Old Main Street Road In The TMC

[Subdude]

Can someone who was around back in the 1960s answer this?

Old Main Street Road, aka Main Street Loop Road, aka Old Richmond Road, was a street that went from Main and Holcombe, east of present day Reliant Park, and then southwest to connect to South Main. There is still a remnant between Main and Fannin. The section from Fannin to Greenbriar was renamed Fannin when Fannin was extended to the South Loop. From Greenbriar to Kirby became the Astrodome parking lot. From Kirby on it seems to have either been developed over or just abandoned. If you look on satellite photos you can see where the street ran, but it isn't on maps.

I've just been curious about how such a long street could have just vanished. Were there no houses or businesses on it?

On this map it is listed as Old Richmond Road.

1935 Map

[native_Houstonian]

Great map, Subdude. Thanks for posting.

[sevfiv]

that is a little odd...and definitely before my time

is the remnant you're referring to between travis and main? or is there another spot, too?

(map with old main)

i drive by that little one block stretch frequently, and have wondered about it...

[Heights2Bastrop]

Old Main became Knight Road south of OST.

[Subdude]

Cool map. I'm not talking about Knight though. Is the street on the map that runs diagonally southwest from just south of OST.

is the remnant you're referring to between travis and main? or is there another spot, too?

(map with old main)

i drive by that little one block stretch frequently, and have wondered about it...

I didn't know there was a stretch between Main and Travis, but that would be the same street. You can see it between Main and Fannin directly north of the drive-in bank. There used to be a street sign there for it.

Here is a link to a satellite photo. Photo.

When you zoom in, you can see that almost all of it from the Loop to Main is overgrown with trees. It just seems strange that a road would be abandoned that way.

[57Tbird]

Can someone who was around back in the 1960s answer this?

Old Main Street Road, aka Main Street Loop Road, aka Old Richmond Road, was a street that went from Main and Holcombe, east of present day Reliant Park, and then southwest to connect to South Main. There is still a remnant between Main and Fannin. The section from Fannin to Greenbriar was renamed Fannin when Fannin was extended to the South Loop. From Greenbriar to Kirby became the Astrodome parking lot. From Kirby on it seems to have either been developed over or just abandoned. If you look on satellite photos you can see where the street ran, but it isn't on maps.

I've just been curious about how such a long street could have just vanished. Were there no houses or businesses on it?

On this map it is listed as Old Richmond Road.

1935 Map

I was around back in the 60's... and (gulp) even the 50's, when I was old enough to be running around in my car. In the 50's, Old Main St Road started at Holcombe where Fannin ended. It continued on out to OST where it became Knight Road. On a previous thread somewhere, I mentioned that, in the 50's, George Dentler's Pier 21 Restaurant was located just south of Braes Bayou at 7001 Old Main Street Road. On the 1935 map that Subdude referenced, Old Richmond Road started just south of OST and went southwest from where Old M.S.R. was at that time before it became Knight Rd. That road (Old Richmond Road) appears on a 1952 Houston map as Old Main Street Loop. On a 1955 map, there is no road depicted, but the Houston city limits are shown where the road was on earlier maps. On a 1961 map, there is nothing in that area as the city limits were shown further south and west to Ft Bend County. A 1962 map has Old Main Street Road back on again where it was previously... going from Knight Road to South Main about where Stella Link intersects. On a 1965 map, it is gone... never to appear again. The only thing I remember about any kind of a road in that area was a gun club (trap and skeet shooting) where I went occasionally with a friend. It was just north and east of the South Main-Stella Link intersection, so it may have been on that road. I don't remember any construction in that area at the time... only vacant fields.

[Heights2Bastrop]

Subdude, if I understand you, you are talking about Old Main Street Loop which, according to a 2003 Key Mqp, begins at the S Loop, crosses Buffalo Speedway and then W Belfort and merges with S Main just after it crosses Willowbend.

If you were to extend that street to the northeast, it would run right through the center of Reliant Stadium as well as Reliant Center.

The map I used was from the TexasFreeway.com Web site. Below if the link for the site.

TexasFreeway.Com

[57Tbird]

Subdude, if I understand you, you are talking about Old Main Street Loop which, according to a 2003 Key Mqp, begins at the S Loop, crosses Buffalo Speedway and then W Belfort and merges with S Main just after it crosses Willowbend.

If you were to extend that street to the northeast, it would run right through the center of Reliant Stadium as well as Reliant Center.

You're right, Heights. I just looked at an old key map I have from around 1990, and it still shows a portion of Old Main Street Loop Rd. starting at Buffalo Speedway, just north of West Bellfort and going the same route southwest as on previous maps. There is no Reliant Stadium on mine, but it would go right through the Astrodome on my map if continued on its old path to Knight Road.

Google Maps does show a small stretch of Old Main St Loop Rd in the Main and Willowbend area east of Main.

Edited June 21, 2006 by 57Tbird

[torvald]

the 1935 map lists a great name for a band --- "modern appliances" (um, copyright torvald 2006)

[gnu]

I don't think this helps you but...have you ever seen Marty Blaise's Houston Roads webpage.

He has a few "current" pictures of old main st. He also has a few other interesting tidbits for roadgeeks like myself.

http://www.geocities.com/BourbonStreet/8610/oldmain.html

[Heights2Bastrop]

Subdude, you asked why Main Street Loop Road could be abandoned. I think I understand now why that was.

If you look closely at that 1935 map, you will see that OST to Main is under construction at that time. If you look at this 1921 map at the extreme lower right, you will see that Main Street basically ends where it turns west to become Bellaire (now Holcomb).

Now, if you remove OST and Main south of Bellaire from the 1935 map, you can see that to go to Richmond, you would go out Main, make the jog to Old Main, and at the fork in the road, you would go left to Almeda and to Freeport, or take the right fork to Richmond.

After OST was completed and Main extended, Main Street Loop Road was no longer needed as a thoroughfare. If there were businesses along that stretch, they would have most likely moved to the new, more traveled streets.

[sevfiv]

the 1935 map lists a great name for a band --- "modern appliances" (um, copyright torvald 2006)

ooh! i like it!

not to stray even more off topic...but

reminds me of this book i have (how to repair small appliances, circa 1961):

album cover? yes?

[nm5k]

ooh! i like it!

not to stray even more off topic...but

reminds me of this book i have (how to repair small appliances, circa 1961):

album cover? yes?

There is still one section of old main that is still pretty well used.

It runs from appx craighead?, to nearly main street, but I'd have

to check a map to see how it hooks up. This is the section of old

main that the old Jake Freedman "Domain Privie" gambling house

used to be. He was Caroline Farbs grandfather BTW...

It's torn down now, and all that land is fenced field now.

There are still a few people living around that area, and the pro-

mark drumstick company is about at that location. I remember

in the 70's, there was also a regular house on the same side

of old main as the gambling joint, but farther east, closer to

main. But it's gone now... I drove by there a few months ago.

So...Whoever bought all that land, must have probably bought

out the whole block and fenced it up.. That land is probably worth

buckoo bucks.. I wanted to metal detect at the old gambling site,

but it's all totally fenced, and the land has been bulldozed over

I think. Makes me wonder if the old swimming pool at that joint is

still under the ground... :/

Band names... I came up with one a while back while I was chatting

about the common use of "superglue" to mend and seal cuts in the

fingers of geetar players.. As an example SRV was an avid superglue

user when he got cuts in his fingers... I thought... Hummmm..

Sounds like Finger Bondo... They said.... Hummmm... Good name for

a band. I can see the marquee now... Modern Appliances, featuring

guest star, Finger Bondo... :/

MK

[sevfiv]

pro-mark!

http://www.promark-stix.com/

Pro-Mark Drumsticks

[wendyps]

If I'm reading the map right...isn't State Highway 19 also defunct?

[Subdude]

Subdude, you asked why Main Street Loop Road could be abandoned. I think I understand now why that was.

If you look closely at that 1935 map, you will see that OST to Main is under construction at that time. If you look at this 1921 map at the extreme lower right, you will see that Main Street basically ends where it turns west to become Bellaire (now Holcomb).

Now, if you remove OST and Main south of Bellaire from the 1935 map, you can see that to go to Richmond, you would go out Main, make the jog to Old Main, and at the fork in the road, you would go left to Almeda and to Freeport, or take the right fork to Richmond.

After OST was completed and Main extended, Main Street Loop Road was no longer needed as a thoroughfare. If there were businesses along that stretch, they would have most likely moved to the new, more traveled streets.

Thanks! I came to the same conclusion after pulling out another map from the 1930s I had at home. It showed Main St. dead-ending at Braes Bayou, and OST not yet built except for a very short section. So it looks like South Main was extended, and OST built, in the late 1930s. Before that Old Main St would have been the main route into Houston from the southwest, but after South Main was extended it makes sense that it would have died out, since it was just a longer route to the same place. Looking at the planning map you posted yesterday, it appears that the city expected its growth to be toward the south.

Btw that is a great map from 1921! Notice that Kirby is listed as Reynolds (original name).

I don't think this helps you but...have you ever seen Marty Blaise's Houston Roads webpage.

He has a few "current" pictures of old main st. He also has a few other interesting tidbits for roadgeeks like myself.

http://www.geocities.com/BourbonStreet/8610/oldmain.html

And thank you! It's good to know there's other roadgeeks out there who spend time wondering about "lost" roads and ovals. Does that Marty Blaise come to HAIF?

This is the section of old

main that the old Jake Freedman "Domain Privie" gambling house

used to be. He was Caroline Farbs grandfather BTW...

It's torn down now, and all that land is fenced field now.

There are still a few people living around that area, and the pro-

mark drumstick company is about at that location. I remember

in the 70's, there was also a regular house on the same side

of old main as the gambling joint, but farther east, closer to

main. But it's gone now... I drove by there a few months ago.

So...Whoever bought all that land, must have probably bought

out the whole block and fenced it up.. That land is probably worth

buckoo bucks.. I wanted to metal detect at the old gambling site,

but it's all totally fenced, and the land has been bulldozed over

I think. Makes me wonder if the old swimming pool at that joint is

still under the ground... :/

Et voici le "Domain Privee" de Jakie Freedman.

"On a two-lane gravel road in a remote area off the southern end of Main Street, about fourteen miles from downtown, this elegant colonial mansion was one of the fanciest gambling casinos in America. It was Jakie Freedman's "Domain Privee." Only a select few were permitted past the gate guards. Thirty to forty made a capacity gambling crowd. But these were the very wealthy. Chips began at $5.00. Domain Privee flourished through World War II. However, in the early 1950's steps were taken to enforce Texas' gambling laws. Under this threat, Freedman closed Domain Privee and moved to a town in Nevada, where gambling is legal. The grandiose resort hotel and casino that he ran in Las Vegas, The Sands, became world famous."

the 1935 map lists a great name for a band --- "modern appliances" (um, copyright torvald 2006)

Great name and album cover! Probably the kind of place where Hulda would shop.

On my map there is also a "Modern Transportation" listed near Old Main St. Probably jet-packs and monorails.

[Subdude]

If I'm reading the map right...isn't State Highway 19 also defunct?

Still there. It's just Almeda Rd.

[theoriginalkj]

This is the section of old

main that the old Jake Freedman "Domain Privie" gambling house

used to be. He was Caroline Farbs grandfather BTW...

It's torn down now, and all that land is fenced field now.

There are still a few people living around that area, and the pro-

mark drumstick company is about at that location. I remember

in the 70's, there was also a regular house on the same side

of old main as the gambling joint, but farther east, closer to

main. But it's gone now... I drove by there a few months ago.

So...Whoever bought all that land, must have probably bought

out the whole block and fenced it up.. That land is probably worth

buckoo bucks.. I wanted to metal detect at the old gambling site,

but it's all totally fenced, and the land has been bulldozed over

I think. Makes me wonder if the old swimming pool at that joint is

still under the ground... :/

I'm not quite following you. Can you specify where this old 'Domain Privie' gambling house was, specifically?

Kevin

[nm5k]

I'm not quite following you. Can you specify where this old 'Domain Privie' gambling house was, specifically?

Kevin

http://maps.yahoo.com/beta/index.php#maxp=...=29.65722&mag=1

Sorry bout the long link... Anyway, if you look at the sat pix, the "A" arrow will be pointing

at the intersection of Craighead, and Old Main loop. You can see old main running ne/sw..

Ok, see the "dividing line where the neighborhood with houses switches to cleared land?

The line runs exactly n/s. That line is about the midpoint of that section of old main.

On the southside of old main, that dividing line was the west boundery of the gambling

joint. There are still curb markers at the point of the entrance, but they are not showing

very well in that pix. That would be just east of the driveways to what I think is pro-mark.

There is a clump of trees pretty near where the old house, etc used to be.

I see there are new buildings, street just south of where the gambling place was. Thats

brand new.. Wasn't in the last sat pix I saw of that area, just a few months ago.. Note

the fresh white concrete... I had been to that place a few times in the 70's. Went in

the old big house, and also saw the swimming pool, etc, which was off in another

building. It was pretty ramshackle even then... He left in the early to mid 50's when

they had a local gambling crackdown. Went to Vegas and started the Sands.. Think

it was the Sands anyway... BTW... Note the lawn sculpting in that overhead pix...

Big diamond with a circle in it, and the big star east of the driveway. In the 70's,

we drove through on that same driveway, and you could loop the place and come

back out. But in the 70's, it was real overgrown and thick. Not like the sculpted lawn

you see in that pix. Now, in 2006, it's all mowed pretty clean again... :/

MK

[Subdude]

I had to go check out the site. There is less than a half mile of Old Main St. remaining in that section. It no longer connects to South Main since the latter is being converted into freeway. It is hard to believe this was once a main route into Houston.

It looks like all that is there is a small concrete embankment and a small bridge leading to what would have been the entrance. I couldn't tell what the new green building was in the back of the site close to South Main. The area is securely fenced off.

[TexasFreeway.com]

During the 70's, 80's & early 90's the lot at the southwest end of Old Main was used by a pipe fabricator/supplier. The several roads you see in the sat photo are the service roads used in the pipe yard.

If you look closely in the sat photo you can see a faint section of Old Main in the utility easement. I checked it out a few years ago and was able to see roadbed with traces of center strips in this short section. From what I have able to tell Old Main in its earliest form crossed the north/south tracks, continued for a short ways before turning to parallel the tracks which follow the currect South Main Street. It then stopped and you crossed the tracks again to follow the current alignment. I am still gathering evidence to support this idea.

I have several Astrodome construction photos in which Old Main can clearly be seen cutting through the parking lot.

One of my upcoming additions to TF is a photo essay on Old Main Street.

Ron Jackson

TexasFreeway.com

Edited June 25, 2006 by TexasFreeway.com

[Subdude]

Thanks for the info. Let us know when the Old Main St essay is on TF.

Notice Colt Stadium in that photo as well.

[MaxConcrete]

Here is an aerial photo taken around late summer 1964 clearly showing the alignment of Old South Main. Soon after this photo was taken, the alignment was overrun by development

high resolution

http://www.oscarmail.net/dfwfreeways/image...f_1896x1513.jpg

low resolution

http://www.oscarmail.net/dfwfreeways/image...off_948x756.jpg

[theoriginalkj]

Here is an aerial photo taken around late summer 1964 clearly showing the alignment of Old South Main. Soon after this photo was taken, the alignment was overrun by development

high resolution

http://www.oscarmail.net/dfwfreeways/image...f_1896x1513.jpg

low resolution

http://www.oscarmail.net/dfwfreeways/image...off_948x756.jpg

Here's a scan from a 1968 Houston Tourguide map published by Gulf Oil Company. This map clearly shows "Old Main Street Loop Rd" being truncated by the Astrodome sports complex. The rest of the road goes SW down to Main Street & Stella Link. This map even shows a few streets that are now completely gone without a trace that ran between "Old Main Street Loop Rd" and "Alt 90"; the streets of Ingleside, Clearview, & Hilcrest. A careful comparison of these three streets and current GoogleMap imagery appears to show no signs at all of these old streets existence. I wonder what or who used to live or exist on these old non-existent streets? I do also notice the old street of Fariss on this map going both east and west of Alt-90, where today it only runs east of Alt-90. Lastly, the "Old Main Street Loop Rd" did NOT run across the railroad tracks at this time and go any further. If it did run longer than the railroad tracks, like TexasFreeway.com indicates, it was before this 1968 map. Funny how AstroWorld is under construction on this map and today there's no hint it was even ever there.

[TexasFreeway.com]

This cutting from a 1950 Houston Street Map sheds a little more light on the history of Old Main Street.

Note how OMS crossed the railroad tracks and continued for a short destance before turning south. The heavy red line is the current Main Street. What you can't see on the portion is that on this map Main Street is cosigned as US90 and US59.

So it appear the ORIGINAL Main Street took you out across the tracks, turned south, then crosses over the tracks again. I would hate to have been on the section between the tracks if a train had to stop. It may be one reason the current Main Street takes its current turn to the south.

This clip from a 1962 Harris County map shows the end of OMS truncated at the tracks, but also shows more development to the southeast.

Here are a few of my photos on OMS.

The first is looking southwest, at the current end of OMS. Notice how the lines keep going straight across the tracks. There is also paving all the way up to the tracks, most of it overgrown.

This second image is just across the tracks. You can still the original road through the grass. I was even able to see some striping before getting chased off by the horses.

[Subdude]

Thanks for the photos.

Here's a scan from a 1968 Houston Tourguide map published by Gulf Oil Company. This map clearly shows "Old Main Street Loop Rd" being truncated by the Astrodome sports complex. The rest of the road goes SW down to Main Street & Stella Link. This map even shows a few streets that are now completely gone without a trace that ran between "Old Main Street Loop Rd" and "Alt 90"; the streets of Ingleside, Clearview, & Hilcrest. A careful comparison of these three streets and current GoogleMap imagery appears to show no signs at all of these old streets existence. I wonder what or who used to live or exist on these old non-existent streets?

Great map. It shows the location of Playland Park at South Main and Murworth.

Anyway, if you look at satellite photos of Old Main Street, you can see Ingleside very clearly, although it doesn't appear to be in use. No trace, however, of Clearview or Hilcrest.

[nm5k]

This cutting from a 1950 Houston Street Map sheds a little more light on the history of Old Main Street.

Hummm. Kinda interesting. You can see in the old 1950 picture that Craighead once ran south

and seemed to connect with Holmes rd. I was looking at some of the sat pix of that street,

and you can still see a few places where the really old sections still exist to an extent. Most

are starting to be covered with grass, etc.. I remember even in the 70's, I always thought that

that street, area must be pretty old. I guess I was right, even though I didn't know anything

about the history of the street. Another old area that is nearby is the gasmer/willow streets

a bit to the west. I had always thought those streets must have been pretty old too, as I

remember houses that were abandanded even in the 70's. I had this confirmed a while back

when looking at the 1942 map of Houston. Those streets were in place even going back to

the 30's I think, being the map itself was drawn in the 30's. I guess that area was really out

in the boonies at that time. The old Sam Houston airport was just to the west at that time.

Note Kirby running south to Holmes...I don't remember that being like that now, but I'd

have to check a recent map..

MK

[57Tbird]

So it appear the ORIGINAL Main Street took you out across the tracks, turned south, then crosses over the tracks again. I would hate to have been on the section between the tracks if a train had to stop. It may be one reason the current Main Street takes its current turn to the south.

Actually, South Main went UNDER the railroad tracks when I was around there in the 50's-60's...at least one set of the tracks...I think the straight part.

[nm5k]

Actually, South Main went UNDER the railroad tracks when I was around there in the 50's-60's...at least one set of the tracks...I think the straight part.

Yep, I think it was that way a good while into at least the 70's. I remember

if you were going north on main, you went around that curve, that was kinda

underground, with sort of a "cliff" on the east side of the road. I forgot when

they built the elevated southbound part, but it was there in the early 70's.

MK

[Subdude]

This cutting from a 1950 Houston Street Map sheds a little more light on the history of Old Main Street.

Note how OMS crossed the railroad tracks and continued for a short destance before turning south. The heavy red line is the current Main Street. What you can't see on the portion is that on this map Main Street is cosigned as US90 and US59.

So it appear the ORIGINAL Main Street took you out across the tracks, turned south, then crosses over the tracks again. I would hate to have been on the section between the tracks if a train had to stop. It may be one reason the current Main Street takes its current turn to the south.

This clip from a 1962 Harris County map shows the end of OMS truncated at the tracks, but also shows more development to the southeast.

Notice the area labeled "Stella" on this map, south of the Astrodome. Hence "Stella Link"?