Charles Milby Park At 2001 Central St.

[sir_foulto]

Doe anyone have any recollections of what Milby Park use to be like? My Dad often reminisces about it, telling stories of how he and his brothers use to go down to Sims Bayou bordering the southern end of the park and--believe it or not--shoot their BB guns at an alligator that lived in the Bayou. He said the refineries took care of all of that. He says it was quite a park.

[Heights2Bastrop]

The only thing I know about the place is that once upon a time, Milby Park did not have air quality issues!

[Ashikaga]

Doe anyone have any recollections of what Milby Park use to be like?  My Dad often reminisces about it, telling stories of  how he and his brothers use to go down to Sims Bayou bordering the southern end of the park and--believe it or not--shoot their BB guns at an alligator that lived in the Bayou.  He said the refineries took care of all of that.  He says it was quite a park.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I lived on #8 West Court Drive from 1962-64. Sims Bayou was at the end of our street. I remember my parents and I walking down there and standing next to the water. (The house that we lived in was on the corner of West Court Drive and Galveston Road, just down from where Park Place Boulevard dead ends into the latter.) No, I don't remember Milby Park. Someone on this forum told me that if we had stayed in that house that I probably would have attended Milby High School.

Chet Cuccia

[gonzo1976]

Milby Park gained some notoriety in 1953 when a woman walking to church was gang raped at the park.

Seventeen-year-old Rudy Ramos Esquivel was put on trial for the crime, which was a capital offense at the time. The case ended in a hung jury. A retrial resulted in a 99-year prison sentence.

The trial was big news back in the day. Teen rapist, churchgoing woman. It made big headlines in Houston.

I can't remember where I read it, but I think the woman ended up in an institution. As for little Rudy Esquivel? He was paroled --- only to end up back on Death Row for the 1978 murder of an undercover HPD officer. He was executed in 1986.

[sevfiv]

unfortunately, sims bayou in milby is usually trashed

[Vertigo58]

Doe anyone have any recollections of what Milby Park use to be like? My Dad often reminisces about it, telling stories of how he and his brothers use to go down to Sims Bayou bordering the southern end of the park and--believe it or not--shoot their BB guns at an alligator that lived in the Bayou. He said the refineries took care of all of that. He says it was quite a park.

I haven't been around there in over 20 years but vaguely recall only going there to practice baseball when I was in a little leaugue team (East End Little League). As time passed the area again (sorry everyone but its true) got worse. By the late 70's we used to go rarely with all of my other hippies (Dazed & Confused crowd) to party there. There were always other partiers there so it was just a place to get wild. By the 80's-90's the lowrider gangs came in then, you get the picture. I recall being near a Dr Pepper company building. The only time I hear about it now is in the late night news, dope deals, murders, fishing bodies out of that water, etc. Reality people no sugarcoating. Life in the big city, ok.

[GEM]

Any existing photos of the Milby Park music scene from:1968- 1971?

[SpaceGhost]

I was able to find these:
Space City News Front Page

A band called Josefus that has a few pics from performances at Milby Park

"I also have fond memories of spending many Sundays at Milby Park where local groups would line up to play. It was like a mini Woodstock every performance. If you remember any more that I'm forgetting, please let me know."

 

That's all I could find with some light Googling. I'm sure there's more online to be found though.

[GEM]

To SpaceGhost:Thanks for the pics.Boone's Farm Strawberry Hill for everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jones]

On 6/11/2005 at 3:04 PM, sir_foulto said:

Doe anyone have any recollections of what Milby Park use to be like? My Dad often reminisces about it, telling stories of how he and his brothers use to go down to Sims Bayou bordering the southern end of the park and--believe it or not--shoot their BB guns at an alligator that lived in the Bayou. He said the refineries took care of all of that. He says it was quite a park.

Heck yeah, I remember Milby Park. In the early 70’s they had free rock concerts every Sunday. It was a hippie’s haven back in the day.