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This week I learned about August Warnecke. He had hundreds of acres a long South Main Street that Rice Institute eventually bought and developed. In some of the old 1910 and 1920 maps you can see August Warnecke as the parcel owner. I searched around HAIF for this guy but didn't see anything mentioned. Thought I would go a head and create a thread. Newspaper article from The Houston Post. dated June 2, 1914. Death Resulted From Infection August Warnecke, wealthy land owner, died Monday. Anthrax poisoning, thought to have been contracted whole he was skinny a cow given a cause. From anthrax poisoning, believed to have been contracted about two weeks ago while skinning a cow, a August Warnecke, aged 69 years old, a wealthy land owner, who resided on the Main street road, died at 8:30 o'clock Monday evening at a local sanitarium. His wife, who was stricken while nursing him, is at the sanitarium suffering from the same disease. About two weeks ago a cow belonging to Mr. Warnecke was shot by some small boys who were hunting in his pasture-- The day later, June 3, 1914: August Warnecke. The funeral of August Warnecke, who died at a local sanitarium Monday evening of anthrax poisoning, will be held from the First Lutheran church Wednesday morning at 10 o'clock, with Rev. P. V. Dyck officiating. Interment will be made in German cemetery. The following active pallbearers have been selected: George Ramin, Ed Ramin, Ernest Schelling August Schelling, Henry Schelling and William Schelling. The honorary pallbearers will be: G.H. Hermann, George Kuhlmann, Simeon Priester, J. Hahn, L. Hilldendahl, Charles Moerer, J.J. Settegast Sr., Jim KcKee, J. Remmel and Henry Tuffly. The pall--

Does anyone know about the Charles Weber & Rice University saga? Apparently, Charles Weber was holding onto some valuable pig farm land that Rice wanted. Eventually, he caved in and sold to the university. Map Showing Rice Institute Property. The accompanying map shows the Rice Institute location, three miles from the center of the city on Main Street Road, the road leading right alongside the property from the South End, Southmore and Kenilworth Grove additions. The map begins at Eagle avenue. The white squared marked “Dupont” and “Charles Weber” are small pieces of property which the trustees could not secure. The Weber property having been occupied as a home and truck garden for a number of years. In the northern edge of the 102-acre tract there is a large grove of stately forest trees, while the lower portion of the sity-seven-acre tract is dotted with the large forest trees. The stream winding through the proper is Brays Bough, which will give through drainage. This stream, in addition to furnishing drainage is acceptable of terracing and landscaping. Altogether the location is ideal in every particular. Nether Proof. Lovett nor the trustees are ready to make any announcement as to the character of the buildings or educational policy, but they are all busy with these matters. Bought Land for $1000; Sells it for $56,000 An indicator of the expansion of Houston land values within the last 47 years was given Wednesday when Charles Weber and wife sold a tract of land lying opposite the Rice Institute on Main street boulevard for $6000. The tract was less than three acres and was the last of 10-acre plot bought by Mr. Weber in 1872 for $1000. The 10 acres have brought $56,000 to the owner since his original purchase. The tract across from Rice Institute was bought by R.W. Franklin, who acts as trustee for other interests. The land will not be used for furthering private enterprises, according to Mr. Franklin. The deed to the three acre tract was filed Wednesday in the district clerk's office. Record Price Paid For Main Street Acreage By The Rice Institute. Seven acres Were Purchased Yesterday From Charles Weber for a Consideration of $50,000. Seven Acres Bring $50,00 Charles Weber, a truck framer out Main street road, south of Houston sold, sold seven acres of land adjusting the site of Rice Institute for $50,000 cash. The processional at Rice's formal opening ceremonies almost had to be rerouted at the last minute for what Porcine reason? Thanks to our generous clue, all the contestants realized the answer had something to do with pigs. Despite answers ranging from runaway pigs to disparaging comments about Rice women, the real answer lies with farmer Charles Weber, who owned the last 10 acres of what would become the Rice grounds. Weber, whose pigsty lay adjacent to the processional route, refused to sell his parcel of land until the proverbial 11th hour.

Found this amazing, one of a kind, dairy farm way out Old Main Street Road and just had to share! From the newspaper The Houston Post. July 6, 1916. Lightning Struck Herd. One Cow Killed and Others Knocked to Ground at Harris Dairy. Lighting struck a herd of cows belonging to J.S. Harris, proprietor of a dairy on the Main Street Road, while a heavy thunder shower was in progress late Tuesday afternoon. As a result, one cow was killed outright and a number of others were knocked to the ground and stunned. Henry Harris, son of the dairyman, who was on horseback, driving the cows, also received a severe shock which stunned him or a few minutes. This happened near Mr. Harris' dairy on the Main Street Road. The Houston Post. Dated October 1, 1916. Wanted- Dairy hand at Harris' Dairy, 5 miles out Main Street Road. Apply at once.

Found this classified advertisement this week. Cool piece of history! from the newspaper The Houston Post dated September 20, 1905. For Sale- Cheap, Carload good mules, horses and mares; can be seen at my stable, foot of Main street and bayou. E.N. Drougel / tf

I was reading the newspaper The Houston Post dated December 4, 1918 and came across an advertisement for Smith Machinery Co. that had a tractor demonstration at the Lee Brothers farm at the South End of Main Street Boulevard. Very cool! I love finding old farms (or ranches) on South Main, Fannin, Old Main Street, Old Spanish Trail, Almeda, etc. Technically, it looks like the farm was located on Bellaire Blvd. Using "South End of Main Street" was just a directional talking point since the "End of Main" terminology was so popular back then. Back in the 1910s the term was "South End of Main Street." A few decades later in the 1930s and 1940s the term was slightly changed to "End of Main". I believe the original term was used because of the street car that went down that way. The street car was removed by the 1930s and 1940s. Tractor demonstration. Wallis- America's Foremost Tractor. Will give plowing exhibitions Friday and Saturday, December 6th and 7th on Lee Bros' farm at South End of Main Street Boulevard. Take South End car, transfer to Bellaire car, get off at end of Main Street, and go a few blocks west on Belaire Boulevard. Demonstration at 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. each day. Another classified ad by the Smith Machinery Co. has zero mentions of Bellaire. It is sticking with the location being South End of Main St. Tractor demonstration- December 6 and 7. Wallis Tractor will give demonstration plowing at Lee Bros.' farm, South end of Main St. Take South End Car and Transfer. Smith Machinery Co. Preston 3893.

I was browsing the newspaper The Houston Post dated April 9, 1911 and came across a social section of local events and happenings. One article caught my eye. Now, back in 1911 I don't think South Main (Boulevard) went very far. I'm pretty sure they meant Old Main Street Road. I actually don't know, just an educated guess. I guess "South Main Blvd" would have started on the outskirts of Downtown extending to the Rice campus. Anything past the Rice campus would have been OMSR. There's a map somewhere on HAIF that shows South Main Blvd. not going further than the Rice campus. The article: There was an unusual gathering last Thursday at Samuel L. Hain's farm on South Main street, where Florence Lillian, the 8-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A.W. Archer took dinner with her great grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Clay Hain and her grandfather Sam K. Hain. Those present were her great-grandfather, Henry Clay Hain, aged 82; great-grandmother, Mrs. M.C. Hain aged 77; Mrs. M.M. Archer, 83 years--

I was looking for information regarding the Greenwood Sanitarium located on South Main Street (actually on Old Main Street Road) and came across this small, unknown dairy farm called Duerig's Farm. It appears that the farm was owned and operated by William J. Duerig. I found all these newspaper articles and ads in The Houston Post dated 1913 - 1918. While the articles never mention South Main Street, or Old Main Street Road, I don't think South Main extended towards the Greenwood Sanitarium before the 1920s. "Main Street" would actually be Old Main Street Road. Tractor Demonstration Titan Tractors - Olive Plows This successful tractor will be demonstrated on the Duerig's Farm, out Main street, near Greenwood's Sanitarium, Sept. 5 and 6. Come and see the results of years of experience in tractor building. W. Roy Reid & Company 525-527 Preston Avenue - Houston, Texas. Titan Kerosene Tractor - A Grade Prize Winner - See It In Action - Free Demonstration. Thursday and Friday, September 5 and 6, at the Durig Dairy, near Greenwood Sanitarium on Main Street Road. It appears that the farm was owned and operated by William J. Duerig. Woman who taught first night school in Houston Twenty-Three years ago will herself graduate from night school. Third Row, Left to Right: I. Hergeron, F. Sheridan, Allen Murray, W.J. Duerig-- Those finishing in the bookkeeping department will be as follows: Mrs. Nora Whaley, Mrs. Bertha Young, Lawrence J. Bergerson, William J. Duerig-- It looks like William J. Duerig had a home at 1404 Crawford Street. Dallas Man Held Up. Made to Deliver by Highwaymen on Clay Avenue. Fralia is stopping at the home of W. J. Duerig at 1404 Crawford Street, while in the city.

I was browsing the newspaper The Texan dated July 27, 1983 and came across an article about the birth of the City of Bellaire. Bellaire's founder was W.W. Baldwin, Vice President of the Burlington Railroad. Who in 1902 came to "Houston by the Sea" to look around all the railroads of the south and southwest led to Houston and Baldwin soon realized he had found what he came for. His first venture was the Westmoreland addition, a residential section four blocks long and two blocks wide bounded by West Alabama, Louisiana, Hawthorne, and Garrott Streets in the Montrose Area. The development was so successful that he began to look around for more land and in 1909 bought the 9,700 acre Jim DeMoss Ranch which was located off the end of Old South Main. To help him sell the property he hired two good real estate brokers. A.J. Condit and A.A. Buxton. They advertised the land in tracts of from one to five acres and ten acres. At prices ranging from $275 to $600 per acre. The new community needed a name and since the land was fanned by the bel-air (fine air) off the Gulf of Mexico, the name of his hometown, Bellaire, Ohio was quiet appropriate. The original limits of the community were Palmetto, Jassamine, First, and Sixth Streets.

When Verna Lee Booker married Ted Hightower (date unknown), she began to train and ride more regularly. She devoted most of her time to and excelled at barrel racing. In 1949 the Hightowers purchased their first home which was located near the Diamond L Ranch, a rodeo arena on South Main in Houston. The arena, built by Black cowboy J. L. Sweeney, served as a venue where African-American cowboys and cowgirls came to compete. Verna Hightower gained early exposure and success in competitions at the Diamond L Ranch rodeos. She competed on the national level on the Black rodeo circuit in Okmulgee and Henrietta, Oklahoma, and Simonton and Pasadena, Texas, where she was very successful. Soon she became the “poster girl” for area rodeos.

Woah! I found one of the first rodeos of Houston! I was browsing the newspaper The Houston Informer dated February 23, 1924 and came across a business ad for Cattlemen's Rodeo at the End of South Main Street. This was before the Houston Fat Stock Show and Livestock Exposition in the 1930s. I believe. Bassett Blakely & Frank Y. Dew Present. Under Personal Direction Tom L. Burnett. The Most Thrilling, Sensational, and Grueling Contests o.f Cowboy Sports Ever Staged In Texas The Cattlemen's Rodeo. Special Arena Seating 10,000- End of South Main Street. You could buy the tickets at downtown's Rice Hotel. Cattlemen's Rodeo Headquarters - Second Floor Republic Building. Phone - Preston 3327. From what I read, Tom L. Burnett was a wealthy rodeo businessman. A Hollywood Star. The Houston Post dated February 25, 1924: Others I found during the same time period. Sakowitz Bros. ad.