Old Style Street Sign Stands Where Street No Longer Exists

[JLWM8609]

I was exiting I-10 EB at Washington Ave and happened to take a look to the right of the feeder road where Memorial Park begins. I saw one of those old concrete street sign posts standing in the middle of the grass. It said Washington Ave. on one side, and and North(something) on the other. Apparently, a street ran there before I-10 was constructed through the area in the 60's. I'm going to have to take a photo of it, but it looks weird standing there though no road runs through. Just another vestige of historic Houston lingering on amid progress.

[Original Timmy Chan's]

I haven't seen it myself, but someone recently told me there's also one at Reveille and the South Loop. One side says "Reveille" and the other says "Holmes Rd"...the South Loop was constructed on top of old Holmes Rd in that area.

[gnu]

I was exiting I-10 EB at Washington Ave and happened to take a look to the right of the feeder road where Memorial Park begins. I saw one of those old concrete street sign posts standing in the middle of the grass. It said Washington Ave. on one side, and and North(something) on the other. Apparently, a street ran there before I-10 was constructed through the area in the 60's. I'm going to have to take a photo of it, but it looks weird standing there though no road runs through. Just another vestige of historic Houston lingering on amid progress.

interesting...i glanced at a pre-I-10 map i have.

The only thing specifically shown right there with an North or N. on the map is:

NORTH ENTRANCE DR. (the entrance to memorial park) currently called E. Memorial Loop Drive.

Maybe they abbreviated the word Entrance, so you didn't recognize it?

Continuing on...just to see what streets were eliminated with construction:

My map shows a street named Kirkley in the I-10 alignment right there. On the east side of the RR tracks it would have been Long and Kolb in the alignment.

Looks also like there was also a short N-S street called Attar.

It ran due north from Washington@Hamman (straight through the IHOP) to the RR (intersecting with Allen St. which ran parallel with the tracks past where it ends now at Stillman).

[gonzo1976]

I find it interesting that there used to be numbered streets just north of where the downtown post office is today (Second through 10th streets). I guess what surprised me was that they don't exist anymore.

[tmariar]

I find it interesting that there used to be numbered streets just north of where the downtown post office is today (Second through 10th streets). I guess what surprised me was that they don't exist anymore.

And they weren't insignificant streets, either. I think the Adolphus Busch-founded American Brewery Association brewery covered an entire city block at Railroad and Second (2nd?).

The street changes in that part of the city have always interested me. There are still some nubs left of some streets that used to be much longer. And some name changes, too. The only one I can remember off the top of my head is a little to the west, in the 6th ward - Oak St. became Goliad St. at some point. Over where Frostown used to be, there is still a street sign for Frostown's Race St., even though what it marks is more like a path than a street.

[Subdude]

There were also streets all through the area that became Allen Parkway Village

[isuredid]

I was exiting I-10 EB at Washington Ave and happened to take a look to the right of the feeder road where Memorial Park begins. I saw one of those old concrete street sign posts standing in the middle of the grass. It said Washington Ave. on one side, and and North(something) on the other. Apparently, a street ran there before I-10 was constructed through the area in the 60's. I'm going to have to take a photo of it, but it looks weird standing there though no road runs through. Just another vestige of historic Houston lingering on amid progress.

The only street that would begin with North in that general area I believe would be North Post Oak

[EatSleepMOD]

Great topic! I love this stuff. My friends moved over near Rice Military (West End) and bought one of those

mcmansions and there are still old concerete street markers over there. The construction crews don't usually have much

care and concern about them though. I hope the city can find it in their heart (budget) to maintain and protect more of our heritage.

[isuredid]

Here is the answer. This may be a topic killer unless we expand to all old street signs...I also like the tile curb street signs. Apparently the North Entrance to Memerial Park used to be here:

[gnu]

interesting...i glanced at a pre-I-10 map i have.

The only thing specifically shown right there with an North or N. on the map is:

NORTH ENTRANCE DR. (the entrance to memorial park) currently called E. Memorial Loop Drive.

Maybe they abbreviated the word Entrance, so you didn't recognize it?

Here is the answer. This may be a topic killer unless we expand to all old street signs...I also like the tile curb street signs. Apparently the North Entrance to Memerial Park used to be here:

Cool! Where do I go pick up my prize?

[EatSleepMOD]

GRRRREAT PIC!

[sevfiv]

ooh time to round up some pictures - i can only find a couple laying around for now:

this one is next to the old Alamo Plaza Motor Hotel, but i posted it somewhere else on HAIF and don't think anyone knew why it was situated like this:

this one is just east of downtown:

[northbeaumont]

I haven't seen it myself, but someone recently told me there's also one at Reveille and the South Loop. One side says "Reveille" and the other says "Holmes Rd"...the South Loop was constructed on top of old Holmes Rd in that area.

That sounds like the vicinity where Peppermint Park and the Carousel Motel was.

ooh time to round up some pictures - i can only find a couple laying around for now:

this one is next to the old Alamo Plaza Motor Hotel, but i posted it somewhere else on HAIF and don't think anyone knew why it was situated like this:

this one is just east of downtown:

I'm surprised that nobody has run into that post head on.

[isuredid]

[gonzo1976]

Yeah. Every so often a few of these will be painted up.

Edited June 27, 2007 by gonzo1976

[gnu]

even back then, they couldn't agree on spelling

is it bellmeade or bellemeade???

[JustinBryan]

Speaking of Streets and Naming, anyone know why numbered streets 1-40something are northside going east-west and then 50something - 99th st are on the east side going north south???

Also has anyone noticed in the last 10 yrs the postal service (I guess) or the city has renamed all streets to "street" unless it was a major street. Since Gail Borden designed the streets of Houston in the mid 1800's most streets in Houston going east-west were AVENUE (exp: Capitol Ave, Texas Avenue, Polk Ave, Dallas Ave, Gray Ave) and north south streets were STREET (exp: Main St, Fannin St, Smith St) of course there were exceptions Like Harrisburg Blvd, Westhiemer Rd, Wayside Dr.... but now all the Ave's are Street, I grew up on Capitol Ave and now its Capitol St, I notice Dallas is now ST and so are most others, a few other were just to popular to change I guess, like Richmond Ave, Washington Ave....??? When I was editor of the Houston Community College Systems newspaper I was going to write I story about this but i never could get an answer.

[JLWM8609]

When did the city start switching to the current white lettering on green street signs from the old concrete posts and blue and white tile curb signs?

[Guest Marty]

I remember the concrete post in the subdivision i grew up in called Oakwilde 2 which was surveyed and platted in 1958

[sevfiv]

Speaking of Streets and Naming, anyone know why numbered streets 1-40something are northside going east-west and then 50something - 99th st are on the east side going north south???

Also has anyone noticed in the last 10 yrs the postal service (I guess) or the city has renamed all streets to "street" unless it was a major street. Since Gail Borden designed the streets of Houston in the mid 1800's most streets in Houston going east-west were AVENUE (exp: Capitol Ave, Texas Avenue, Polk Ave, Dallas Ave, Gray Ave) and north south streets were STREET (exp: Main St, Fannin St, Smith St) of course there were exceptions Like Harrisburg Blvd, Westhiemer Rd, Wayside Dr.... but now all the Ave's are Street, I grew up on Capitol Ave and now its Capitol St, I notice Dallas is now ST and so are most others, a few other were just to popular to change I guess, like Richmond Ave, Washington Ave....??? When I was editor of the Houston Community College Systems newspaper I was going to write I story about this but i never could get an answer.

there's a book available at Brazos called Historic Houston Streets: the Stories Behind the Names (by Marks Hinton)...not sure if it explains street/avenue and changes, but it's the closest thing i can think of

[Vertigo58]

Still boggles my mind to think of when we kids used to actually stand on top of those concrete poles/signs. One foot on top of the other! It would last for seconds then you had to jump off. Ouch!

Sitting was quite scary and quite painful as well. When you have a crowd you do silly stuff I guess.

[Kirzania]

No way... That red building there in the foreground was listed on HAR for about 8 months. I seriously considered it after finding out it used to be an old fire station. I hope someone restores it and doesn't just tear it to the ground. It's a great looking building.

[NenaE]

The suburban nabe I grew up in (Oak Meadows) had those concrete posts, most houses were built in the early/mid 1950's. It was a hood mainly for the working class (chemical workers) & their families. No "fancy blue tile work" street signs for us.

[Vertigo58]

I wish these mosaic tile street name thingies were still being used today. They actually do serve a good purpose. Frustrating to see where bad drivers or accidents have broken off pieces as in this photo. Over on Dumble street in Near East End you can see where workers have just recently "excavated" 1400 Munger and Dumble due to present addition of sidewalks. (Took over 50 plus years for city to do).

The old street concrete street label signs can still be found in most of older East End. Most just laying on the ground. Santo cielo!

[sevfiv]

Another concrete post, another street name issue (apologies if this has been discussed somewhere already).

Westmoreland v. W Moreland - was this just a space issue? (it seems three extra letters could have fit...):

[HoustonianInColorado]

I think I may have posted this one a while back. It is on the street I lived on when I was a kid. It is in Sharpstown, and still standing.

Edited July 24, 2008 by HoustonianInColorado

[Cemeterywolf]

This one was were Frosttown used to be located. The picture was taken 2001. It may be gone now. New freeway overpass was built there. Bramble at Raines.

[robhan]

There is one at the corner of Louisiana and West Gray hidden by a shrub and behind a fence.

[CHiPs]

Another concrete post, another street name issue (apologies if this has been discussed somewhere already).

Westmoreland v. W Moreland - was this just a space issue? (it seems three extra letters could have fit...):

I have one on my street and have the urge to fill in the letters....or do I need permission from the city?...hmmm...

[20thStDad]

No cool concrete post, but in River Oaks there is at least one sign that says Timberlane (one word), others that say Timber Ln. One is wrong. Google maps says Timber Ln. Neat.

[sevfiv]

This one was were Frosttown used to be located. The picture was taken 2001. It may be gone now. New freeway overpass was built there. Bramble at Raines.

Thanks for posting that - I made up an overlay map of Frostown on what's there currently.

I took a walk over to McKee/Bute Park over the weekend, but of course there is nothing left - not even the Race St. sign.

The maps were a little hard to reconcile since many of the old Frostown streets changed names several times (Bramble was Vine St., McKee was Gable/Gabel, Canal ran through as Maple/German...and so on), and streets have been realigned (Runnells now meets up to McKee where Race just about did, but it used to be about two block north of Ruiz St.).

[sevfiv]

I find it interesting that there used to be numbered streets just north of where the downtown post office is today (Second through 10th streets). I guess what surprised me was that they don't exist anymore.

Some of them are still there behind UH downtown (not to scale, but same intersections are marked):

[Rammer]

Some of them are still there behind UH downtown (not to scale, but same intersections are marked):

Second & Girard was the location of the original Sharp-Hughes Tool Company.

There is a three piece drill bit artwork sculpture on the grounds of UHD.

There is also a 2nd street/Girard street sign near a parking lot.

[vstroud]

I found this in the heights.

[NenaE]

I was exiting I-10 EB at Washington Ave and happened to take a look to the right of the feeder road where Memorial Park begins. I saw one of those old concrete street sign posts standing in the middle of the grass. It said Washington Ave. on one side, and and North(something) on the other. Apparently, a street ran there before I-10 was constructed through the area in the 60's. I'm going to have to take a photo of it, but it looks weird standing there though no road runs through. Just another vestige of historic Houston lingering on amid progress.

Hey, JLWM8609, I recently saw that sign post you were talking about...it's very eerie to see it just sitting there in the middle of that little patch of grass.

links to maps, (Houstorian, tmatiar list), shows entrance roads to Memorial Park

http://www.tsl.state...ges/map5164.jpg

http://www.lib.utexa...eights-1955.jpg

see north of St. Theresa school on this one.

The concrete sign post did have North Entrance on one side of it, as gnu commented on, from map reference.

Edited November 19, 2009 by NenaE

[JLWM8609]

Hey, JLWM8609, I recently saw that sign post you were talking about...it's very eerie to see it just sitting there in the middle of that little patch of grass.

Yep, eerie yet cool. I like seeing those old relics from a time gone by still standing. Some that have been pictured are still doing their job as the street names have not changed. Others such as the one we're talking about are just silent reminders of what used to be. When I pass by, I try to imagine how the area looked prior to I-10's construction.

Edited November 20, 2009 by JLWM8609

[EMME]

When did the city start switching to the current white lettering on green street signs from the old concrete posts and blue and white tile curb signs?

In between the "old concrete posts and blue and white tile curb signs" there were smaller black background with white lettering street signs similar to the green ones.

[NenaE]

In between the "old concrete posts and blue and white tile curb signs" there were smaller black background with white lettering street signs similar to the green ones.

And, don't forget the "black and white" tile street curb signs (not as common as the blue and white ones). I believe I saw those in Riverside.

[JLWM8609]

I found an old style street sign out in Fort Bend County near the Brazoria County Line the other day. It's the first time I've seen that style of street sign outside of the Houston City Limits. It's at the corner of E. Dallas and Laurel in Fresno. Here's a link to it in Google Streetview. Streetview doesn't do it justice as it just makes it look like an unmarked hunk of concrete.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Houston,+TX&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=30.544155,86.044922&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Houston,+Harris,+Texas&ll=29.53985,-95.438688&spn=0.002063,0.005252&z=18&layer=c&cbll=29.539845,-95.438795&panoid=m0HKcjkgKsa9zrnjuKOFzA&cbp=12,355.51,,1,18.14

Edited February 8, 2010 by JLWM8609

[Ross]

After looking at the maps, I am starting to wonder just how many parts of town have numbered streets. The Heights does, UHD area does, East part of town does. How many others? One of the bus transit centers is on a numebred street, I think off of Westpark, but am not sure.

[sevfiv]

N/S streets in Bellaire were numbered and lettered intermittently (larger streets lettered). E/W streets are mostly trees even though S Post Oak was already running N/S. From older maps this is an east to west listing (and some are conflicting):

Ave. A - now Newcastle

Ave. B

S Post Oak - now Loops 610

1st

2nd

3rd

S Rice

5th

6th - now Ferris

7th (partially there)

Ave D. - now Chimney Rock

9th - now Alder

Ave. E and/or 10th - now Atwell and/or Renwick (Atwell was probably 10th and Renwick was probably Ave. E or 11th)

12th - now Rampart

Ave. F - now Hillcroft

and in to Sharpstown:

Ave J./Riceville - now Gessner

16th - now Brae Acres

[sevfiv]

Also, there are more old South Park Blvd. tiled curb markers than I thought still around though a lot are damaged/in bad condition:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=sll%3D29.539845,-95.438796&sspn=0.003528,0.004823&g=Houston,+Harris,+Texas&ie=UTF8&t=h&layer=c&cbll=29.707089,-95.335396&panoid=il5MpB0wV9wNyYoOJBL6MQ&cbp=12,215.21,,0,3.4&ll=29.707018,-95.335354&spn=0,359.990355&z=17

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&sll=29.539845,-95.438796&sspn=0.003528,0.004823&g=Houston,+Harris,+Texas&ie=UTF8&t=h&layer=c&cbll=29.694219,-95.338141&panoid=cGMXEoA9AKvF9ls34B2R1Q&cbp=12,147.31,,0,21.92&ll=29.694074,-95.338197&spn=0,359.990355&z=17

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&sll=29.539845,-95.438796&sspn=0.003528,0.004823&g=Houston,+Harris,+Texas&ie=UTF8&t=h&layer=c&cbll=29.651741,-95.336531&panoid=-YLtCRb3toURIMShbfsK0Q&cbp=12,279.35,,0,35.63&ll=29.651827,-95.336523&spn=0,359.990355&z=17

[ttuchris]

I have always wanted to know the history of these different styles of street signs. I don't recall ever seeing the concrete posts or tiled curbs in other cities. I think they are both easier to read than the current green vinyl/metal signs.

The corners of Willowick @ Piping Rock and Willowick @ Meadowick just outside River Oaks have all three styles on the same corner (tiles, concrete post, green vinyl/metal).

Please let me know if anyone has any info on the time periods that each sign was used.

Edited February 8, 2010 by ttuchris

[mkultra25]

Not nearly as "old style" as the concrete ones, but I just noticed this past weekend that the metal street sign for Preston where it intersects Washington (near the HPD property room) was gone, replaced by a shiny new one. The old one had to date back to the 60s, sporting faded all-caps lettering and a healthy coat of rust. Yet another data point in the ongoing gentrification of Washington?

[fatesdisastr]

Found this cross street sign the other day when walking from the Founder's Cemetery to Allen Parkway

[NenaE]

I found another lost street name on a sign post off of Washington Ave., sitting at Barnes St. and S. Heights Blvd. Looks like S. Heights replaced Irving on the south side of Washington Ave.

Those signs are handy for researching old road names.

Actually, it was the house at 3705 Barnes that caught my eye, as I was sitting at the stop light at Washington. That ornate little attic window tells me it's a very old house. HCAD says 1910. It's just sitting there hidden in the trees, surrounded by businesses and busy roads.

I just noticed the street sign while getting the address.

The short street is listed on the 1st map, above post # 35.

That area ia so interesting.

[Ross]

Looks like Irvine St and a few lots went to the City in 1955, according to the block book map http://books.tax.hctx.net/v030/AE1997_30_0148.jpg

[Eric Maier]

 

 

Tim shared this thread on a Next Door post, and though I'd share some information on a project that Documented all of the original Blue Tile Addresses around Houston  - The Blue Tile Project  http://www.bluetileproject.com/map  

 

I've worked with the Blue Tile Project to help restore a couple of the addresses demolished in the heights to make room for ADA sidewalk ramps  - Norhill and Bayland corner. The map is a great resource to document the Blue Tile addresses - there's an app for Iphone and Android where individuals can take pictures of them and add them to the database! 

 

 

[griz]

Here's another curious spelling.  Melwood or Mellwood?

 

 

Also, this post was hit and knocked over a few weeks ago.  Within the past week the damage post has been removed.  Not replaced or repaired, just removed.

 

[goavs4]

I found this thread after searching here when some in the Rice Military area were asking about the history of these concrete posts.  Thought I would post what I found recently online about them here on how they originated..

 

This is from the Houston Public Library Digital Archives.   It’s an excerpt of a speech by Houston Mayor Oscar Holcombe delivered on November 2^nd 1940:

 

http://digital.houstonlibrary.net/oral-history/oscar-holcombe_OH388.php

 

“Houston has needed badly a complete marking of our streets. I am happy to announce that the Washington government has finally approved my plan for installing within the next few weeks five thousand concrete markers for our streets. These marks will be placed on the block corners. They are built of concrete, four feet high and are durable. They will have stamped on them in large letters, easily visible for at least three hundred feet, the names of the streets and the block numbers.”

 

So it sounds like they were actually installed just prior to WWII in late 1940/early 1941 via funds the Houston mayor requested from the federal government.