Take A Walk Down South Main St.

[sevfiv]

here's another tidelands:

[sevfiv]

8200 South Main

Grant Motel

Extant

well, it is still there, but quite different (and notice the marquee...haha):

[sevfiv]

El Chico is gone and has been for years. Guess you can call it demolished because I'm about 99.9% sure that building is no longer in existence.

i think the site is now a shurgard storage facility...

[Subdude]

Bill Williams Restaurant

6515 South Main

Demolished

Ye Olde College Inn

6545 South Main

Demolished

Ship Ahoy

6638 South Main

Demolished

Cathay House Restaurant

6638 South Main

Demolished

Christies

6703 South Main

Demolished

Ding-How

6800 South Main

Demolished

Trader Vics

6900 South Main at the Shamrock

Demolished

Pier 21

Fannin near Holcombe

Demolished

Kopper Kettle Cafeteria

6910 Fannin

Demolished

Vallians

6935 South Main

Demolished

[Subdude]

Red Lion

7315 South Main

Demolished

El Chico

7707 South Main

Demolished

Kaphans

7900 South Main

Demolished

Victoria Station

7807 Kirby

Extant

Stuart's Club Grill

8001 South Main

Demolished

Gaidos

9200 South Main

Demolished

John's Restaurant/Poly-Asian

9350 South Main

Demolished

Look's Sir-Loin Inn

9810 South Main

Demolished

Elliot's Steak House

9901 South Main

Demolished

The Yacht

10200 South Main

Demolished

[Sharpstown Bill]

Man--I remember the Mitchell Inn..kinda resembled a Holiday Inn (somewhat smaller "Great Sign")..is it completely gone now?

[nm5k]

Man--I remember the Mitchell Inn..kinda resembled a Holiday Inn (somewhat smaller "Great Sign")..is it completely gone now?

Not sure...I drive past there all the time, but never really pay much

attention. I know at least one of the older motels is still there, but

can't remember which one it was. It's on the west side of the street

south of OST I think. I remember when I moved here there was

another motel right about at main and the loop. But danged if I

can remember the name of it offhand... It may well be torn down now,

but I never really paid that much attention. It was on the west side

of the street, a bit south of sonny looks. Like I say, I think it was

almost at the loop 610 corner, on the west side... I'll think of the

name one of these days... I stayed there a full week in 1969.

What is wild is to look at the surroundings in some of those pix.

Like open prairie.... The 10,000 block of main was nearly out in

the sticks in the old days. Once upon a time, there was an airport

on main between what is now hillcroft, and chimney rock. "Sam Houston".

That was really out in the sticks... There was also another main street

airport a bit closer to town, fairly close to where the loop is.

I don't remember that holiday inn...Must have been gone when we moved

here. That car in the pix looks like a 50's chevy.. maybe a 56...

I was going through pictures at one of the archive sites, and was looking

at all the pictures of the fancy houses that were once on main near the

downtown area. Lots, and lots of them... That street has changed a lot since

1900.

MK

[Subdude]

Last I checked the Mitchell Inn was still there. It is on the east side of Main, a little bit south of the loop. It has been remodeled - the usual stucco-ing - from what is in the picture here. Good catch on their copying the Holiday Inn "Great Sign". The Holiday Inn Motel further down the street I believe is still in existence as well.

[Sharpstown Bill]

Meyer Speedway used to be out there as well--near Hillcroft & S. Main..I don't know what year the bulldozer ate it. How about Navarro Courts?

[nm5k]

Meyer Speedway used to be out there as well--near Hillcroft & S. Main..I don't know what year the bulldozer ate it. How about Navarro Courts?

I'm not sure about Meyer speedway. I guess it was about the middle to late 70's

when they shut it down. Yep, was at the corner of Hillcroft/blue ridge and main.

Butler stadium is just to the east on the same side of the street. The old Sam

Houston airport entrance was across the street from Butler stadium. The old

main street airport was farther uptown just south of OST if I remember right.

Both of those airports are now covered by houses... I remember in the

latel 60's, 70's, you could hear the cars at the speedway every friday night,

even here at the house, which is near westbury square.

They even ran a nascar championship race at meyer I think about 1974 or

somewhere along there... I think Bobby Allison >sp?> won if I remember right.

MK

[nm5k]

I writ....

I remember in the

latel 60's, 70's, you could hear the cars at the speedway every friday night,

even here at the house, which is near westbury square.

Actually, thinking about it, I think it was every saturday night... Been so

long, I pert near fergot... But I think the noise on fri was usually the bands

marching at butler at football games. Sat was race car night... I myself

was in the westbury marching band, and played drums. So I added to

the racket on some of those fri nights in the 70's...

MK

[57Tbird]

10319 South Main

Holiday Inn Motel

Extant

I remember this motel from the mid-late 50's. It was just up South Main, on the east side, from the South Main Drive-in theater, which was on the west side. It came before, and was not related to the Holiday Inn chain we know today. It was a small, independently owned operation built in the 40's. I recall there was some type of settlement made between the Holiday Inn chain, as it grew, and this motel owner to change the name of his place. I think he ended up changing its name to the Holiday House.

----------------------------

10015 South Main

Mitchell Inn

Extant

On the same subject, I wonder whose sign came first... the Mitchell Inn or the Holiday Inn. They do look similar.

[Subdude]

On the same subject, I wonder whose sign came first... the Mitchell Inn or the Holiday Inn. They do look similar.

Probably the Holiday Inn "Great Sign". It was used since the early 1950s, but the Mitchell Inn looks like it was built in the early 1960s.

[Ashikaga]

6900 South Main

Shamrock Hilton Hotel. The most famous building in Houston.

Demolished

6900 South Main

Trader Vic's at the Shamrock. Excellent tiki!

Demolished

6935 South Main

Vallian's. Houston's original pizza place.

Demolished

7021 South Main

Sheriton Oaks Motel

Demolished

7315 South Main

Red Lion Restaurant

Demolished

7707 South Main

El Chico Restaurant

Status?

7900 South Main

Kaphan's Restaurant

Demolished

7905 South Main

Rodeway Inn

Extant

8000 South Main

Car'Lon Hotel Courths

Demolished

These are excellent photos. But it's difficult looking at pictures of restaurants when you're hungry. The Shamrock looks like it was quite an upscale, ritzy place in its day.

[Ashikaga]

8001 South Main

Stuart's Club Grill

Demolished

8011 South Main

Johnson's Magnolia Service Station (the address on the picture is incorrect).

Demolished

8200 South Main

Grant Motel

Extant

8300 South Main

Motor Inn Hotel

Demolished

8330 South Main

Surrey House Motor Hotel

Status?

8510 South Main

Gateway Crystal Swimming Pool (notice the rolling hills in the background )

Demolished

8700 South Main

Alamotel Court

Demolished

9000 South Main

Chief Motel

Demolished

9001 South Main

Crestwood Tourist Hotel

Demolished

9051 South Main

Buffalo Inn Hotel

Demolished

This photo topic comes in second right behind "Tour de Telephone."

[TheNiche]

These are excellent photos. But it's difficult looking at pictures of restaurants when you're hungry. The Shamrock looks like it was quite an upscale, ritzy place in its day.

Ashikaga, when you reply to a thread with a lot of photos, would you mind at all deleting them from your response? I'm glad you are so interested in bringing new life to old threads, but just kind of clutters things up.

Thanks.

[Ashikaga]

Ashikaga, when you reply to a thread with a lot of photos, would you mind at all deleting them from your response? I'm glad you are so interested in bringing new life to old threads, but just kind of clutters things up.

Thanks.

I don't see the new reply.

[MarthaG]

6935 South Main

Vallian's. Houston's original pizza place.

Demolished

I remember eating Pizza was at this restaurant. I was maybe 10 yrs old. I was staying at the Shamrock for a dance convention and specifically remember walking across the street to this restaurant (about 12 of us) to eat Pizza. Wow..what a memory trigger.

[Ashikaga]

I remember eating Pizza was at this restaurant. I was maybe 10 yrs old. I was staying at the Shamrock for a dance convention and specifically remember walking across the street to this restaurant (about 12 of us) to eat Pizza. Wow..what a memory trigger.

It's a shame that these kind of places get demolished.

[WestUNative]

I was sitting here trying to remember the name of the restaurant serving to this day, the best pizza I have ever eaten and in "Taking a Walk--" there it was. Valian's could not be beat. Enormous pizzas with crunchy thin crust and pitchers of beer at long tables in the back area.

The Shamrock was pure heaven. We loved the pool and the fine hamburgers at the grill (name?), but the best of the best was The Emerald Room. I saw Charlie McCarthy there as a child and a very young Conway Twitty, when he was not country, but vying to be the next Elvis. There were wonderful UofH Frat balls and other events. You always felt at the top of society just being in that place. One of our teenage challenges was to walk/run up the stairs to the top.

On the night of our High 9 Banquet - graduating from 9th grade at Pershing, a few of us headed to the Shamrock, dressed to the 9's. We slipped into an empty Emerald Room and had our own party. There was a piano in the front and one of the guys played it as we danced about, sang and laughed. An older black gentleman in waitstaff uniform busted us, but was so nice he said we could stay a bit, but had to keep the noise down.

Before it was torn down, I took my teenage daughter to spend the night and it was still ultra posh. The thickest, softest carpets ever experienced and I've been to plenty of mansions in River Oaks.

The pix are super, do you have any of Prince's and Stuart's Drive Ins?

[Subdude]

I was sitting here trying to remember the name of the restaurant serving to this day, the best pizza I have ever eaten and in "Taking a Walk--" there it was. Valian's could not be beat. Enormous pizzas with crunchy thin crust and pitchers of beer at long tables in the back area.

The Shamrock was pure heaven. We loved the pool and the fine hamburgers at the grill (name?), but the best of the best was The Emerald Room. I saw Charlie McCarthy there as a child and a very young Conway Twitty, when he was not country, but vying to be the next Elvis. There were wonderful UofH Frat balls and other events. You always felt at the top of society just being in that place. One of our teenage challenges was to walk/run up the stairs to the top.

On the night of our High 9 Banquet - graduating from 9th grade at Pershing, a few of us headed to the Shamrock, dressed to the 9's. We slipped into an empty Emerald Room and had our own party. There was a piano in the front and one of the guys played it as we danced about, sang and laughed. An older black gentleman in waitstaff uniform busted us, but was so nice he said we could stay a bit, but had to keep the noise down.

Before it was torn down, I took my teenage daughter to spend the night and it was still ultra posh. The thickest, softest carpets ever experienced and I've been to plenty of mansions in River Oaks.

The pix are super, do you have any of Prince's and Stuart's Drive Ins?

Here's Stuarts on South Main. Heights2Bastrop had some pictures of the Stuarts on North Main, but the link in the thread isn't working. Maybe he can repost?

I don't have any of Prince's.

Btw, do you remember the air conditioning being piped into your car at Stuarts?

[WestUNative]

Subdude,

Thank you so much. Now, if we could grab one of Prince's. That A/C into car rings a tinkling of a bell, but I do not know why, we always seemed to go inside at Stuart's for the gumbo, too messy for car, I guess. The specialties at Prince's were the Trout Basket and oh, those divine pre-frosted, heavy mugs of Root Beer.

Bill Williams was for the best Fried Chicken on the planet. Funny how we didn't have segregated food specialty fast food joints, but always ordered the same certain things depending on where we were. Allbritton's on Bissonnet had a fantastic Chicken Fried Steak, see what I mean?

In the 1960's, Safari was our favorite steak restaurant. Incredible ambiance and food. Sheer perfection. By the 1990's, my husband and I discovered Pappas Brothers Steakhouse on Westheimer and were in heaven. Now that place is worth the $100 or so you'll drop for a steak and potato.

One last mention of favorites categories; Cellar Door on Bellaire, near corner of Weslayan. Still, though long gone, the best overall BBQ I've ever experienced. The french fries spectacular, the baked potatoes beyond all others and Boston Cream Pie to absolutely die for.

Well, I lied, here is another I've not seen mentioned, the Normandie in downtown. A pastry cart worthy of Paris with Chocolate Eclairs I couldn't resist.

Crikey, I forgot the thread was Main Street and got off on waxing rhapsodic on food. Forgive me, these belong in defunct restaurants. Oh, well, hungry anyone?

[Subdude]

There are pictures of the Safari Restaurant and Normandie in other threads, and several of Bill Williams. The Safari Restaurant building is still standing, although you would hardly recognize it now.

[50_year_native]

Don't forget Gaido's at about Main/Murworth and Lee's Den at about Main/Kirby.

Ye Olde College Inn - Main/University

Youngblood's Fried Chicken - Main/University?

Christie's (Seafood) - on Main between University and Holcombe.

Sonny Look's Sirloin House moved from Westheimer/Fountainview area (near The Palm, today) to South Main just north of 610S sometime in the 60's/70's

Also, a long time ago, there was an amusement park with ponies (ala Playland Park) on South Main just across University from the Old Rice Stadium. Probably 30's/40's. It was the same rides that moved further south on Main to just north of Kirby and was there until 10-15 years ago (of course with newer ponies). Also, some of the rides in the newer location came from Wee Wild West on Westheimer about Sage which shut down about 1960-70.

I was told or read that Houston's FIRST airport was at the SW corner of Main and Kirby (near where Kaphan's used to be). Apparently, it was just a large relatively flat area of well-mown grass and I read that the first airplane to land in Houston around 1905-1910 landed there.

[Pumapayam]

I thought this was a new post, but it was just a tired old photo post coming back.

Damn.

Still nice none the less.

[PapillionWyngs]

Christies was my favorite. Can't go all the way down to Westheimer and pay nine prices for their shrimp. But it was the best back in the day.,

[WestUNative]

Those are really old pictures of Sylvan Beach Park! When we went to dances in the late 1950's-early 1960's, there was a big, round?, indoor ballroom with the first rotating, mirrored, "disco ball" on the ceiling I'd seen. The room was glassed all around I believe.

Yes, Sylvan became a favorite Senior Prom location, but in 1958, my best girlfriend was killed in a wreck on the Gulf Freeway coming home from her boyfriend's prom (we were Juniors at the time). Thereafter I believe at least Bellaire High School banned the spot as a prom place, at least for a while.

Subdude, thanks for the Ding How picture, I could not remember the name, but used to dine there often. I may have missed it, but there was a big, public ballroom way out Main, on the right, where my mother and step-father used to go with their friends. If you unearth that, name and/or pictures, would love to see it.

57Tbird, I remember the Indian sign at Bill Williams. Wasn't the dancing neon red? And there was some wording about Indian-style, meaning it was appropriate there to eat your chicken with your hands, instead of being expected to use knife and fork. Ah, the beginning of causual and the end of priggy requirements of etiquette.

[sevfiv]

[Willsatx]

Great pics Subdude, I sometimes wish some in San Antonio would do something like that about certain old places.

[JHC]

South Main drive-in, from drive-ins.com

I really enjoyed this photo. I remember seeing 'The Longest Day' at this Drive In as a kid back in the early 60's (and being eaten alive my the mosquitoes). I lived just north of the theater in the neighborhood of Westwood (not to be confused with what is currently known as Westwood, which I believe lies to the East of this area). I vaguely recall that the screenings were partially visible from our house on O'Meara Street in the evenings. This really brings back some memories. I live in California now, but I am trying to learn more about what became of my old neighborhood, which was East of Stella Link Rd. (just north of where Stella Link intersects South Main) and South of Shearn Elementary where I started school in 1959. Anyway, thank you. This is a wonderful old photograph.