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The highly visible plot of land on Rice's campus on the corner of Main St and University Blvd. will house The Collaborative Research Center. Designed to be LEED certified by Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill, the tower will contain 477,000 square feet for class/lab space for bioscience and biotech research. Rice will operate the center in conjunction with Baylor, MD Anderson, UT Health Science, Texas Children's and a host of other TMC institutions. The building will have 3 levels of underground parking and 10,000 square feet of retail/restaurant space that faces Main St. Plans call for the design to allow for the addition of another tower on top of this one and another on adjacent land...

In the early 60's my mom and dad would load up by brother and I and drive thru downtown to their favorite place to eat shrimp. It was a "drive-in" restaurant and I remember it had huge wooden indians sitting cross legged on the roof. My mom told me many years ago that at first they would pack by brother and I PB&J sandwiches to eat while they had "Fried Shrimp". Money was tight! Then it got to where my brother and I wanted hamburgers and would be able to talk my mom out of 1 shrimp for each of us. When it got to when we both wanted shrimp, that was the time we stop going there. Anyone know the name of this place?

I think it was the End o' Main Ballroom. Eating Bill Williams' fried chicken with your hands was "Fried Chicken - Savage Style". I never knew that you could eat it any other way.

I was looking at a Houston history site and found an image of car. The caption read: Rice Airfield 1910. Anyone know of such a thing? I thought I read a Rice journal about an airport next to, or near, Rice University. Would have guessed they were speaking about the South Main airports Houston Main Street Airport & Sam Houston Airport. Could there have been an airport/airfield in Rice's backyard? Would love to know more. I'll search for that I read a while back.

I was browsing an old neighborhood newspaper called Southwestern Times. The issue is dated May 3, 1945. The owner of the Shell gas station was Geo. J. Linenkugel. The address was 6702 South Main St. At Southgate Blvd.

Found it! When zoomed-in on one of the Rice University aerials you can see a small service station in the 6400-block of South Main. I found an advertisement this week. Service Stations: Gerald C. Sears Gulf Service Station 6465 South Main at University Blvd. JA 4- 0304.

What about Carlon Hotel Courts at 8000 South Main Street?

I was reading the newspaper The Bellaire & Southwestern Texan dated October 28, 1970 and came across a classified listing for Pine Shadows Trailer Court at 8080 South Main Street. Anyone remember this place? Were there multiple trailer parks a long South Main? 1956 Mobile Home, all metal 47x8, furnished, 2 bedrooms, good condition. Reasonable. 667-4939. 8080 South Main. Pine Shadows Trailer Court.

I was browsing a University of Houston student publication and came across this cool, historic, business advertisement. The student publication is dated 1964. Does anyone recall this place? Any memories or stories to share? As you build your future - Build your home and remember us Capital Title Co., Inc. 6605 South Main Houston 25, Texas

My very first science fiction convention happened at this place back in 81 and it was such a blast. I met every player in Star Trek there as well as a slew of writers I always looked up to. I was 11 at the time and shortly after I heard the hotel was knocked to the ground. I remember liking the inside but all I can really remember was the roof was green. Anyone have any pics that'd like to share? Wyatt C. Hedrick (often misspelled as Wyatt C. Hendrick)

I couldn't find any information about it. Here is the picture and caption from that monorail site: http://www.monorails.org/webpix/1956.jpg Now my question is what was "Arrowhead Park"? Was this an amusement park? I couldn't find it on a map of Houston from the mid-1950s.

Hello all, I'm looking for information regarding a 1950s restaurant that was located in the Texas Medical Center. The restaurant is called Peter Pan Dude Ranch located at 6504 South Main St. Does anyone have any photographs of the restaurant? Perhaps there is some postcards, or matchbooks of this place? Is anyone old enough to have ate here that can share some stories and memories? Thanks in advance.

I just discovered this obscure motel on South Main! It was the Clover Leaf Motor - Motor & Trailer Court, 16 units. Found this in the 1950 Sanborn map of the area.

I also ate many luscious Someburgers made at that stand across from Rice when I was an undergrad there. I remember being surprised when it was suddenly torn down, sometime in the late 1960s. I went to inspect ... and saw my first rats ... (!!!) ... a dozenor more milling about amid the debris of their destroyed abode. I nearly fainted ... and felt very thankful that I hadn't, afaik, gotten sick from any of the many burgers I'd eater there.

I saw this business listing in a Rice University The Thresher magazine dated May 25, 1944. The Recreation Bowling Alley was located at 6445 South Main St. Phil Munn. was the manger. Right across from Rice. Very cool! Edit: Here's an ad from October 6, 1948 that includes the address.

Does anyone know the address of the Cyclone Fence Division located on South Main and University Blvd? This would have been in the 1950s/1960s I believe. Looks like the address would be in the 6400 block of South Main. Different times back then! Who would have thought a fence company would be located in the heart of the TMC? George Hermann and his business partners had a complete lumber and saw mill on South Main Blvd in the early 1900s. More about that later! Cool find! Would love to know more. Does anyone recall this place? Edit: Is that house on the parcel apart of the business? Maybe a demo house to show customers? I can see the fencing material scattered around, but the house is actually not fenced.

Found this cool, historic business advertisement in the newspaper The Bellaire Texan dated June 8, 1955. You Want One? Sure You Do! “Do it yourself” tub enclosure No messy shower curtain They're safe- made of fiber-glass Fits any standard tub Special $39.95 You save $10 Good until June 15th Fits any standard tub Your choice of assorted colors Do it yourself – Or we will install it! Bennett Home Improvement 6706 South Main (evenings MO-4-4452) JA-4-0742

I was reading the newspaper The Houston Post dated April 1, 1921 and came across an advertisement for the Wild-Cat Aerial Circus. Have You Bought Your Tickets For the Great Aerial Circus? Mrs. S.E.J. Cox, Director of the Circus. The world’s most exciting, thrilling, sensational and hair-raising dare-devil stunts ever preformed are to be shown in Houston at the great Wild-Cat Aerial Circus which will start at 2 o’clock on Saturday afternoon, April 2d. No real red-blooded American whose every pulse tingles when excitement is high can afford to miss this greatest of all aerial exhibitions. The greatest daredevils of all time, with new thrilling and wonderful aerial stunts, the best that the combined talent of America and Europe produces, will all be shown to those who attend this marvelous circus. $10,000. This is really a circus and everyone who attends will get $10.00 worth of entertainment and excitement; but as the whole show is being given for the benefit of the Volunteers of America and their charitable work in Houston, the tickets will be sold at the very low price of 50c and $1.00 each. Anyone who has not already obtained a ticket for this record-breaking entertainment should secure one immediate at the following downtown stores: Radford Drug Co. , Main and Preston The Olympia Candy Kitchen, Main and Congress J. Loewenstein & Son Cigar Store, 216 Main American Confectionery, Main and Preston Max Block, Candies and Cigars, Main & Texas Anderson Drug Co. Main and Rusk Public Drug Co., Main and Walker South End Pharmacy, Louisiana and McGowen Pressley & Reed, Louisiana and McGowen Lieut. H.C. Block, Miss Marry Cox, Capt. O.B. Freeman, H.B. Snow, Daredevil Dick Seal, and Percy Hoose. Saturday afternoon, April 2nd. N.B. - Don't come to the circus if your heart is weak. Cox Field : : : : South Main Street. Attend the Aerial Circus Saturday, April 2 At the South Main Street Flying Field Benefit Volunteers of America

Found this cool, 1969, club advertisement and wanted to share. Did anyone ever go here? Any memories or photos? ** Houston's Newest Fun Spot ** The Riverboat 7025 South Main . . . . MO 5-9159 Open 4 P.M. to 4:00 A.M. every night ** Arnett Cobb and the Mob ** Featuring The Riverboat Girls Dance 'Till Midnight Show from 12:30 A.M. * After Hours

This week, I discovered a 1963 club on South Main Street called Golden Horseshoe Club. Golden Horseshoe Club Your Hosts * Edie Knight * Dee Windel * Bob Marshal Houston's newest and most exciting after hours club - 8:30 P.M. to 3:00 A.M. Featuring George Berry Trio 8330 South Main (opposite Colt Stadium in Surrey House Motel) MO 79261

I found a rare, obscure 1940s amusement park! I've never seen it discussed on the internet or in the library archives before! I was searching around Twitter for Playland Park. A Twitter account that documents Houston history posted some Playland Park memories and (wrongfully) included a Speer Park flyer in the post body. At first thought I thought Speer Park was just a rebranding of Playland Park, but it appears it's a whole different amusement park! Anyone know about this park? I wonder why it's never spoken about? Maybe Playland Park overshadowed the smaller park? I just don't know why this park didn't have any daily/weekly newspaper articles and advertisements. No press whatsoever! The park was located in the opposite direction of Sivils' Drive-In Restaurant At 8001 South Main St. and Prince's Hamburgers Drive-In Restaurant At 8101 South Main St. The developer, owner, and manager was Sim L. Speer. "Houston's Permanent Family Playgound - Cool Speer Park" In the April 10, 1943 edition of Billboard Magazine, there was a listing of all the Texas amusement parks: Galveston- Beach Amusement Park Sam Serio, Manager. Has eight rides, six concession games. Houston- Playland Amusement Park John E. Williams - Secy. On South Main St. Houston- Speer Park Sim L. Speer - Owner. Has 10 rides, 20 concession games. Houston- Sylvan Beach Park E.L. Crain, Owner / H.W. Dahse, Manager. Has five rides, four concession games. Another Billboard Magazine article from the early 1940s: Houston, April 11 - Speer Park, under management of Sim L. Speer, opened its season yesterday, with all special low prices for kids under 12 to be in effect thruout season, Fridays thru Sundays. Park has 10 rides and 20 concession games. Billboard article about a day in Houston visiting Playland Park and Speer Park: 1940s ground water report specifying the location of Speer Park that was 5-3/4 miles southwest of the Houston courthouse. Here's a 1955 aerial image of the South Main/Old Spanish Trail "Y" Split. The two drive-in restaurants are located in the center, off of South Main. I'm not sure which side Speer Park was on. The amusement park might have been dismantled and demolished by the time of the photograph? I'll have to look at Google Earth Desktop a bit later to see the 1944 images. Maybe you can see the park with Google Earth. Can anyone spot the park?

Very cool! I have never even heard of this business. Love finding cool, old, businesses in Houston. I found this in Rice University's yearbook called The Campanile dated 1966. Does anyone remember this place? Photographic Systems and Materials for Science and Research, Architecture, Fine Arts. George Lange & Co. Cameras 6630 South Main St. - Houston, Texas 77025 - JA 6-4311

I was browsing an old neighborhood newspaper called Southwestern Times. The issue is dated September 13, 1945. Noticed an add for Mading's Drug Stores that had 3 store numbers and addresses listed. They must have been later stores since they are counting into the teens. Mading's Drug Stores No. 14 - 6602 South Main No. 15 - 2402 University Boulevard No. 19 - 1930 Bissonnet

There was a Plantation on South Main, known to regulars there as "The Plant". It was was on the east side of Main, between OST and Playland Park. Playland was just north of where Murworth is now. You're right. It was very popular with young, night-clubbers in the 40's. Thanks also, Subdude, from me for all the great, old pictures!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRNqgMiZdZI