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I was browsing the newspaper Southwestern Times dated December 23, 1948 and came across this cool grocery/market store called South Main Food Market located at 8020 South Main Street near the present-day Texas Medical Center. Very cool history here!! I never knew about this market. Fireworks - Quality Fireworks of All Kinds * Special Prices Plenty of Parking Space * Ask about the Bicycle! South Main Food Market 8020 South Main Slightly different ad from December 16, 1948:

I was browsing the newspaper Texas Jewish Herald dated September 2, 1937 and came across a business advertisement for Gaido's White Horse Tavern located at 6808 South Main Street. A little confused. This was yet another business venture from Michi Gaidos? He also had 2 other restaurants. Given the date, maybe this was his first? Gaide's White Horse Tavern Main and Bellaire Fish, Crab, Chicken and Steak Dinners at Popular Prices Attractive Dining Room - Fast Curb Service Phone Lehigh 1293 In the newspaper dated April 19, 1934 an article specifies the address of the GWHT. Hadassah Card Party Houston Chapter of Hadassah is sponsoring a card party benefitting the Hospital Medical Organization of Hadassah at Gaido's White Horse Tavern, 6806 Main Street, on Wednesday, April 24, at 2 p.m. Table and door prizes will be given and refreshments served. Reservations may be made by calling Mrs. A Meyerson, chairman, Hadley 7709, or Mrs. Sampel Cohen, co-chairman, Fairfax 3887.

I was browsing the newspaper The Jewish Herald-Voice dated June 11, 1964 and came across an advertisement for a restaurant club called The Duval's Restaurant located at 11215 South Main Street. For A Delicious Luncheon or Dinner Visit The Duval’s Restaurant * 11215 South Main at Willowbend Under The Personal Supervision of Jean and Minnie Duval Now Open 12 Noon to 10 P.M. Every Day Including Sundays – Closed All Day Mondays Serving Superior Kosher Style and American Foods Complete Dinners $2.50 and up – Children under 12 Half Price Private Rooms Available For Meetings – Luncheons and Dinners Complete Catering Service For Weddings – Bar Mitzvah Receptions Rehearsal Dinners, Etc. Steaks- Broiled to Perfection Seafood- Fresh-Fried or Broiled Chicken- Tender and Crisp Potato Latkes – Blintzes, Kreplach Chopped Liver – Gefilte Fish – Roast Brisket And our fabulous Roast Beef Family Membership For The Entire Season In Our Large Swimming Pool is Now Available Plan your Next Party Around our Spacious and Attractive Grounds Around Large Swimming Pool Available For Luau and Other Functions

I was browsing the newspaper The Thresher dated October 23, 1931 and came across a business advertisement for South Main Bowling Alley located at the End O' Main. Another ad which I cannot find at the moment, specified the location of Main at Bellaire. A little confused. This isn't the infamous Palace Recreation Bowling Alley located at 6445 South Main Street? The Palace Recreation Lanes was said to be directly across from Rice University in the 6400-block of South Main. Holcombe & Main has an address of 6977 South Main, using the address of the old Shriner's Hospital. Guess they are different? I wonder why this bowling alley doesn't get the historical press as the Palace Recreation Lanes. I guess being across Rice University had some fame. I believe I figured it out. These bowling alleys are a decade apart! South Main Bowling Alley was active in the 1930s. Palace Recreation Bowling Alley was active in the 1940s. One Game of Ducks Free With One Paid game and this ad at the South Main Bowling Alley End O' Main The other bowling lanes from October 6, 1948:

I was browsing the newspaper The Rice Thresher dated March 19, 1985 and came across a business advertisement for Snacks By The Lb. located at 6626 South Main Street. I believe Snacks By The Lb. started in Pennsylvania in the 1980s. According to the flyer the TMC location was the first franchise in Texas. Does anyone recall this place? In terms of history, 1985 wasn't that long ago. Maybe someone on HAIF went here back in the day? This is my type of store! I'm pretty sure I'd pick sweet & salty snacks over candy any day! Chips, pretzels, popcorn, trail mix, nuts, breakfast bars, etc. Good stuff! Snacks By The lb. Store near the Texas Medical Center (The First Store in Texas)* Now Open M-F 9-6 Sat. 10-5 A Whole New, Exciting Concept In Snacks Food Shopping Featuring Over Three Hundred Different Snacks at Unbeatable Prices Including imported and domestic candies, chocolates, dried fruit and nuts, from cashews to pistachios – salted and unsalted. Pretzels, fudge; 40 flavors of popcorn; imported and domestic cookies and wafers. A gourmet section of coffee and tea. Freshly baked cookies and croissants. Plus a complete line of low calorie and sugar free candy made without sorbitol. Retail and Wholesale Fund Raising Programs And Party Package Discounts. Try Before You Buy Treat Yourself And Your Family We have a complete line of giftware’s and party platters for all occasions too! Cards and balloons too! 6626 S. Main (near Eckerd’s, Majors Bookstore) Houston, TX 77030 522-2443 *A Philadelphia Franchise 30% off on ½ lb. of all green items. Good till 3/3/85.

I was reading some old Geophysical and Oil and Gas magazines and a corporation struck my eye. The company is Clevite Corporation, Texas Division which had their manufacturing and offices located at 9820 South Main Street in the 1950s. Anyone recall this campus or company? Looks like their old campus was at the corner of South Main & the 610 feeder. Possibly occupied by the present-day Alec Center Shopping Center that houses the restaurant Ruchi's Mexican Grill. I would have loved to see the area in the 1950s. All those small mom & pop/privately owned businesses that once thrived. Now replaced by national realty companies specializing in class-b retail centers. Give it another 20-30 years and these small retail centers will be replaced with denser applications such as multifamily housing combined with retail. Electronics magazine dated 03/20/1959: Geophysics magazine dated 04/1959:

I was reading the newspaper The Bellaire Texan dated January 13, 1965 and came across a business advertisement for Gruner's located at 6616 South Main Street. Anyone ever do shoe shopping here? Gruner's 6616 S. Main Across From Medical Towers Ample Free Parking Opens 8:30 a.m. Close 5:30 Entire Stock Not Included.

I was browsing the newspaper The Rice Thresher dated September 2, 1988 and came across this business advertisement for Yogurt & More located located at 6638 South Main Street. Does anyone recall this place? It's fairly recent, so maybe some HAIFers went here back in the day? Come & Celebrate Grand Opening - Sept. 14 - 16. Colombo Yogurt, Colombo Lite, Vitari, Shakes, Desserts, Sandwiches, Soups, Salad Bar, Lunch Specials, Student Specials.

I was browsing the newspaper The Thresher dated October 17, 1930 and came across this advertisement for Green Mill Miniature Golf Links. Very cool! Yet more golfing for the South Main corridor. Too bad it's so old that we cannot look this up on historic images. Green Mill Miniature Golf Links Now Has Carpet Greens True Putting Stop at the sign of the Old Mill on Main Corner Southgate.

Looking for information about the old King Motor Lodge at 9051 South Main Street in Houston, TX. This motel was on the outskirts of the Texas Medical Center, TMC. Does anyone have any pictures of this building? Any postcards around, or even memories to share?

My father-in-law was a native Houstonian, and he used to talk about an old illegal casino/brothel(?) out Hwy 90. He said it existed after WWII and up into the 1950's. There was an old brick gatehouse just west of the current Beltway on the south side of 90 that he said belonged to the casino...does anyone know about this, or was my late father-in-law yankin' my chain? Jake Friedman Domain Privee Casino At 11620 South Main St. Edit: This is actually located on Old Main Street Loop Road near South Main Street (Highway 90.)

I remember going to Playland Park in Houston in the 1950s as a kid,fond memories!. My step-dad operated the motor boats,my brother and I would operate all of the lock levers to let boats out and in,that wouldn't have happened these days!. Please share your memories. We lived on the old Chocolate Bayou Road,and now I've heard it is "Cullen Blvd." We were close to Pearland,8 miles south of Holmes Rd.,near the Brazoria/Harris county line. What is out there now??. I remember there were cemeteries around us and not much else!. Thanks, Ron Hoover Denver Co.

I was wondering if anyone on HAIF knew some information about the old 1940s/1950s restaurant near the Texas Medical Center called Price's Hamburgers, also could be named Price's Restaurant. The address is, apparently, 8301 South Main Street. The address also could have been 8299 South Main Street. Price's Hamburger's was a burger chain in Houston (and other parts of Texas?) founded by Price Lovelady. There is almost no history of this restaurant on the internet! I do not see any newspaper/magazine advertisements, pictures, menus, matchbooks, or post cards. Wondering why a chain restaurant with several locations in a big city would be so scarce? HAIF is a Houston knowledge database, and thankfully in the native Price's Hamburgers thread there is a single photo. This might be the only evidence on the internet (except for public comments/postings) that this restaurant existed. @Michelle C said: There was a Price's at the corner of Washington and Shepherd in 1958. Edit: To be clear, this is Price's Hamburgers founded by Price Lovelady. Often confused with Prince's Hamburgers, founded by Doug Prince.

I just discovered this obscure motel on South Main! It was the Century Motel Motor Court located at 8803 South Main Street. Found this in the 1950 Sanborn map of the area.

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.

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!

I was browsing the newspaper The Citizen dated May 26, 1948 and came across a business ad for Gateway Roller Rink located at 8370 South Main St. - "Where O.S.T. Meets S. Main". Was this an earlier location of Hansell's Gateway Swim And Skate Rink? I wonder if the swimming school/club had a different address than the skating rink? I see an address of 8510 South Main St. Was this the same place as the Rolls-Away Roller Rink on South Main? Different name obviously. Possibly a change of ownership?

Should we start a petition to get the Bedquarters moved? 😂

There's been some discussion about what appears to be a pony ride track with some small carousels on the corner of Main and University across from the old Rice Stadium. It's there in 1940's aerials until the 1957 aerial on historic aerials.com. After that, it became the site of the Tidelands. Sanborn maps also show a filling station right at the corner c. 1950. So, what was there? Was this an earlier location of Kiddie Wonderland? Or a smaller competitor in the crowded pony ride market? Edit: Here's the 1950 Sanborn map:

I was driving back from Richmond, TX today and decided to take the scenic route back to Riverside Terrace, that is to take U.S. 90A all the way back as if it is prior to 1961 and the SW Freeway has not been built. I'd taken the stretch last week to check out construction. From Richmond to Highway 6, the highway is still in its 4 lane divided configuration. Once you pass Highway 6, there's some construction going on to widen it to an 8 lane boulevard. Last week, westbound traffic was still using the original 1934 bridge over Oyster Creek in front of the old Imperial Sugar mill. Today, westbound traffic had been diverted to the newer late 1940's former eastbound bridge. Eastbound traffic was on a new structure over the creek. I assume the 1934 bridge is to be demolished soon, the plaques with the year it was built and other info had been removed (what the construction companies did with it, I don't know). There's a few s-curves between Ulrich Rd. and BW 8 diverting traffic onto and off of new and old pavement. It appears in Stafford they're making portions of it a freeway, I'd even heard rumors that they were going to put part of it into a trench at Kirkwood or something like that, it had to do with the railroad crossing as well. Once you pass Willowridge HS, you enter the oldest section of the S. Main/US 90A freeway completed in 1996. Last week, traffic was still on the feeder roads all the way to S. Post Oak. All lanes of the new freeway are open from Stafford to the South Loop. No more traffic lights and crossovers, just smooth sailing at 65 mph, a far cry from just 5 years ago. Passed under 610 and hit the 8 lane boulevard, moving pretty good, then curved onto the 6 lane portion of US 90A known as OST right into Riverside Terrace which is now nice and smooth with new asphalt thanks to TxDOT (took em long enough, over a year from old surface removal to repaving!)

Found this club flyer on the internet. Anyone know about this place? Can we date it? I'd say 1950s - 1970s? Act III Go Go Girls Johnny Winter's Band 6663 S. Main - JA 8-9332

I always drive by this Chinese church located off South Main near West Bellfort. Anyone know anything about it? Website: https://en.hcchome.org/

The other end of the monorail, which never connected to the arrowhead park end, was on main, just west of fondred. I used to walk up the rail and play in the ruins of the car in about 1965. It was an interesting experience-smashed plexiglass windows and weeds growing in the ruins of something too futuristic for houston at the time

Thanks to @Ross I discovered a new park that was located in the Texas Medical Center in the decade of the 1910s. Ross suggested this pre-dates the Hermann Park. I researched, and according to the Hermann Park Conservancy, Hermann Park opened in 1914. Or, in 1914, the park was announced and the master plan started. Hermann Park may have opened a year later than 1914? https://www.hermannpark.org/history/timeline/ In May of 1914 Houston real estate investor and industrialist George H. Hermann announced publicly his intention of deeding to the City of Houston 285 acres of this property for a municipal park across the street from the Rice Institute and thus Hermann Park was born. A century later, Hermann Park is 445-acres of beautiful green space and is visited by an estimated 6 million people per year. I first discovered the park while researching the Colonial Park Amusement Park near Fannin Street and Southmore Avenue. 1913 City of Houston map: The Houston Post dated July 19, 1913: Amusements: Main Street Park- Wild West Broncho Bustling at 5 p.m. Isis Theater- "Beauty and the Beast" and other motion pictures. Pearce's Theater- "The Master Painter" and other motion pictures." Top O'Houston, Carter Roof- Motion pictures, carabet, features and refreshments. The Houston Post dated June 8, 1912: Dekor to make flight at Main Street Park Houston Aviator will give exhibition prior to leaving the city. Fred De Kor, the aviator. will make a series of exhibition flights Sunday afternoon at Main Street Park, prior to leaving the city. Mr. De Kor has been contemplating giving the public thorough exhibition of his powers for some time and now feels that he has the best opportunity to do . The flights will be made at Main Street Park at 2 o'clock Sunday afternoon-- The advertisement showing the date: Don't fall to see the exhibition flight at Main Street Park June 9, 1912 at 2:30 p.m. By Aviator Fred De Kor. In huis new aeroplane, The Green Dragon. The Houston Post dated September 28, 1912: Baseball Sunday, Sept. 29 At Main Street Park Game Called at 4 O'Clock. Houston Sporting Goods Vs. Sharp and Hughes. Both clubs have strong line-up, and a good game is promised. Batteries- Houston Sporting Good, Wehrman and Holt; Sharp and Hughes, Malloy and Page. Take South End Cars and transfer for Main Street Park. The Houston Post dated January 5, 1913: Farming With Aetna Dynamite. Demonstration will be held at Main Street Park Tuesday afternoon, January 7, at 3 o'clock. Stump Blasting, Subsoiling, Tree Planting, Ditching. Everybody invited. Take Sound End Car, transfer to Westmoreland. L. Harde & Co. Dealers in Agricultural Blasting Material, Room 3, Cotton Exchange Building. The Houston Post dated December 24, 1911: Location is Changed. For three years the Sunny South has made the traps at Delmonico Garden famous. In 1912, however, the Houston Gun Club offers a new location, Main Street Park. The new grounds are considered far better in accommodation than the old, and, since last July, have been used as the regular grounds of the Houston Gun Club. Main Street Park is located on the extension of Main street out beyond the Rice Institute. The park is reached by the South End and Westmoreland Farms car lines. The service off the South End line is present on every hour, but for the Sunny South the street car company will be requested to make special provision. With this improvement the park will be as accessible as Delmonico. Main street has already had its baptism as a trap shooting center, the Texas handicap having been held there in midyear of 1911.

Found this in the book Hostels U.S.A. The only comprehensive, unofficial, opinionated guide. Publication date 1998. Morty Rich Hostel (NR) 6500 South Main Street, Houston, TX 77030 (713) 522-1096 Rates: $13.50 per Hostelling International Member Season: July 1 to August 31 Beds: 20 Private rooms: Yes Affiliation: Hostelling International Office hours: 8:00 A.M. to 9:45 P.M. Extras: Pool, laundry, parking, cafeteria access, computer access, game room, pool table. This summer-only hostel owest its life to Morty Rich, a longtime hosteller and hostel supporter who bequeathed money for a hostel near his alma mater of Rice University south of downtown Houston. When Rich tragically died in a plane crash a few years back, the hostel came to be. The neighborhood is especially nice. Rice is one of the Southwest’s strongest academic schools- think Ivy League meets Texas oil boom and you’re getting the idea—and its research medical center is the largest such complex in the world. In other words, this is a great place to come down with the flu. Seriously, though, the hostel occupies Rice dorms and as such is probably a better pick, especially for families and other business travelers, than the other hostel in town. For entertainment there’s shopping complex father to the north. Only problem? This hostel’s future is said to be uncertain. Will it still be around by the time this book hits print, or in the summers? Who knows? Only time will tell.