Shamrock Hotel At 6900 South Main St.

[jetbeetle]

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)

[sevfiv]

Here are the Bob Bailey images hosted by UT:

http://www.cah.utexas.edu/db/dmr/dmr_resul...d&folder=10

and a couple postcards:

http://ephemera.arch-ive.org/paper/#shamrock

[jetbeetle]

Here are the Bob Bailey images hosted by UT:

http://www.cah.utexas.edu/db/dmr/dmr_resul...d&folder=10

and a couple postcards:

http://ephemera.arch-ive.org/paper/#shamrock

this is GREAT - Thank you so much

[Vertigo58]

This is perfectly fitting since today is St. Patricks Day!

I hope all of you can see this ABC 13 news clip/story of the once grand & beloved structure.

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/feature?sectio...snippet-6713488

[Subdude]

I went to the final Saint Patrick's day party there right before it closed. Unfortunately along the way I lost the silver commemorative cups. Needless to say a great and very sentimental evening.

[Vertigo58]

I went to the final Saint Patrick's day party there right before it closed. Unfortunately along the way I lost the silver commemorative cups. Needless to say a great and very sentimental evening.

Wow! How lucky, lucky, lucky you are (get it).

I remember the big hoopla & auctioning off of all items within. Can you recall the exact date or there abouts when all of this happened? It seems like ages ago. I remember them speaking of the china, silverware and showing up to the camera.

I only remember as teens headed to the McClendon Triple Theaters way further down would we pass this neat place up. We just took it for granted and never, ever dreamed it would vanish. Of course others here recall the Shamrock 6 Theaters across the street.

There is another very similar topic on The Shamrock on Haif, perhaps merge? May have been under historic hotels, well maybe not so this one can be solely dedicated to this icon.

[Subdude]

The Saint Patrick's party was in the Emerald Room.

There was also a nice little bar off the hotel lobby. We occasionally would stop in for a drink. I believe the bar still exists at some other location in Houston.

[aggieengineer]

It would be great to see a photo of the old Shamrock 8 theater as well. Not exactly a famous landmark, but a fond memory.

[Vertigo58]

It would be great to see a photo of the old Shamrock 8 theater as well. Not exactly a famous landmark, but a fond memory.

The Shamrock 6 is discussed in lengthy detail from and others here on Haif under "Houston's old now gone theaters" or some title like that?

I can think of 2 very memorable events at this theater. The newspaper had announced a movie premiere ala "Hollywood style" at this theater. The public was invited to see the really unknowns an actress named Claire Bloom I think? (help anyone) and I cannot remember the guys name and I cannot even remember the name of the film but her name stands out. Me & kid sis even got cheeselike autographs as they enter on a red carpet. The newspapers must have snapped pics bet it had to be circa 1976-77? There were many people on hand so we all pretended it was Hollywood, chuckle, chuckle.

I dont want to flip our topic but I do know my last remembered film I saw was St. Elmos Fire. Trivia the year?.....ok 1985. Closed & leveled shortly after.

[capt. kirk]

GLENN MCCARTHY AND SOME OF HIS OTHER OIL MEN FRIENDS CONTRIBUTED LOTS OF MONEY FOR THE SHAMROCK TO BE BUILT..........ITS ASHAME THAT MR. MCCARTHY HASNT BEEN REMEMBERED IN HOUSTON HISTORY

[capt. kirk]

GLENN MCCARTHY AND SOME OF HIS OTHER OIL MEN FRIENDS CONTRIBUTED LOTS OF MONEY FOR THE SHAMROCK TO BE BUILT..........ITS ASHAME THAT MR. MCCARTHY HASNT BEEN REMEMBERED IN HOUSTON HISTORY

READ CORDUROY ROW....THE LIFE AND TIMES OF GLEN MCCARTHY................HE WAS ONCE KNOWN AS THE BEST WILDCATTER IN THE OIL BUSINESS, ALL IN TEXAS

[morpheus]

My next door friend's dad was an oil man who had some kind of membership to the Shamrock pool, and we were there practically every week during the long hot summers of the mid 50's. It seemed like the biggest pool in the world, and sometimes we were the only ones there! I particularly remember those tall diving platforms-I only went as high as the second one.

Glenn McCarthy had a reputation as a hell raiser-he was the basis for the character of Jett Rink in the movie Giant, from the Edna Ferber novel.

It's a shame they tore it down. Developers have no sense of history.

[ttuchris]

I found this at the Hillstone/Houston's Restaurant (Kirby@Westpark). I thought it was neat. I wonder how many people notice it or even know the significance of the Shamrock. Anyways, I would sure like one of the bricks. Who knows what will happen to them if the restaurant remodels or closes.

[theoriginalkj]

I know somebody who's grandpa used to work at the Shamrock Hotel and owns one of their original guest room avocado green rotary telephones.... It's one of their prized possessions....

[Subdude]

I found this at the Hillstone/Houston's Restaurant (Kirby@Westpark). I thought it was neat. I wonder how many people notice it or even know the significance of the Shamrock. Anyways, I would sure like one of the bricks. Who knows what will happen to them if the restaurant remodels or closes.

Interesting find. I believe the bar from the Shamrock still exists somewhere. There was also a bar on Sandman that I think had some Shamrock connection.

[brucesw]

I think this is the place that's supposed to have the bar and some china and other stuff.

Just a few blocks from me but I've never been.

[mkultra25]

On 1/15/2012 at 8:41 AM, Subdude said:

There was also a bar on Sandman that I think had some Shamrock connection.

You're probably thinking of McElroy's, which has the furniture from the Rice Hotel's Old Capitol Club.

http://mcelroyspub.com/mcelroys/index8680.html?area=info&caid=8&page_id=125&thislevel=1

Edited March 7, 2021 by mkultra25
fixed broken URL

[Earlydays]

Must be a theme....The Hillstone/Houston's Restaurant in Atlanta has bricks from the old Fox MovieTheater.

[WillowBend56]

We swam at the Shamrock's pool in the late 50s. I don't think my parents had any kind of special membership or pass. I think they just paid an entrance fee.

Great pool! It seemed HUGE. It was HUGE. The diving boards were formidable to a kid like myself.

[Lloyd-TX]

Growing up in Houston I was in AWE of the Shamrock Hilton and all it's ammenities. Especially the pool and the restaurant . . . LOTS of great memories.

I recall being very upset when it was torn down . . .

[tomv]

This is a good article on the Shamrock from Houston History Magazine 

Sanders-Shamrock.pdf

[gargoyle_dreams]

Greetings !.

I'm usually just lurking around and  leaving the odd  reply but I was looking at google satellite's image of where the Shamrock was and when I went down to the street view I spotted this right across Pressler from the Texas A&M Institute of Biosciences & Technology bldg.

Please do go check 2151 W. Holcombe at google satellite (or wherever)  and tell me if that's a leftover from the Shamrock days....

 

FYI: I looked all around it, at street level, and there are marble tiles along the bottom of the exterior walls near the sidewalk !....

 

I don't know whether to be fascinated or a bit creeped out......

Was it supposed to be a combination parking garage AND office or retail space ?

If it is to be kept, I wish they would paint the brick the same color and touch up the lines along the top of the building....(.Looking dirty is part of that Creepy factor, to me.)

 

Old and possibly abandoned buildings and homes easily give me the heebie jeebies.

Like just Looking at the old Jeff Davis Hospital that sat abandoned with a chain link fence around it....AAaaaaaah.

 

I was born in Houston and lived there till I married in 1973 and moved to College Station,  where I still live...(Boy has THIS area changed since '73 !)

But I was always coming back down to visit my parents and/or brother.

 

I know Houston has a bad reputation for destroying landmarks...Foleys downtown, for example.....the Shamrock, of course....I see the Astrodome is still there...I thought that was scheduled for demolition, as well ?

 

I know there was a nice 2 story house (Georgian?) in Heights or Montrose that was the first home in Houston to be air conditioned, and in spite of groups and petitions trying to save it, the new owner still razed it....

 

Anyway, does anyone know anything about that (Shamrock?) garage being saved ?

Thanks to anyone with some info.

 

[IronTiger]

Yes, the parking garage is original. There's also a conference center at the foot of it, which was part of the original Shamrock, though according to Swamplot, the conference center (not the garage) will be razed soon.

[gargoyle_dreams]

Thanks for that link to CS Roads !

 

I remember when University Drive (going east) was, after the Hilton, a 2 lane road that ended at Hwy.6.

It was pasture after Hwy. 6....

[OkieEric]

The garage is still being used and will apparently undergo some renovation after the new DeBakey High School is built adjacent to it

[NenaE]

oh wow! I never knew that was still standing. Thanks for pointing that out. Too bad about the little center with the circle drive. It was a nce design detail. I like the glass panes and details on the side entrance and roof.

 

 

[gargoyle_dreams]

Glad to know the garage is going to get some renovation !

 

DeBakey High School...interesting !

 

Lots more about the Medical Center here, including about the new high school.

(I can't post a link)

Go to Swamplot.com and search:

 

"Still getting rid of the Shamrock

Debakey High School for Health Professions Will Move to slice of former Shamrock  Hotel site"

 

Edited October 19, 2014 by gargoyle_dreams

[Subdude]

Yes, the parking garage is original. There's also a conference center at the foot of it, which was part of the original Shamrock, though according to Swamplot, the conference center (not the garage) will be razed soon.

 

I think the conference center was once one of the hotel's ballrooms.

[Rex]

This is a link to video of the destruction of the Shamrock in 1987 and drving around the area.

 

Enjoy!

 

[Subdude]

Great video, although very sad.

 

Shamrock souvenir song sheet, St Patrick's Party, 1987:

[AWARD]

I've recently become obsessed with the Shamrock too, after reading Giant for the first time. 

Does anyone have any pictures of the interior?

 

[Highrise Tower]

This 1947 photograph of Holcombe & Main is pretty cool.  You can see the foundation for the Shamrock Hotel and parking garage. I wonder what the building is on the lower left. Looks like a dance hall? I also see a residential development closer to the point of the intersection A service station on the corner.

Is that Harris Gully?

[Earlydays]

While we lived in Houston, we had our annual wedding anniversary dinners at Trader Vic's at The Shamrock......

[kennyc05]

On 11/20/2022 at 4:49 PM, Highrise Tower said:

This 1947 photograph of Holcombe & Main is pretty cool.  You can see the foundation for the Shamrock Hotel and parking garage. I wonder what the building is on the lower left. Looks like a dance hall? I also see a residential development closer to the point of the intersection A service station on the corner.

Is that Harris Gully?

Damn I never knew this hotel was built with a garage.

[Highrise Tower]

Two aerial photographs that show the Shamrock Hotel under construction. wow!!

Possibly the End-Of-Main Dance Hall on the upper right?