Southpark. It was only about 300 yards or so until you got to the house on the left hand side of the street . It was a wooden house. The house was really big and had big staircases going up both sides of the living room.

Only few people may remember or have documentation of some of the huge mansions that once stood in the near East Side. Telephone Rd and Wayside/45 areas. Here are 3 that come to mind and thats only becuase I remember seeing them as a kid and even then they were abandoned and near collapse in the mid 70's.

1. Was at Wayside near Lawndale across the street from the Gus Wortham Golf Course. Where there is now an overcrowded, jammed Fiesta market and adjacent strip mall once stood a Plantation-like mansion with tall elegant columns painted white with a huge fountain in the front of the curved/circular expansive driveway. You could imagine Scarlett O'Hara rushing down the grand staircase to meet Rhett. Had tall oak trees lining the drive. Bulldozed around 1975 for this ugly over-developed heap. To make matters worse they crammed an elementary school in there. Pure insanity.

2. Over by Telephone Road and Winkler as Telephone curves going east once stood another huge mansion very similar as the Plantation home also with curved drive. Was in the high Gothic-Victorian style 2 stories with a servants quarters on the side and horse stable. All that remains is the old palm trees that lined the circular drive. Nothing has ever replaced it to this day. Makes you wonder who and why it met such a fate?

What kind of people lived there? Why such a palatial home? What kind of people visited, dignitaries?

3. Where the East End post office now stands on Lawndale/Des Jardines st. There was another beautiful three story palace of a home. In the turn of the century Victorian style too. Massive upstairs screened in porch (must have been a great view) with a large front and backyard. Vacant for many years but could have been restored to its former glory. I recall actually sneaking inside with friends out of shear curiosity. Hit my head on the huge newel post. Guess I deserved it. I recall it being an elephant of a house the kind crazy movie people used to make back in the silent film days. Now this house did seem as if Norma Desmond lived in it. It was torn down around 1976. All that remains are the 3 tall elegant palms that seem so lonely without their beautiful painted lady, now just a memory.

Houston "shame on you" for not being so supportive of restoration and preservation from the get-go.

Do you remember a big 2 or 3 story white house with black trim on Southpark? I remember going with my great grandmother in the early 60's to visit a woman that lived there named Mrs. Tart. We would drive north on OST and turn left onto Southpark and the house wasnt too far down on the left hand side. It also was surrounded by a white split rail fence. There was a boarded over well in her backyard with the story of a little boy that drowned when he fell in the well. Another story had it being an orphanage at one time.

It had a half circle driveway in front and a big concrete fence in front so you could only catch a little glimpse of the property through the 2 gates that were iron. It was very big and very spooky. In the early 70's, my church had a haunted house party there. All I remember was palm trees around the house and a spiral staircase in very poor condition in the front room and a riding stable and what looked like a smaller house in back. My brother said some biker group lived in it for a while before the police found out they were there and chased them out. I can't find pictures of the place anywhere or even anything written about it. It was torn down right after that holloween party . There was also a big church to the south of it but its a school now. Does anyone know anything about the house or the family? Thanks in advance, Susan

I remember the Globe across from Gulfgate. It was the only one we ever went to. I think there was a Michelin tire store close to it with the big white michelin man standing either on the roof or in front of the store. On Woodridge on the other side of 45 was the christmas tree lot where we always bought our christmas tree.

The place on Canal was El Rancho. My family used to go there ofter in 50's & 60's.

Thanks John, Thats the place. Wasn't it on a corner and the entrance was on the side street? That was so many years ago. It was the first mexican restaurant I was ever taken to as a child.

EastEnd Susan,

Have you seen this old thread on OST motels?

http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/i...?showtopic=3194

There are also several threads on S. Main street in this Historic Houston forum.

My mother was a very good cook and she loved to cook so we seldom ate out unless we were far away from home. I'm wantin' some fried chicken today .

We seldom ate out either. My brother and I lived in the house with 2 great cooks. My great gandma Ida and my Grandma Mattie Lou. Best chicken ever in that old cast iron skillet. And Cream gravy form the drippings. Oh man, I so want that chicken.

Not many cattle until you were farther out South Main. Then of course there was Sugar Land, Richmond and Rosenberg where the cattle outnumbered the people.