57Tbird

I also went to Poe, Lanier, and Lamar (1953). I lived in Southampton near Rice U, I rode my bike on Shepherd to the Alabama for the Saturday morning kids' movies... usually a cartoon or two, a comedy, and a western (Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, etc.). After the show I would go to Chris' Coney Island on the SW corner of Shepherd and Alabama and have a couple of hot dogs @ 2/$.25, and then play the nickel pin ball machine there. Often went with my cousin who lived in the 2000 block of Sul Ross. This was the late '40's. Good times! Parents didn't worry about their children as much back then.

Found a couple dealer buildings and a sign.

I saw it there too. The line for tickets went all the way around the side to the parking lot. Did a lot of shopping at Harris' Men & Boys Wear across and up the the street.

Yep! I have done this on the places (4) I lived in from the time I was born (1935) until I left home and married. All are in good shape with the exception of when we lived with my grandmother on Elgin, between Main and Fannin, during WWII. It's not there anymore. Also on the houses (2) in the Houston area after I was married. They appear to be well maintained.

The large store you mention between Times and Amherst could have been Rodney's. I'm an old timer who frequented that area in the mid-50's.

The old Stuart's Drive-in at O.S.T. and S. Main had those. I don't remember them at Prince's

I'm a former Rice student, and I get a monthly email newsletter from Rice. This one had an interesting story on the old South Main Sears location I thought was interesting. https://youtu.be/szKHIXtj8_I

I looked at a Google view and found this. If it is the one you describe at 1500 OST, on a larger view that includes the building name, it's labeled "Sopus Retail". Looked further and found that this stands for Shell Oil Products U.S.

This post I did in an old topic should answer your question.

Thank you, Urbannizer, It looked somewhat like the First Methodist, but I knew it couldn't be, because the surroundings are quite different.

What church is that in your photo?

My mistake. I was going by this old ad below for Playland Park. I know for sure it was on the west side of Main, so that's why I thought the 9205 address was on the east side. I guess the ad address is wrong. I should have looked at where that address is now.

Must have been Gaido's. It was right across the street from Playland Park, which was at 9200 S Main.

The Boat Yard was on Morningside. The landlord sold the property a long while back, and a motel was built there. On the other side of Morningside is an Academy store that fronts on the feeder road of the Southwest Freeway. The location was between Norfolk, the Southwest Freeway, and Greenbriar. My son played in a group there late 80's or early 90's, I think it was.

Here is the downtown page out of a 1992 Houston Key Map atlas. Some of the building names have changed in the time since that photo was taken, but it gives a good perspective of the building layouts with block numbers. Looks like the photo was taken looking to the southeast from the ramp heading to the I-45/Pierce Elevated with the McKinney exit ramp just above, as Ross mentioned.