Jump to content

Houston History Research Center At The Julia Ideson Building At 550 McKinney St.


wendyps

Recommended Posts

So, spurned on by the discussions, I went to the history room at the old library downtown on Friday and has SO MUCH FUN! There were books, and maps and picutres! I could/will spend hours in there! In under an hour I was able to find out when my house was built, and the name and occupation of one of the early (maybe first) owners.

That 1913 map was there, as well as maps from LOTS of years (that is how I was able to date my street, comparing a 1920 map to a 1921 map).

The books (what are they called) where you can look up a year, address and then it gives you the occupants name, and occupation were really great! There were also tons of picture books, but I didn't have time to look through them.

I reccomend that as a fun and wild Friday night! B)

p.s. I know I can't spell, I would LOVE a spell checker on here

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, I haven't gotten to spending my Friday nights there, but I'll admit to quite a few Saturdays. :D

What I'm wondering is would they let you copy or scan any of the maps and photos? What they could do if they let you scan photos is every time you scan one they copy it to a database and put them online somewhere - that would reduce handling of the originals...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What I'm wondering is would they let you copy or scan any of the maps and photos? What they could do if they let you scan photos is every time you scan one they copy it to a database and put them online somewhere - that would reduce handling of the originals...

I believe they let you copy the maps...I saw a board before leaving with prices. I'll let you know later as I do want to copy a couple of them.

That is a great idea about the scanning, but then, great ideas that make too much sense often get left alone :rolleyes:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They used to have a regular old copy machine in there.

i have photocopied some of the information out of the old city directories.

They also used to sell poster-sized copies of the old 1920-ish map that designated all the Wards and neighborhoods on it.

Unfortunately, i haven't made it there in about two years. (since my son was born :) )

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

While recently prowling/snooping about HPL's site I read a statement from them that went on to inform me that the Main unit would close April 3rd, 2K6 and reopen late 2K7 upon completion of a $14 mil retrofit{?}

ALL circulating books & film and would be available @ the Express unit downtown and 4 regional + all local branches throughout the city.

ALL reference, historical & special collections will not be available during that period & the main unit will not be open to the public during the retrofit.

This is sad news for me as I am in the process of selling my home and relocating to the pineywoods country of SHelbe Cnty. And upon completion of the move I was planning on spending 6 weeks {or more} doing extensive research on all aspects of the big H.

Will now have to wait until sometime late 2K7. Who sez poop don't happen?

Respectfully

Danny Mac

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 8 years later...
  • 3 months later...

I'll be going to Houston on Tuesday for an interview, and I'm thinking about going to downtown since it's not very far away from where my interview will be (for reference, less than 4 miles by road). My current plan is to grab lunch in the tunnels but also spend some time in the archives where old directories and what not are kept. Problem is, I don't know where this place is exactly or what times they are open, and I don't know where I can safely park my car and have a reasonable chance of something bad happening to it (towed, broken into, etc.)

 

The last time me and a colleague parked in Houston, it was a Saturday and we found a relatively empty parking garage but had to pay a few dollars in cash anyway. If it's a weekday, I imagine the price will be even higher.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Everything you need to know about parking in Downtown Houston:

 

http://downtownhouston.org/resource/parking/

 

(Friendly tip: Often on-street parking can be had without too much circling for much cheaper than a garage--and is free after 6p if you're ever headed to an Astros or Rockets game and don't mind walking a few blocks.)

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm surprised they don't have an online database for all the archives and what not. What exactly are you looking for, if you don't mind me asking?

Well, mostly to look for directories from before the age of the Internet and after sevfiv's archives. Headliners include the following:

1) What was Exclusive Furniture at 290 and Jones? It sure looks like it was a supermarket and was built in the early 1980s, but the Houston Chronicle archives (that I access with my library card I got mailed-in) don't have the answer. Sometimes Googling the address works, sometimes it does not. (HAIF did not help either)

2) Where were the Safeway/AppleTree stores, and what were their store numbers? There are at least 26 stores unaccounted for between the initial round of closings in 1992 and when the chain was split up in late 1993. Granted, some of these could be in Austin (one of them was a Waco location for sure), but there were at least a handful in Houston, including near Kieth Harrow and Highway 6 (near the K-Mart), and where Más Club was.

Those are at least the bigger questions I want answered. I'll probably discover something else cool there too. Hopefully I can share some cool stuff.

Edited by IronTiger
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Should be in the Julia Ideson building second floor, at the southwest corner of Smith and McKinney. That's the archive at any rate, or they may just be in the main building next door. It might be possible to find a metered parallel parking space around City Hall or Tranquility Park on the next block north. I would try circling around a little (70/30 chance in my experience), otherwise park in the garage underneath the library (enter from Lamar), it's not expensive and you are supporting the library. Parking over there is really a lot easier than people make it out to be. Ignore the advice to park all the way over near Toyota Center or GRB, I don't see any reason why you would do that.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

otherwise park in the garage underneath the library (enter from Lamar), it's not expensive and you are supporting the library.

 

I would guess that's not true. Even the library fines go directly to the general fund, and not to the library.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm back from my trip! I did visit the archives for a few hours, and did get a large part of what I wanted to know, except what "Exclusive Furniture" was. Maybe they built it later. In a few 1980s directories, the number wasn't even covered. Bummer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think we are all wanting to hear where you parked.

I parked in the garage, but getting to downtown was another issue. First, I had to drive down Commerce and was on the part where the railroad spur runs down the street (deep down, I was secretly hoping that there would be some activity, as that would at least make a neat shot), then got stuck, I think, at the Fannin intersection (and I hoped I wouldn't get ticketed by a cop for blocking the intersection, I know I heard a siren turn on), then had to make sure not to repeat that incident at Main (otherwise, it'd be the end of ol' IT). I ended up parking in the garage partially because it was raining, and I eventually found myself into the parking garage below ground (and almost had to go back out of the parking lot, because I turned into the loading dock). Then I missed the lobby, so I had to get out through this grimy staircase.

In the end I paid $4 for about an hour and a half, I think.

I circled around the block because I missed the garage entrance, and part of that was because the bike lane (with cool zebra-patterned curbs to prevent cars getting in the lane) caught my eye.

Edited by IronTiger
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 6 years later...

From the HMNS Wikipedia page https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houston_Museum_of_Natural_Science

 First housed in Houston's city auditorium, the collection was subsequently housed in the Central Library for seven years, and then at a site in the Houston Zoo in 1929.

The Julia Ideson building was the original city Central Library.

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Ross said:

From the HMNS Wikipedia page https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houston_Museum_of_Natural_Science

 First housed in Houston's city auditorium, the collection was subsequently housed in the Central Library for seven years, and then at a site in the Houston Zoo in 1929.

The Julia Ideson building was the original city Central Library.

and, to be clear, is still standing, in use, and looking better than ever.

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • The title was changed to Visiting The Library Archives
  • The title was changed to Houston History Research Center At The Julia Ideson Building At 550 McKinney St.

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...